Director of Cost Estimating & Cost Management

CES Consultants, Inc. • Alexandria, VA

2d • $145,000 - $185,000

About The Position

The Director – Cost Estimating & Cost Management is responsible for leading a client-embedded cost estimating and cost management team supporting a major capital infrastructure program, while also contributing to the growth and scaling of CES Construction Services’ preconstruction and estimating platform. This role is suited for an experienced estimating or cost management team leader ready to operate within a large, complex program environment while taking on broader leadership responsibility within a growing contractor platform. The position combines hands-on estimating and cost management with team leadership, client-facing delivery, and strategic platform development. The initial assignment will be embedded within the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of the largest and most complex wastewater treatment programs globally, providing direct exposure to large-scale program delivery while maintaining hands-on responsibility for estimating and cost management.

Requirements

• 10–15 years of experience in heavy civil, water/wastewater, or infrastructure construction; major treatment plant experience is essential.
• Proven experience leading estimating and/or cost management teams.
• Background supporting large, complex capital programs on the owner, PMC, or contractor side.
• Experience supporting CMAR and/or Progressive Design-Build delivery models.
• Demonstrated experience developing estimates across multiple design phases.
• Advanced Excel-based estimating and cost modeling
• Familiarity with Primavera P6 or schedule-informed estimating
• Cost database development, maintenance, and benchmarkin
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational abilities to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and take initiative.
• Perform additional project controls related duties as required.

Responsibilities

• Cost Estimating & Management Lead preparation and review of conceptual, design-stage, and detailed construction cost estimates.
• Develop detailed quantity takeoffs, pricing models, and bid tabulations across multiple design phases.
• Manage cost planning, forecasting, and estimate development through design progression.
• Track estimate-to-actual performance and identify cost trends and variances.
• Establish consistent cost tracking, forecasting, and reporting practices across the program
• Pricing & Risk Support Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) development at progressive design milestones.
• Identify scope gaps, pricing risks, constructability issues, and cost exposure.
• Develop, manage, and defend contingency, escalation, and risk assumptions.
• Support pricing, scope alignment, and risk identification during design development.
• Client Delivery Serve as the primary cost and estimating point of contact within the client organization.
• Provide clear, defensible cost reports, forecasts, and recommendations to support owner decision-making.
• Coordinate with project controls, design teams, construction leads, and external stakeholders.
• Support procurement activities, subcontractor outreach, bid evaluation, and market pricing validation.
• Team Leadership Lead, mentor, and develop estimating and cost management staff, including CES and client-integrated personnel.
• Coordinate estimating and cost management efforts across internal teams and client stakeholders.
• Establish practical workflows, quality control procedures, and estimating standards.
• Platform & Preconstruction Growth Contribute to estimating and pricing efforts for CMAR and Progressive Design-Build pursuits.
• Support GMP development on projects typically ranging from $20M to $50M.
• Help strengthen CES estimating standards, cost tools, benchmarking practices, and cost databases.
• Support the build-out of scalable preconstruction and estimating capabilities aligned with CES’s bonding capacity (up to approximately $150M aggregate).

Benefits

• We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package to qualified candidates.
• The employee compensation package includes Employer premium cost share contributions to all employees and their families.
• The benefit healthcare coverage package includes medical, dental, and vision, 401k with company contributions, Personal Time Off (PTO), and 100% company-paid Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability.
• Additional Voluntary benefits include Long-Term Disability, Voluntary Life Insurance for employee/spouse/child(ren), and the opportunity to enroll in Health Flex Spending.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees