Chief Estimator (1006)

Admiral Heating and Ventilating•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Admiral Heating is a commercial and industrial HVAC company serving the Chicagoland area for more than 70 years, specializing in union construction projects and service work. The company operates using the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) and expects employees to adhere to its core values: Safety and Quality First, Intensely Diligent, Own It, Innovative Approach, Humbly Proud, and Exceed Expectations. The Chief Estimator leads and holds accountable a team of estimators responsible for estimating approximately $400 million in HVAC projects, including tenant improvement and design-build projects involving sheet metal, piping, and commissioning. The role works closely with sales to track and complete bids on time and with operations to hand off awarded projects. It oversees estimating from opportunity evaluation through submission and turnover, setting strategy and standards for complex pursuits, estimate quality, pricing, systems, and team development. The role partners with executive leadership and teams across operations, procurement, project management, and business development. It also supports customer and contractor outreach, maintains current information in Salesforce, and reports on bid volume, hit rates, market conditions, competitive activity, and department performance. Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment, with travel to other locations and occasional participation in client meetings, trade shows, and industry events as needed.

Requirements

Mechanical Engineering degree.
10+ years of estimating, bidding, and sales experience in the commercial/industrial HVAC arena.
Experience with sheet metal/ducts, pipes, controls, balancing, commissioning, insulation, and service.
Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, business, or a related field.
10+ years of estimating experience, with increasing responsibility in construction, specialty contracting, traffic control, or related industries.
3+ years of direct personnel supervision.
Demonstrated experience leading estimates for complex, large-scale projects involving multiple stakeholders, tight deadlines, and significant operational scope.
Experience implementing, improving, or leading adoption of estimating systems, software, or process workflows.
Experience managing, mentoring, and developing estimators or preconstruction team members.
Strong knowledge of reading plans, specifications, bid documents, and contract requirements.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite or related estimating software.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with strong attention to detail.
Ability to prioritize multiple deadlines and perform effectively in a fast-paced environment.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including proposal writing and executive-level presentation ability.
Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and external partners.
Knowledge of English language structure and content, including word meanings and spelling, composition, and grammar.
Self-motivated, able to work with little or no supervision, and able to manage and prioritize multiple projects and deadlines.
Ability to use logic and reasoning to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate information and ideas verbally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

HeavyBid experience, particularly for leadership visibility into estimating workflows, data quality, and reporting consistency.

Responsibilities

Lead and oversee the estimating function, setting priorities, review standards, and bid governance from opportunity evaluation through final submission and turnover.
Direct estimating strategy for complex, large-scale pursuits in alignment with company growth objectives, risk tolerance, and margin expectations.
Provide oversight of estimate quality, pricing assumptions, and commercial alignment across labor, materials, equipment, subcontractor, and freight components.
Lead implementation, optimization, and adoption of estimating systems, tools, databases, and workflows.
Establish bid strategies, identify project risks and opportunities, and recommend pricing approaches aligned with company goals.
Partner with executive leadership, operations, procurement, project management, and business development to align estimating priorities with operational capacity and market strategy.
Develop and maintain estimating standards, templates, cost databases, and historical pricing information.
Solicit and evaluate vendor and subcontractor quotations, negotiate where appropriate, and ensure scope completeness.
Manage, mentor, and develop estimators through workload allocation, quality review, coaching, and performance support.
Support customer and contractor outreach before and after bids, including scope reviews, value engineering discussions, and handoff meetings.
Provide management with updates on bid volume, hit rates, market conditions, competitive activity, and department performance.
Maintain accurate, up-to-date information in Salesforce CRM.
Participate in client meetings, trade shows, and industry events as needed.
Perform other duties or instructions assigned by managers.