Director of Preconstruction

Position Description

Who You'll Work With

• VP of Industrial, Commercial, and Utility (ICU) and executive leadership
• Business Development
• Estimators, Assistant Estimators, and Estimating Coordinators
• Directors, Project Managers, and field teams
• Owners, contractors, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers

About the Position

The Director of Preconstruction leads preconstruction for Stansell's Industrial, Commercial, and Utility (ICU) group and works closely with Business Development to set pursuit strategy, driving how we price and win the work we go after. Reporting to the VP of ICU, this role is responsible for the accuracy, consistency, and competitiveness of every estimate and proposal, builds and develops the estimating team, and serves as a key leader connecting preconstruction, operations, business development, and clients from early pursuit through handoff to the project team.

How You'll Make a Difference

• Set and execute ICU's preconstruction strategy in alignment with the company's growth goals, target markets, and profitability objectives.
• Partner with the VP of ICU, business development, and executive leadership to lead the go/no-go process, prioritize pursuits, and shape bid strategy.
• Lead ICU preconstruction's structure, staffing, and workload planning, ensuring the team has the capacity and expertise to meet pursuit demands.
• Provide final review and approval of estimates, bid packages, and proposals, ensuring accuracy, completeness, sound risk assessment, and competitive pricing.
• Oversee preconstruction services for clients, including conceptual and budget estimating, value engineering, and constructability reviews [on negotiated and design-build work, if applicable].
• Establish and continuously improve estimating standards, procedures, templates, and quality-control checkpoints.
• Ensure disciplined processes for scope review, risk identification, and subcontractor and supplier solicitation, leveling, and negotiation.
• Represent the company in client meetings, interviews, and presentations, and build lasting relationships with owners, design partners, and key subcontractors.
• Ensure seamless handoff from preconstruction to operations, with clear communication of scope, assumptions, risks, and budget.
• Track and report ICU preconstruction performance to leadership, including hit rates, estimating accuracy, pipeline health, and market pricing trends.
• Oversee estimating software, cost databases, and historical cost data to improve accuracy and efficiency over time.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top estimating talent, and build a clear career path for team members from Estimating Coordinator through senior roles.
• Ensure all bids and proposals comply with company standards, client requirements, and applicable regulations.

Smarts and Skills

• Proven leadership ability, with a track record of building, developing, and motivating high-performing teams.
• Strategic thinker with strong business judgment and a solid grasp of construction methods, cost structures, scheduling, and risk.
• Expert ability to read and interpret complex plans, specifications, and contract documents.
• Strong working knowledge of estimating and takeoff software and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, comfortable with executives, owners, and design teams.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits and priorities under deadline pressure.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field.

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive estimating or preconstruction experience, including at least 5 years directly managing estimators or a preconstruction team.
• Experience developing department-wide processes, standards, and cost data systems.
• Experience managing subcontractor and vendor relationships and bid solicitation processes.
• Experience presenting to clients and participating in project interviews.

Preferred

• Experience across multiple delivery methods (hard bid, negotiated, design-build, CMAR).
• Experience in electrical contracting, particularly in transportation, industrial, commercial, or infrastructure markets.
• Professional certification such as ASPE Certified Professional Estimator (CPE) or AACE credentials, or a PE license.

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, Dental coverage
• Health Savings Account
• Short- and long-term disability
• 401(k)

An Equal Opportunity Employer / Minorities & females encouraged to apply.

How Stansell Makes a Difference

By Growing our People, Serving our Customers, and Building our Communities, we stand out as the leading multi-disciplined electrical contractor and systems integrator in the Southeast. Stansell Electric provides turnkey solutions in the Transportation (Lighting, Signalization, ITS, Navigation), Industrial (Water, Wastewater, Manufacturing/Warehouse, Power), Commercial (High-rise, High-end complexes), and Infrastructure (Duct bank, Substation) markets.

We take pride in our unwavering commitment to Injury Free, Best Tradespeople, and Quality; while building relationships with Owners, Contractors, Architects, Engineers, and other Subcontractors. We have a strong people-first culture, a record-setting safety record, and we leverage technology to enhance the effectiveness of project.