Position Summary
The Estimating Manager oversees the full estimating function for CEC, ensuring accurate, competitive, and timely estimates that support strategic growth and operational excellence. This role provides leadership to the estimating team, manages workload distribution, establishes and enforces estimating standards, and collaborates closely with senior leadership, sales, and project management to secure profitable work.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Team Management
- Lead Estimating Team — Provide daily leadership, coaching, and performance management for all estimators.
- Assign Workload — Prioritize and distribute bid opportunities based on complexity, timelines, and team capacity.
- Develop Staff — Identify skill gaps, create development plans, and support training in takeoffs, costing, software, and proposal writing.
- Conduct Performance Reviews — Evaluate performance based on accuracy, timeliness, collaboration, and adherence to estimating standards.
- Recruit & Onboard — Participate in hiring, onboarding, and competency evaluation of new estimating staff.
- Estimating Oversight & Quality Control
- Review Bid Sites & Opportunities — Oversee the review of bid sites and ensure summaries are prepared for management consideration.
- Ensure Thorough Document Review — Confirm all project documents are read thoroughly, with concerns and questions highlighted.
- Approve Takeoffs & Pricing — Validate quantity takeoffs, subcontractor pricing, and internal costing assumptions.
- Maintain Estimating Standards — Establish templates, checklists, and QA processes to ensure consistency across all estimates.
- Lead Estimate Review Meetings — Chair initial, second, third, and final review meetings with management.
- Oversee Proposal Development — Ensure all proposals are accurate, professional, and aligned with CEC’s standards.
- Training – Provide training and guidance to the estimating team.
- Strategic & Financial Responsibilities
- Bid Strategy Development — Recommend go/no‑go decisions, bid margins, and competitive positioning.
- Monitor Market Conditions — Track industry pricing trends, subcontractor availability, and competitive landscape.
- Improve Cost Database — Oversee updates to the company’s cost database to ensure accuracy and relevance.
- Analyze Variances — Review differences between estimated and actual costs and implement corrective actions.
- Support Business Development — Collaborate with sales to identify upcoming opportunities and maintain client relationships.
- 4. Client & Stakeholder Engagement
- Client Communication — Oversee follow‑ups on submitted bids and maintain relationships with key clients.
- Cross‑Department Collaboration — Work closely with Sales, Projects, and Operations to ensure alignment on scope, schedule, and execution plans.
- Represent Estimating in Leadership Meetings — Provide updates on pipeline, bid status, and resource needs.
- Operational & Administrative Responsibilities
- Maintain Organized Estimate Files — Ensure all quotes, pricing, and documentation are properly organized.
- Ensure Compliance — Ensure all estimates comply with internal policies, safety requirements, and contractual obligations.
- Reporting — Prepare weekly/monthly reports on bid volume, hit rate, and estimating KPIs.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- 10+ years estimating experience in structural steel, industrial construction, or related fields.
- Leadership experience managing teams or leading complex estimates.
- Strong financial acumen and ability to calculate rates, margins, and cost structures.
- Bridge construction and pile driving experience.
- Advanced ability to read and interpret technical drawings.
- High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
- Ability to create professional presentations and reports.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency with estimating software, takeoff tools, and Microsoft Office.