Construction Estimator

University Hospitals•Cleveland, OH

82d

About The Position

The Construction Estimator provides independent cost estimating, cost planning, and financial analysis for University Hospitals' capital construction program. Serving as the owner's cost expert, this position develops and validates project budgets, evaluates estimates prepared by architects, engineers, contractors, and construction managers, and advises project leadership on cost risks, market conditions, procurement strategies, and value-management opportunities. The role supports projects from initial planning through design, procurement, construction, and closeout. It establishes consistent estimating standards, improves the accuracy and reliability of capital forecasts, and provides an independent basis for evaluating project costs, contractor proposals, change orders, allowances, contingencies, and escalation. The position works closely with project managers, facilities leadership, finance, supply chain, legal, design professionals, contractors, and other internal stakeholders to support capital decisions with complete, transparent, and defensible cost information.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in construction management, engineering, architecture, finance, or a related field.
At least 5 years of construction estimating, construction consulting, or project cost-management experience.
Ability to independently challenge estimates and cost proposals while maintaining productive relationships with contractors, consultants, and internal stakeholders.
Strong understanding of conceptual estimating and ability to develop reasonable cost projections when design information is limited.
Ability to identify missing scope, inconsistencies, unrealistic assumptions, and potential financial exposure.
Ability to manage multiple projects and estimates with competing deadlines.

Nice To Haves

At least 1 year of experience working as an owner's representative.
At least 1 year of experience working in healthcare construction.

Responsibilities

Prepare conceptual, schematic, design-development, and detailed construction estimates for healthcare renovation, infrastructure, equipment, and new-construction projects.
Develop and validate comprehensive project budgets, including construction, design and consulting fees, equipment, technology, permits, testing, temporary conditions, escalation, contingency, owner costs, and other project-specific requirements.
Independently evaluate estimates from architects, engineers, construction managers, general contractors, and specialty consultants for accuracy, completeness, assumptions, pricing, markups, allowances, escalation, contingency, and scope coverage.
Lead estimate reconciliation efforts; identify and document material cost differences, scope gaps, duplicate costs, unsupported assumptions, and unresolved risks.
Review bids, proposals, guaranteed maximum price submissions, bid leveling documents, alternates, qualifications, exclusions, allowances, and unit prices, and recommend on cost reasonableness and value.
Analyze contractor change-order proposals for entitlement, scope, quantities, labor productivity, material pricing, equipment costs, markups, general conditions, schedule impacts, and contractual compliance; prepare independent estimates as needed for negotiations.
Identify cost drivers, evaluate design alternatives, and recommend value-management strategies that preserve clinical, operational, quality, safety, and regulatory requirements while improving affordability and lifecycle value.
Develop and maintain a database of historical project costs, unit prices, escalation factors, regional market conditions, contractor pricing, change-order trends, and healthcare construction benchmarks.
Provide estimating support for capital planning, project prioritization, funding requests, business cases, feasibility studies, and executive approvals; communicate estimate ranges, assumptions, confidence levels, contingencies, and potential financial exposure.
Create and maintain estimating procedures, templates, cost-code structures, estimate classifications, documentation requirements, benchmarking standards, and quality-control processes; promote consistent practices across the capital program.
Participate in project planning, design and constructibility reviews, contractor interviews, procurement activities, and project risk assessments.
Monitor construction-market conditions, including labor availability, material pricing, supply-chain constraints, escalation, and regional bidding activity.
Assist project managers with cash-flow projections, contingency analysis, cost-to-complete assessments, and financial reporting.
Support audits, executive reviews, contract negotiations, and claims analysis with cost documentation and independent evaluations.
Conduct site visits to understand existing conditions, construction constraints, phasing, logistics, infection-control requirements, and impacts to occupied healthcare environments.
Collaborate with project teams to improve scope definition before budgets are established or procurement begins.
Perform other duties related to capital cost management and project delivery as assigned.
Comply with all policies and standards and follow department-provided duty documentation.
Safely and securely maintain Protected Health Information (PHI), including compliance with annual training, the UH Code of Conduct, and UH policies and procedures.