Senior Estimator/Preconstruction Manager

Florida Palm Construction

Florida

On-site

USD 120,000 - 190,000

Full time

6 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Bonus Structure

PTO and Company Holidays

401k Matching

Health Insurance, Dental, Vision and L

Life Insurance

Opportunities for growth

Job summary

Florida Palm Construction, a growing South Florida GC, seeks a Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Manager to lead our Preconstruction and Estimating Department. You will own the process from opportunity intake to handoff to Operations, mentoring staff and refining systems.

The right candidate combines deep estimating expertise with leadership to manage multiple estimates, improve processes, and expand our subcontractor relationships in a dynamic project environment.

Qualifications

Significant estimating and preconstruction experience with a General Contractor.
Ability to own the preconstruction process from opportunity intake through award and handoff to Operations.
Strong leadership and mentoring skills to develop and manage a team.

Responsibilities

Lead the Estimating Pipeline: manage 8–10 active estimates, set priorities, assign workload, and meet deadlines.
Own each opportunity from initial review through bid submission and award; include budgeting, scope, and bid package development.
Build accurate, competitive estimates by reviewing drawings, specs, addenda, contracts, and bid documents; identify risks and gaps.
Lead subcontractor strategy: expand network, solicit bids, negotiate pricing, and ensure coverage across trades.
Collaborate with Sales, Preconstruction & Operations to evaluate opportunities and prioritize resources.
Provide weekly visibility into new opportunities, active estimates, deadlines, and pipeline value.
Oversee handoff to Project Manager/ Superintendent with clear procurement priorities and known risks.
Help refine procedures, templates, data, KPIs, and SOPs; manage AI automation initiatives.

Skills

Plans & specs literacy

Estimating leadership

Commercial GC experience

Subcontractor relationships

Risk identification

Multi-deadline management

Stakeholder communications

Data-driven performance

Process improvement mindset

Leadership accountability

Job description

Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Manager

Florida Palm Construction | South Florida

Florida Palm Construction is a growing South Florida General Contractor and Construction Management firm specializing in commercial construction, tenant improvements, institutional projects, and select high-end residential work.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Estimator / Preconstruction Manager to lead our Preconstruction and Estimating Department.

This is not simply an estimating position. We are looking for someone who can own the preconstruction process - from the moment an opportunity enters our pipeline through estimating, proposal, award, and a successful handoff to our Operations team.

The right person is an experienced construction professional who enjoys estimating but also wants to lead: improving systems, developing subcontractor relationships, managing priorities, identifying risk, mentoring others, and helping determine which projects Florida Palm pursues.

What You'll Own

Lead the Estimating Pipeline

Manage approximately 8–10 active estimates at a time, establishing priorities, assigning workload, and ensuring deadlines are consistently met.

Own each opportunity from initial review through bid submission and award, including

Initial project and opportunity review
Conceptual and preliminary budgeting
Detailed estimating
Scope and bid package development
Subcontractor solicitation and coverage
Bid leveling and scope review
Value engineering
Proposal preparation
Client presentations and negotiations
Preconstruction-to-Operations handoff

Manage clear internal milestones for every estimate so that projects are reviewed thoughtfully rather than rushed at the finish line.

Build Accurate, Competitive Estimates

Review drawings, specifications, addenda, contracts, and other bid documents to understand project requirements and identify risks, missing information, and potential scope gaps.

Develop and review:

Conceptual and detailed estimates
Scopes of work and bid packages
Allowances and alternates
Exclusions and clarifications
Client proposals
RFIs and design clarifications

Evaluate constructability, logistics, phasing, scheduling, long-lead items, permitting, bonding, insurance, and other project-specific requirements.

Lead Our Subcontractor Strategy

Develop strong relationships with subcontractors and vendors while continuously expanding Florida Palm's subcontractor network.

Manage subcontractor solicitation and bid coverage across required trades. Review and level proposals, identify scope gaps and overlaps, negotiate pricing, and determine the appropriate numbers and qualifications to carry in the estimate.

Work collaboratively with subcontractors, architects, engineers, and clients to identify value-engineering opportunities and practical solutions.

Connect Sales, Preconstruction & Operations

Partner closely with our Sales and Business Development team to evaluate incoming opportunities, determine project fit, and prioritize the company's estimating resources.

Participate in our weekly Sales/Estimating meeting and provide leadership with clear visibility into:

New opportunities
Active estimates and upcoming deadlines
Bid coverage
Proposal status and follow-up
Potential awards
Pipeline value
Estimating performance and hit rates
Department workload and staffing needs
Project and preconstruction risks

For awarded projects, lead a comprehensive handoff to the Project Manager and Superintendent so Operations clearly understands the estimate, subcontractor proposals, assumptions, allowances, exclusions, schedule, procurement priorities, and known risks before construction begins.

Help Us Build a Better Preconstruction Department

We want someone who doesn't just work within a system; we want someone who helps us continuously improve it.

You will help refine our estimating procedures, templates, historical cost data, subcontractor database, bid tracking, departmental KPIs, and SOPs.

We are also actively integrating AI automations to improve estimating accuracy, productivity, follow-up, reporting, and scalability. We want this person to manage this effort.

Who We're Looking For

Our ideal candidate has significant estimating and preconstruction experience with a General Contractor and is comfortable operating at both the leadership level and in the details.

You should be able to lead a department while still personally taking ownership of complex estimates when needed.

You will likely be successful in this role if you are:

Highly proficient in reading plans and specifications
Strong in conceptual and detailed estimating
Experienced with commercial construction and subcontractor buyout
Comfortable negotiating and building subcontractor relationships
Skilled at identifying scope gaps, constructability issues, and project risks
Organized and capable of managing multiple deadlines simultaneously
Confident communicating with owners, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and internal teams
Comfortable using data and KPIs to manage performance
Interested in improving processes rather than simply following them
A strong leader who holds yourself and others accountable
Calm under pressure and proactive when problems arise

Commercial General Contractor experience is strongly preferred. Experience with tenant improvements, institutional work, ground-up construction, and/or high-end residential projects is a plus.

Why Florida Palm Construction?

Florida Palm Construction has built its reputation by protecting our clients' investments through proactive communication, accountability, careful planning, and strong execution.

We are large enough to take on meaningful and complex projects, but small enough that great people have a direct impact on how the company operates and grows.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to do more than produce estimates. You will have a seat at the table, influence which projects we pursue, help shape our systems and team, and play an important role in the next stage of Florida Palm Construction's growth.

Benefits