Strategic Preconstruction Lead - Commercial & Institutional

STO Building Group; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) retirement plan with employer

Paid time off

Job summary

Ajax Building Company, part of the STO Building Group, seeks an experienced Preconstruction Manager to lead project planning and cost strategy from concept to GMP, aligning design, budget, and constructability. This client-facing role partners with clients, design teams, and operations to guide pricing and validate estimates across Florida, with some travel.

Reporting to the Director of Preconstruction Services, you will support multiple project teams and drive efficient, well-coordinated

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in preconstruction/estimating within commercial construction.
• Strong communication and leadership in client-facing environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction from budgeting through design development and GMP with Operations.
• Guide pricing, validate estimates, ensuring alignment with goals.
• Develop conceptual budgets and design-phase estimates (no detailed takeoffs).
• Create design-phase deliverables: cost reports, VE analyses, budget updates.
• Prepare GMP proposals and lead client presentations.
• Provide constructability feedback and VE recommendations.
• Engage design teams to challenge assumptions for buildable solutions.
• Evaluate subcontractor and vendor pricing with estimating team.
• Maintain historical cost data for forecasting and benchmarking.
• Serve as primary contact with clients, architects, engineers, consultants.
• Lead client/design meetings; communicate cost impacts and strategy.
• Build relationships to support project execution and future work.
• Support higher education, healthcare, municipal, mission critical projects, etc.

Skills

Client-facing communication

Leadership in meetings

Collaborative design influence

Presentation skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or related field

Job description

Ajax Building Company, part of the STO Building Group, seeks an experienced Preconstruction Manager to lead project planning and cost strategy from concept to GMP, aligning design, budget, and constructability. This client-facing role partners with clients, design teams, and operations to guide pricing and validate estimates across Florida, with some travel.

Reporting to the Director of Preconstruction Services, you will support multiple project teams and drive efficient, well-coordinated