Preconstruction Manager, NA

Vantage Data Centers LLC; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Vantage Data Centers is seeking a meticulous Preconstruction Manager to support future deployments. You will lead cost estimation, CapEx proformas, and development scheduling for North America, collaborating across NSD, Construction, Design, Procurement and Power teams.

You will generate site‑specific estimates, review proposals, and drive cost optimization in pre‑construction phases while ensuring alignment with regional business goals and sustainability targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Estimating, Accounting, Finance, Economics or equivalent.
• 8 years of related experience.
• Experience leading new construction budgeting and pricing efforts for all trade disciplines.
• Data Center or MEP estimating experience is strongly preferred.
• Project level green and brown field new construction experience is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil engineering scopes.
• Expert knowledge of cost/estimating software.
• Experience evaluating contingency, durations, escalation, reconciliations for estimates.
• Ability to read construction plans, drawings and specifications.
• Familiarity with ProCore & Power BI.
• Proficiency with MS Office: Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Word.
• Travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Lead the generation of Capital Expenditure Proformas for New Site Developments.
• Co‑lead project development strategy, business cases, and forecasting revenue readiness.
• Create cost studies across development phases with emphasis on pre‑construction.
• Collaborate with NSD, CON, DM, DE, Procurement, Power, and MKTDEV teams on cost management.
• Maintain cost data bases to guide CapEx decisions.
• Prepare internal take‑offs, cost estimates, and cash flow ledgers from concepts to construction documents.
• Coordinate with stakeholders on cost and schedule risks.
• Serve as SME on construction and development costs across North America.
• Review contractor proposals for cost, scope and schedule impact.
• Ensure all scope is included in estimates; validate assumptions.
• Continuous improvement of processes and lessons learned.
• Analyze drawings, specs, proposals to prepare cost estimates.

Skills

Construction budgeting

Pricing

MEP estimating

Engineering knowledge

Contingencies & estimates

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management / related field

Tools

Procore

Power BI

MS Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

About Vantage Data Centers Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

About Vantage Data Centers At Vantage, we run some of the most customizable and scalable data centers in the world, with a meticulous focus on efficiency, operational excellence, reliability, testing, and maintenance. With campuses in Santa Clara CA, Quincy WA, Ashburn VA, Quebec City Canada, and Montreal Canada, we support the most demanding of large enterprises, technology companies and service providers. Vantage Data Centers was founded on the principle that modern-day data center design should evolve in innovative ways that lead to dramatic gains in energy efficiency. Years later, we’re still leading that charge. It’s through our focus on efficiency, collaboration, and operational expertise that our customers and company continue to excel.

Market Development Department

The Market Development (MD) team is responsible for 4 key functions within the North American business: 1) Market Strategy, 2) Site Selection & Acquisition, 3) New Site Development and 4) Preconstruction. The team drives the business plans and execution of our geographic and vertical market expansions across North America. We are at the front-end of the process of ensuring we have the critical capacity required to meet the evolving requirements of our wholesale and hyperscale customer base. We evaluate supply, demand, pricing, network, power, and a myriad of other factors when developing our market and site plans. We then acquire sites that align with those plans. The team collaborates with Commercial Management, Sales, Solution Engineering, Design Engineering, Construction, Operations, Finance, and Senior Management along the way. We also help ensure optimal revenue realization post‑construction through development of commercial constructs and pricing that aligns to the objectives of both Vantage and our customers.

Position Overview

This role can be based in any of our US locations: Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; San Antonio, TX, Santa Clara, CA; Columbus; Ohio, Atlanta, Georgia; Ashburn, VA, or US Remote. Vantage is looking for a meticulous, hands‑on Preconstruction Manager to support future project deployments and participate in regional programmatic initiatives with a focus on pre‑construction estimating, development delivery, scheduling, and cost optimization. You will join the Preconstruction team in providing professional cost, schedule, risk, and constructability analysis for perspective developments guiding business level decisions on regional capital expenditure across North America. This role provides a unique opportunity to provide immediate feedback on cost drivers ranging from unique site characteristics, construction strategy, building design, to cost savings opportunities. Preconstruction Managers will also be responsible for generating site specific CapEx proformas, conceptual estimating, reviewing general contractor RFPs, coordinating new site delivery schedules, and evaluating strategic construction elements on perspective new sites.

Essential Job Functions

• Lead the generation of Capital Expenditure Proformas associated with New Site Developments across Vantages portfolio.
• Serving in partnership with New Site Development, you will be on the forefront co‑leading project development strategy, business cases, and forecasting revenue ready dates.
• Create cost studies at all levels of project development, with heavy focus on conceptual planning and pre‑construction phases.
• This role will partner with the New Site Development (NSD), Construction (CON), Design Management (DM), Design Engineering (DE), Procurement, Power, and Site Selection/Market Development (MKTDEV) teams to ensuring that project cost is accurately accounted for.
• Maintain and develop company processes and procedures around our internal project development cost data base to guide future CapEx development decisions.
• Prepare independent internal take‑offs, cost estimates, and cash flow/commitment ledgers from conceptual ideas and plans to Construction Document sets.
• Coordinate with internal customers to surface cost and schedule risk associate with perspective projects.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to internal stakeholders on construction and development cost across North American Markets.
• Challenge internal and external data and ensure justification for modifications, inclusions, or exclusions of presented costs to VDC Preconstruction.
• Review complex General Contractor and Major Trade proposals for new projects, assisting local project teams with evaluating cost, scope and schedule impacts of proposals.
• Ensure all project work scope has been included in the project estimates; verify all scope, durations, and assumptions included in each estimate and supports the authorization and release of internal budgets and estimates.
• Work with vertical peers focusing on continuous improvement to our business processes.
• Analyze drawings, specifications, proposals, and other documentation to prepare/review/comment on time, cost, and labor estimates for projects.
• Review quantity take‑off as a separate validation of contractor pricing in a manner and level of detail consistent with the project goals.
• Review and implement lessons learned to ensure estimating data is accurate and competitive.
• Understand and handle competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Develop and maintain relationships with subcontractors / partners.
• Research new products and installation techniques and develop cost roadmaps to ensure competitive pricing related to sustainability, data center design, and other Vantage initiatives.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Quantity Estimating, Accounting, Finance, Economics or relevant functional discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8 years of related experience.
• Experience leading new construction budgeting and pricing efforts for all trade disciplines.
• Data Center or MEP estimating experience is strongly preferred.
• Project level green and brown field new construction experience is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of all engineering scopes, including electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil.
• Expert knowledge and experience of technical processes, engineering standards, state, and federal codes, analyzing data, generating reports for internal and external review and comment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience using cost/estimating software.
• Experience preparing/reviewing contingency evaluation, durations, escalation, reconciliations for estimates.
• Ability to interpret construction plans, drawings, sketches, and specifications.
• Familiarity with ProCore & Power BI.
• Extensive experience using Microsoft Office software tools, such as MS Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Word, to be utilized in managing and reporting estimate throughput, status, and labor allocation.
• Travel required is expected to be up to 25% but may increase over time as the business evolves.

Additional Details

Salary Range: $165,000 - $175,000 Base + Bonus (this range is based for Colorado on market data and may vary in other locations).

This position is eligible for company benefits including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and AD&D, short and long‑term disability coverage, paid time off, employee assistance, participation in a 401k program that includes company match, and many other additional voluntary benefits.

Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including your qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience and may fall outside of the range shown. This is based on Colorado market data.

#CM1 #LI‑Hybrid

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do.

Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations. Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.