Senior Commercial Manager: Estimating & Contract Strategy

Kelso Industries; Greenville (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and incentives

Health, dental, and vision insurance.

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Kelso Industries is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to lead the estimating department and own the commercial development of module manufacturing proposals ranging from $50M to $300M for data center, life science, and semiconductor markets. You will be the commercial gatekeeper between the estimating team and leadership, guiding bid reviews and contract terms.

You will manage client relationships, coordinate with engineering, project management, fabrication, and finance, and establish

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in estimating, commercial management, or proposal development within modular construction, industrial fabrication, or large capital project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience leading proposal development for large-scale projects ($50M+).
• Strong command of commercial contract terms and experience negotiating directly with legal counsel.
• Proven leadership experience managing an estimating team and establishing standardized estimating tools and processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and develop the estimating department, including staffing, workload allocation, and performance management.
• Establish estimating standards, processes, and timelines to ensure consistent, accurate, and competitive proposals.
• Develop and maintain a standard bid tab format and supporting estimating tools to drive consistency and efficiency across all proposals.
• Build team capability and bench strength to support a growing proposal pipeline.
• Conduct thorough bid reviews on all proposals prior to final review and approval by the President.
• Lead proposal development and strategy for module manufacturing pursuits ranging from $50M to $300M across data center, life science, and semiconductor markets.
• Oversee pricing strategy, risk contingency, and margin positioning on major proposals.
• Coordinate cross-functional proposal input from engineering, project management, fabrication, procurement, and quality.
• Present bid packages, assumptions, and commercial risk positions to executive leadership prior to submission.
• Own and manage key client relationships throughout pursuit, proposal, and contracting process.
• Serve as primary commercial contact for clients during clarifications, negotiations, and award.

Skills

Estimating leadership

Proposal development

Pricing strategy

Contract negotiations

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or related field

Tools

Estimating software

Bid tab software

ERP systems

Proposal management tools

Job description

Kelso Industries is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to lead the estimating department and own the commercial development of module manufacturing proposals ranging from $50M to $300M for data center, life science, and semiconductor markets. You will be the commercial gatekeeper between the estimating team and leadership, guiding bid reviews and contract terms.

You will manage client relationships, coordinate with engineering, project management, fabrication, and finance, and establish