Senior Project Manager

Finch House Recruiting LLC; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Search in Salt Lake City is seeking a Senior Project Manager with a dual focus on estimating and project management for heavy civil work. You will own bids, lead budgets and schedules, and manage RFPs, contracts, and client relationships.

The role demands 7+ years in heavy civil estimating with management exposure, proficiency in takeoff software, and a track record of profitable project delivery. Onsite position with strong leadership opportunities.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in heavy civil estimating with project mgmt or operations exposure.
• Proven track record of winning and delivering utility/earthwork/heavy highway projects.
• Deep knowledge of earthwork, grading, underground utility and paving methods.
• Proficiency with estimating and on-screen takeoff software.
• Strong commercial judgment to read bid schedules for risk and margin.

Responsibilities

• Lead complete estimates for utility, earthwork, and heavy highway projects from takeoff to bid.
• Set pursuit strategy and go/no-go recommendations.
• Manage subcontractor and supplier RFP processes, scope leveling and buyout.
• Prepare proposals, bids, and manage contracts, bonds, and certificates.
• Own project budgets and schedules from award through closeout.
• Oversee change orders and maintain client relationships while protecting margin.
• Mentor junior estimating staff and help develop standards.

Skills

Heavy civil estimating

Project management

Risk assessment

Bid strategy

Client coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or equivalent

Tools

B2W Bid2Win

HCSS HeavyBid

Agtek

InSite takeoff

Job description

Salt Lake City Metro, UT | Confidential Search

A well-established national construction materials organization has retained us to find a Senior Project Manager for its Salt Lake Valley operations. This is a dual-hat seat - Estimatating & Project Management: you win the work, then you help make sure it performs. The company is vertically integrated across aggregates, asphalt, cement, and ready‑mix. You are bidding heavy civil work with the supply chain behind you rather than against you.

Why this is a great opportunity

• You own the number and the outcome. Most shops split estimating and project management, so the estimator never learns what the field actually hit. Here you carry the bid into execution — budget, schedule, change orders, and quality. Your estimating gets sharper because you live with the consequences.
• Real decision authority. You have a voice in what the company chooses to pursue, not just what it is told to price.
• Vertical integration you can bid against. Owning aggregates, asphalt, and ready‑mix means better cost certainty and fewer supplier surprises on bid day — a structural edge, not a talking point.
• Leadership track. Positioned to grow into chief estimator or operations leadership.

What you’ll do — estimating

• Lead complete estimates for utility, earthwork, and heavy highway projects — takeoff through final bid.
• Set pursuit strategy: identify opportunities, assess competitive positioning, and make go/no‑go recommendations.
• Manage subcontractor and supplier RFP processes, including scope leveling and buyout strategy.
• Author proposals and bid documents; process contracts, bonds, and insurance certificates.

What you’ll do — project management

• Own project budgets and schedules from award through closeout.
• Manage change orders and extra work requests, protecting margin and the client relationship at the same time.
• Oversee quality assurance across assigned projects.
• Serve as primary point of contact for owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and agency representatives.
• Debrief completed work against the original estimate and feed those learnings back into the bidding process.

What you’ll do — leadership

• Mentor junior estimating staff and help build estimating standards and templates.
• Represent the company with clients, industry associations, and at networking events.

What you bring — required

• 7+ years in heavy civil estimating, with meaningful project management or operations exposure.
• Demonstrated track record of winning and delivering utility, earthwork, or heavy highway projects.
• Deep knowledge of earthwork, grading, underground utility, and paving means and methods, plus the production rates behind them.
• Proficiency with estimating and on-screen takeoff software.
• Sound commercial judgment — you can read a bid schedule and see where the risk and the margin actually live.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or equivalent industry experience. A strong track record substitutes for the degree.

What you bring — preferred

• B2W (Bid2Win) or HCSS HeavyBid; Agtek or InSite takeoff.
• UDOT or public agency bidding experience.
• Experience mentoring or supervising estimating staff.
• Existing relationships within the Utah or Intermountain West heavy civil market.
• Familiarity with Utah geology, haul economics, and local material sourcing.

The details

• Compensation: $150,000 – $180,000 base depending on experience, plus bonus eligibility and full benefits.
• Location: Salt Lake City metro, UT. Onsite.
• Confidentiality: Client name disclosed to qualified candidates during the first screening call.