Key Talent Group is a recruiting firm committed to establishing and maintaining positive relationships with both candidates and clients. 

Lead Estimator & Preconstruction Manager

Position Summary

The Lead Estimator & Preconstruction Manager is responsible for driving all preconstruction activities including estimating, bid management, value engineering, design-build support, design coordination, subcontractor scope development, and project

Handoff to operations. This role ensures accurate cost projections, complete scope coverage, and alignment between client expectations, design intent, and subcontractor proposals. The Lead Estimator & Preconstruction Manager works closely with owners, architects, engineers, suppliers, and subcontractors to deliver comprehensive and competitive proposals across negotiated, design-build, and hard bid projects.

Key Responsibilities

Preconstruction Leadership

• Lead full lifecycle of preconstruction efforts from pursuit to project award.
• Partner with owners and internal teams to establish budgets, phasing, procurement strategies, and milestone schedules.
• Support development of GMPs, design-build budgets, conceptual estimates, and final competitive bids.
• Maintain historical cost data, estimating templates, production rates, and market analysis for nationwide projects.

Design-Build Assistance

• Collaborate with design partners during conceptual, schematic, and construction document development to ensure alignment with budget targets.
• Provide cost modeling, pricing alternatives, and constructability review throughout the design process.
• Participate in design-build meetings to verify material selections, building systems, site strategies, and value impacts.
• Coordinate early release packages and submittal reviews for long-lead items to keep design-build schedules on track.

Estimating & Cost Analysis

• Prepare detailed quantity takeoff, cost breakdowns, unit pricing, and assumptions using industry-standard software.
• Analyze drawings, specifications, and addenda to identify gaps, clarifications needed, or missing scope.
• Solicit, level, and negotiate subcontractor and vendor proposals to ensure competitive pricing and comprehensive coverage.
• Provide risk analysis, contingency planning, alternates, and bid strategies to leadership and ownership.

Value Engineering & Constructability Support

• Lead value engineering workshops to achieve design intent while minimizing cost.
• Provide recommendations on alternative building systems, materials, sequencing, and procurement strategies.
• Offer guidance on constructability, phasing, lead times, and labor availability.

Subcontractor Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with qualified subcontractors and vendors nationwide.
• Prequalify subcontractors based on experience, price consistency, project type, safety, financial standing, and performance history.
• Prepare detailed bid instructions, scope narratives, leveling sheets, and clarifications for subcontractor outreach.

Subcontract Agreement Scope Review

• Draft and review subcontract scope exhibits to ensure all work is accurately captured.
• Confirm subcontract scopes align with drawings, specifications, addenda, RFIs, allowances, alternates, and value engineering decisions.
• Partner with project management to verify alignment in scope handoff and eliminate trade conflicts, overlaps, or gaps.

Submittal Review (Pre-Award)

• Review product selections, material options, alternates, and proposed substitutions for compliance with project specifications.
• Validate submittals against design intent, value engineering commitments, and owner preferences during preconstruction. 
• Coordinate early release submittals to secure long-lead materials while maintaining budget control.

Project Handoff

• Lead turnover meetings to communicate estimate assumptions, scope breakdowns, risk items, and budget constraints.
• Provide subcontractor scope summaries, estimate backup, allowance schedules, and value engineering log to operations for execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field (preferred).
• 7+ years of commercial construction estimating or preconstruction experience; design-build experience strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of building systems, market pricing, subcontractor trades, and construction means and methods.
• Proficiency with industry-standard estimating and takeoff software (e.g., Bluebeam, ProEst, Sage, OST/PlanSwift
• Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation, and analytical skills.