Preconstruction Manager - Water & Wastewater Construction

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.; Kansas City (KS); On-site; USD 116,000 - 129,100; Full time

Job summary

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is seeking a Preconstruction Manager to lead estimating, bid strategies, and coordination for water project pursuits. You will partner with owners, design teams, and subcontractors to drive competitive, well-supported proposals.

The role emphasizes strong budgeting, schedule oversight, and risk management across preconstruction activities, with opportunities to train staff and advance within a collaborative, employee-owned culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Architecture or Engineering with 5+ years in estimating or design management.
• In-depth knowledge of construction principles and practices.
• Experience on municipal and/or industrial water and wastewater projects.
• Experience with alternative delivery projects, including cost modeling and GMPs.
• Experience estimating self-perform disciplines, including labor and material pricing.
• Proven experience managing preconstruction for a wide range of projects.
• Strong communication and leadership skills; build trusted relationships.
• Self-starter, motivated, aligned with McCarthy core values.

Responsibilities

• Participate in interviews and interview prep for negotiated bids, acting as Bid Captain and leading estimate/bid meetings.
• Build and maintain relationships with owners, subcontractors, vendors, internal clients and stakeholders.
• Track and manage project budgets and cost data.
• Prepare qualifications for projects aligned with contractual obligations and submit for legal review.
• Implement and oversee preconstruction and construction schedules.
• Assist in training and development of project staff and manage risk with safety and EEO programs.
• Maintain all documentation/deliverables and present to project owners.
• Represent McCarthy at design and coordination meetings and provide alternative solutions.
• Participate in prequalification, responses to RFPs/RFQs, and buyout log management.

Skills

Estimating

Design management

Field management

Budget management

Preconstruction

Subcontracts

Communication

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Architecture or Engineering

Job description

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is America's premier, 100% employee-owned commercial construction company. With offices nationwide, we specialize in a wide range of project types that are as diverse and wide-ranging as the communities in which we build. Our innovative teams collaborate with clients and industry partners throughout the project life cycle, starting in the earliest stages of design, throughout construction and beyond project completion. McCarthy’s reputation for tackling the toughest building challenges starts with our focus on developing high-performing individuals and teams. We do this through our award-winning training programs, a best-in-class Total Rewards benefits program, and a focus on equipping diverse teams of employee owners through a connected and inclusive culture aligned with our core values of: Genuine. We, Not I. All In.

How do McCarthy partners define our culture?

• We Live Our Core Values: We do whatever it takes to deliver on our promises with honesty and integrity.
• We are Employee Owned: We are personally invested in building the things people need in our communities.
• We Feel Like a Family: We value genuine connections and help each other succeed in an inclusive environment.
• We are Builders: We respect the work we do and everyone who helps make it happen safely.

Position Summary

The Preconstruction Manager is a key role within our Water Preconstruction/Estimating department and should have a strong understanding of estimating principles. Depending on the specifics of the project, the Preconstruction Manager may be the primary day-to-day contact of the Owner and the design team. On more complex pursuits, the Preconstruction Manager may support a Preconstruction Director.

Responsibilities

• Participate in interviews and interview preparation for negotiated bids, acting as “Bid Captain” on pursuits and leading estimate/bid process team meetings
• Build and maintain relationships with owners, subcontractors, vendors, internal clients and other key stakeholders, representing McCarthy on the jobsite, in the community and at industry events
• Track and manage project budget
• Prepare qualifications for project that align with contractual obligations, ensuring requirements are adhered to throughout the course of project and submitting contract documents for legal review
• Implement and oversee preconstruction and construction schedule
• Assist in training and development of project staff, and manage risk by implementing all applicable safety and EEO/Affirmative Action programs
• Manage and maintain all documentation/deliverables, presenting them to project owner in organized manner
• Represent McCarthy at design and coordination meetings, providing any alternative solutions and assisting in design decisions
• Participate in the prequalification process, in preparing responses to RFPs and RFQs, in managing the buyout log and chart of accounts

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Architecture or Engineering, and/or minimum of 5 years of applicable estimating, design management and/or field management experience
• In-depth knowledge of construction principles/practices required
• Experience on municipal and/or industrial water and wastewater projects.
• Experience with alternative delivery projects, including cost modeling, cost trending, and GMPs.
• Experience estimating self-perform disciplines, including labor and material pricing.
• Proven experience managing preconstruction for a wide range of relevant projects
• Experience dealing with subcontracts, subcontractors and/or self-perform work
• Experience leading successful team ventures, including the development of employees and maintaining relationships with external entities and subcontractor community
• Self-starter, highly motivated
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build trust and influence a wide variety of audiences
• Demonstrate behaviors consistent with McCarthy core values while maintaining a "value added" approach to preconstruction

McCarthy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

For California locations only, the salary range for this position is: $116,000 - $129,100. This does not include possible bonus and other benefits which can impact total compensation. Compensation offered may vary based on work location, experience, qualifications, specialty, training, and market and business considerations, among other factors.