Senior Estimator / Head of Preconstruction

Senior Estimator / Head of Preconstruction

Reporting Structure

Reports To: President, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, or other designated executive leadership position.

Direct Reports: Estimators, Preconstruction Managers, Assistant Estimators, and/or other preconstruction personnel, depending on organizational structure.

Position Classification

Job Title: Senior Estimator / Head of Pre-construction
Department: Pre-construction / Estimating
Level: Senior Leadership
Employment Status: Full-Time / Exempt
Travel: Occasional travel to project sites, client meetings, subcontractor meetings, and industry events may be required.

Position Summary

The Senior Estimator / Head of Preconstruction provides leadership and oversight for all estimating and preconstruction activities from initial project opportunity through contract award and transition to the construction team. This position is responsible for developing accurate and competitive estimates, establishing project budgets, evaluating constructability, managing subcontractor and supplier relationships, identifying project risks, and ensuring that proposed projects align with the company’s financial and operational objectives.

Serving as a key link between clients, architects, engineers, subcontractors, vendors, project executives, and operations teams, this role combines advanced estimating expertise with strategic preconstruction leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Preconstruction Leadership

• Lead the preconstruction process from initial opportunity and conceptual planning through final pricing and project handoff.
• Establish preconstruction schedules, milestones, deliverables, and responsibilities.
• Partner with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, and internal teams during project planning and design.
• Provide recommendations regarding constructability, materials, building systems, scheduling, logistics, and cost-saving opportunities.
• Lead preconstruction and design-assist meetings as appropriate.
• Identify potential project risks early and develop strategies to minimize cost, schedule, and construction impacts.
• Ensure a smooth transition of awarded projects from preconstruction to project management and field operations.

Estimating & Cost Management

• Prepare and oversee conceptual, schematic, design-development, and final construction estimates.
• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs and analyze drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and other construction documents.
• Develop preliminary budgets when complete construction documents are not yet available.
• Maintain current knowledge of labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, and market pricing.
• Review estimates for accuracy, completeness, competitiveness, and alignment with project requirements.
• Develop bid packages and clearly define subcontractor scopes of work.
• Analyze subcontractor and supplier proposals and identify scope gaps, exclusions, qualifications, and pricing discrepancies.
• Prepare bid leveling and cost comparison analyses.
• Maintain historical cost data to improve future estimating accuracy.

Value Engineering & Constructability

• Lead value-engineering efforts while protecting project quality, functionality, and design intent.
• Identify alternative materials, systems, construction methods, and procurement strategies.
• Perform constructability reviews throughout the design process.
• Evaluate cost implications associated with design changes and owner requests.
• Assist clients and design teams in making informed decisions based on budget, schedule, quality, and lifecycle considerations.

Subcontractor & Vendor Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with qualified subcontractors, suppliers, and industry partners.
• Manage subcontractor solicitation and ensure adequate bid coverage across all trades.
• Evaluate subcontractor qualifications, capabilities, pricing, availability, and past performance.
• Participate in subcontractor scope reviews and negotiations.
• Continuously expand the company’s subcontractor and vendor network.

Business Development & Client Relations

• Participate in project pursuits, client presentations, interviews, and proposal development.
• Assist leadership in evaluating potential projects based on risk, profitability, resources, schedule, and strategic fit.
• Build trusted relationships with owners and design professionals throughout the preconstruction process.
• Clearly communicate budgets, assumptions, allowances, alternates, exclusions, and potential risks to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Represent the company professionally during negotiations and pre-award discussions.

Department Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop estimators and other preconstruction team members.
• Establish consistent estimating procedures, standards, templates, and quality-control processes.
• Review estimates and proposals prepared by team members before final submission.
• Assign estimating responsibilities based on workload, project complexity, and team capabilities.
• Monitor estimating performance and identify opportunities to improve accuracy, efficiency, and profitability.
• Support the development and implementation of estimating and preconstruction technology.

Qualifications

• Typically 8–12+ years of commercial construction estimating and/or preconstruction experience, including experience managing complex projects.
• Demonstrated experience leading preconstruction and estimating activities.
• Strong understanding of construction methods, materials, sequencing, building systems, and subcontractor scopes.
• Advanced ability to interpret construction drawings, specifications, contracts, and technical documents.
• Strong knowledge of conceptual estimating, quantity takeoffs, bid leveling, value engineering, and cost forecasting.
• Experience with estimating, takeoff, scheduling, and construction management software.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Demonstrated leadership and team-development skills.

Preferred Skills

Experience with platforms such as Procore, Bluebeam, BuildingConnected, Sage Estimating, Autodesk Construction Cloud, PlanSwift, Tradesman, or similar construction technology is preferred. Experience with negotiated work, design-build, CM-at-Risk, hard-bid, and design-assist delivery methods is highly desirable.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Preconstruction Planning
• Advanced Construction Estimating
• Cost Analysis & Budget Development
• Value Engineering
• Constructability Analysis
• Risk Identification & Mitigation
• Subcontractor Procurement
• Contract & Scope Review
• Client Relationship Management
• Negotiation
• Team Leadership & Mentoring
• Financial & Business Acumen
• Decision-Making
• Communication & Collaboration
• Attention to Detail

Performance Expectations

Success in this position will be measured by the accuracy of project estimates, effectiveness of preconstruction planning, successful conversion of opportunities into awarded projects, budget performance, subcontractor coverage, client satisfaction, project handoff quality, risk management, and overall contribution to project profitability.