Vice President of PreconstructionCommercial Construction

Kimmel & Associates; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive incentive bonus program

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company contribution

Paid time off and company holidays

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Kimmel & Associates, based in Arlington, Virginia, is seeking a Vice President of Preconstruction to provide leadership in the preconstruction department. In this role, you'll drive estimating excellence and client engagement, overseeing teams in budgeting, estimating, value engineering, and procurement.

The ideal candidate will have at least 15 years of progressive experience in commercial construction, showcasing exceptional leadership and communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary with additional benefits, including an executive bonus program and comprehensive health insurance.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive commercial construction experience.
• Experience managing large, complex commercial projects.
• Strong financial acumen and strategic planning capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor regional preconstruction and estimating teams.
• Establish best practices for estimating and budgeting.
• Oversee complex estimates for large-scale construction projects.

Skills

Leadership in preconstruction

Estimating and budgeting

Communication skills

Risk management

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related discipline

Tools

Estimating software

Job description

About the Company

Our client is a nationally recognized, employee-focused commercial general contractor and one of the top-ranked ENR firms in the United States. With a strong reputation for delivering complex projects across multiple market sectors—including commercial, mission critical, healthcare, hospitality, multifamily, higher education, and interiors—the company is known for its collaborative culture, commitment to innovation, and long-standing relationships with clients and trade partners.

As the organization continues to expand its national footprint, it is seeking an accomplished executive to lead and elevate its preconstruction function while helping shape strategic growth initiatives across key markets.

About the Position

The Vice President of Preconstruction will provide executive leadership for the preconstruction department, driving estimating excellence, operational consistency, client engagement, and business development support. This leader will oversee high-performing teams responsible for budgeting, estimating, value engineering, procurement strategy, and project planning from pursuit through project turnover.

Working closely with executive leadership, operations, and business development teams, the Vice President will play a critical role in securing new work, developing talent, improving processes, and ensuring exceptional client service throughout the preconstruction lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor regional preconstruction and estimating teams while fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture.
• Establish and maintain best practices for estimating, budgeting, cost modeling, and preconstruction planning.
• Partner with business development and operations leaders to develop winning pursuit strategies.
• Oversee complex conceptual and detailed estimates for large-scale commercial construction projects.
• Drive value engineering initiatives that maximize project value while maintaining quality and schedule objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, and trade partners.
• Participate in client presentations, interviews, and executive-level meetings.
• Develop departmental metrics, forecasting tools, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with operations to ensure seamless transition from preconstruction to project execution.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top preconstruction talent while supporting succession planning initiatives.
• Stay informed on market trends, labor conditions, material pricing, and emerging construction technologies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• 15+ years of progressive commercial construction experience with significant leadership responsibilities in preconstruction or estimating.
• Experience managing large, complex commercial projects across multiple market sectors.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and mentor future leaders.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• Deep understanding of conceptual estimating, cost planning, value engineering, procurement strategies, and risk management.
• Demonstrated success partnering with operations, business development, and executive leadership.
• Experience presenting to owners, developers, architects, and executive stakeholders.
• Strong financial acumen and strategic planning capabilities.
• Familiarity with industry estimating software and modern construction technologies.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary of $180,000–$240,000 , commensurate with experience
• Executive incentive bonus program
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company contribution
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Professional development and executive leadership opportunities
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Opportunity to help shape the future of one of the nation's leading commercial builders