Sr Manager Project Estimating

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA); Virginia (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

WMATA seeks a Senior Manager, Project Estimating to lead a team of engineers and construction professionals in independent cost estimating and integrated total project cost/schedule development. The role enforces WMATA standards and drives process improvements, reporting to managers and stakeholders.

The position emphasizes leadership, risk assessment, and training, with responsibility for procurement support and change management across capital projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction, or related field with 10+ years of construction estimating experience.
• 10+ years in construction with 5+ years supervising cost estimating staff.
• Experience leading cost estimating for large, complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach estimating and cost-analysis staff, establishing procedures and standards.
• Review estimates to ensure alignment with WMATA rules, safety requirements and project scope.
• Direct construction cost estimating for procurements and project planning.
• Drive automation and reporting on estimating workload and KPIs.
• Identify and communicate risk issues and cost implications to stakeholders.
• Develop training on cost estimating practices for multiple offices.

Skills

Leadership

Estimating & cost analysis

Communication (verbal & written)

Constructability reviews

Workload planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/construction

PM certification (PMP)

Tools

InEight

HCSS

ProCORE

PlanSwift

Job description

Job Description

The Senior Manager, Project Estimating is responsible for managing a staff of engineers and construction professionals engaged in preparing independent cost estimates and establishing integrated total project cost and schedule estimates. The incumbent is responsible for implementing and enforcing WMATA procedures, standards and guidelines for independent cost estimates, and for developing and implementing departmental procedures, standards, and guidelines for integrated total project cost and schedule development. This position leads the performance of a technical staff, manages team deliverables, performs gap analysis, implements process improvements, and presents reports for managers, directors and stakeholders.

Principal Job Duties

• Manages and provides guidance to the estimating and cost analysis staff including the establishment and maintenance of estimating and cost analysis procedures and standards.
• Reviews basis of estimates, assumptions, productivity rates, cost analyses, and estimates prepared by staff, project and asset owner offices and their outside consultants to ensure that the work products reasonably reflect the planned work, including WMATA’s regulatory and safety requirements. Provides, as required, consultative services to contract negotiating teams prior to and during negotiations with vendors.
• Leads the delivery of construction and total project cost estimating services for a wide group of stakeholders in support of project and program procurement, planning and execution. Stakeholders include offices throughout WMATA and occasionally outside projects under adjacent construction.
• Champions the use of accepted industry standards and guidelines for estimating work throughout the construction project lifecycle.
• Optimizes staff efficiency and the quality of the work product by facilitating the automation of the estimating processes within the limits of the resources available.
• Manages the update and enhancement of the processes required to provide timely and intelligent reporting on cost estimating workload and related performance KPIs
• Identify risk issues and their order of magnitude.
• Maintains and communicates data on construction and material cost trends affecting project costs.
• Serves as a vital resource on construction project procurement, implementation and change management activities, predicting and controlling costs and providing the basis of WMATA’s position on negotiations for construction and engineering contracts.
• Facilitates staff training related to construction industry costing trends and practices to ensure the estimating and cost engineering staff maintains state-of-the-art knowledge and capabilities in areas relevant to their assigned responsibilities.
• Meets regularly with WMATA project teams and stays well informed about upcoming project needs for estimating support.
• Works with asset owner program offices to support long term capital cost estimates for development of their state of good repair programs.
• Establishes and maintains a standard of documenting and sharing lessons learned for continuous improvement.
• Develops and delivers training to project, procurement, engineering and maintenance offices on project cost estimating and cost and price analysis.

Other Duties

• May develop and maintain a cost estimating information system including, a centralized database or a full range of construction and engineering functions within the WMATA Transportation System. May establish, publish, and or maintain WMATA-wide standards and guidelines for the preparation of project estimates and cost and price analyses.
• May coordinate, as needed, with the Office of Inspector General and the Office of Procurement to ensure that estimating policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines are in conformance with regulatory and internal requirements.
• May act in the role Technical Resource (COTR) or task manager on a given procurement contract.
• Maintains and promotes awareness and accountability with safety policies and procedures while performing job functions. Promotes a positive safety culture and encourages reporting of safety concerns consistent with our Agency Safety Plan, other regulatory requirements within the Safety Management System and just culture principles.

The functions listed are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Nor is it intended to limit in any way the right of managers and supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

Responsibilities

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of accepted estimating and costing techniques
• Knowledge of estimating software and skilled in applying automation knowledge to
• enhance estimating capabilities
• Knowledge of different project delivery methods (Design-bid-build, Design-Build, CMAR, etc.)
• Knowledge of construction and engineering contract management and administration
• Knowledge of requirements, both external and internal, governing WMATA’s management of
• procurement, change orders, and project close-out
• Knowledge of cost estimating software such as InEight, HCSS, or similar

Skills

• Skilled in providing leadership, training and technical guidance to members of an estimating team, which include staff and consultants
• Skilled at communicating effectively at all levels of the organization, both orally and in writing
• Skilled at performing constructability reviews
• Skilled at managing workloads and work assignments of estimating / scheduling team and planning upcoming work and delivery dates
• Skilled at producing reliable and independent cost estimates to support entire project life cycle

Abilities

• Ability to evaluate, analyze and maintain complex technical projects and schedules
• Ability to supervise, train and evaluate subordinate staff in compliance with applicable Authority human resources and labor relations policies, procedures, regulations and agreements.
• Champions efficient project delivery and plays a key role in effective change management and maintaining cost controls
• Ability to develop and comprehend various types and levels of technical, contractual and legal documentation related to construction projects and project planning
• Ability to direct the work of others and serve as a key resource to staff members and other internal customers / stakeholders

Machine, Tools, Equipment, Software, Hardware Required

• Personal computers
• Phone system
• Mobile phone
• MS Office Suite of applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint)
• Internet
• PROCORE or similar
• Documentum or similar
• Bluebeam, PlanSwift, or Similar
• RS Means Estimating Database
• InEight, HCSS, or similar

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervises work of others, including planning, assigning, scheduling and reviewing work, ensuring quality standards. Is responsible for hiring, terminating, training and developing, reviewing performance and administering corrective action for staff. Plans organizational structure and job content.

Qualifications

Minimum Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction, Technology or related field
  • In lieu of a Bachelor’s Degree a High School Diploma/GED or a post high school training or certification (e.g. PMP certification) related to project management and four (4) years of construction experience in infrastructure projects, in addition to the experience stated below, will be considered.

Minimum Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in the construction industry, to include at least five (5) years of experience in the administration and supervision of cost estimating staff.
• Demonstrated estimating experience on a series of large and complex construction projects.

Minimum Certification/Licensure

• N/A

Preferred Qualifications

• AACE Certification (Certified Estimating Professional or similar)
• Project Management Certification (PMP or similar)
• Experience in Infrastructure – Transit construction

About Us

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), known as Metro, is the region’s leading public transportation provider. Serving a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction, Metro operates six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes, and Metro Access, a shared-ride paratransit service. As one of the nation’s busiest transit systems, Metro connects communities, supports economic growth, and provides safe, reliable transportation.

Evaluation Criteria

Consideration will be given to applicants whose resumes demonstrate the required education and experience. Applicants should include all relevant education and work experience.

Evaluation criteria may include one or more of the following:

• Skills and/or behavioral assessment
• Personal interview
• Verification of education and experience (including certifications and licenses)
• Criminal Background Check (a criminal conviction is not an automatic bar to employment)
• Medical examination including a drug and alcohol screening (for safety sensitive positions)
• Review of a current motor vehicle report

Closing

WMATA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal law.

This posting is an announcement of a vacant position under recruitment. It is not intended to replace the official job description. Job descriptions are available upon confirmation of an interview.