DIRECTOR OF PRECONSTRUCTION/ESTIMATING

Bancroft Construction Company•Wilmington, DE

10h

About The Position

Bancroft is seeking a Director of Preconstruction to provide strategic leadership for all preconstruction services across the organization. This position serves as the leader of the Preconstruction Department and is responsible for overseeing estimating, bidding, budgeting, design-phase services, trade partner relationships, and preconstruction innovation initiatives. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team and Senior Staff, the Director of Preconstruction plays a key role in shaping company strategy, supporting business development efforts, driving operational excellence, and ensuring alignment between Preconstruction, Operations, Business Development, and Executive Leadership. This role balances strategic leadership with operational oversight, providing direction to the Preconstruction team while maintaining involvement in key pursuits, major estimates, client relationships, and departmental performance. At Bancroft, we are on a LEAN Journey. The Director of Preconstruction will champion the integration of LEAN practices and tools throughout the preconstruction process, supporting the development of Target Value Delivery, Last Planner System, and other continuous improvement initiatives.

Requirements

Strong understanding of architecture, engineering, construction methods, and design processes.
Expertise in one or more of the following areas: Civil, Building Shell, Building Finish, Process, HVAC, Electrical.
Proven leadership experience managing teams, developing talent, and driving organizational results.
Significant experience with conceptual, negotiated, GMP, and lump-sum estimating.
Strong business acumen and strategic thinking capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships with clients, design professionals, and trade partners.
Experience leading large and complex commercial construction pursuits.
Working knowledge of LEAN principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
Proficiency with estimating software, project management systems, Procore, BIM/VDC platforms, Microsoft Office Suite, and related technologies.
Excellent leadership, interpersonal, presentation, negotiation, verbal, and written communication skills.
Strong organizational and time management abilities.
Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field preferred.
Minimum 15 years of commercial construction experience.
Minimum 7-10 years of progressive leadership experience within preconstruction, estimating, project management, or construction operations.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading high-performing teams and managing complex commercial construction projects exceeding $20 million preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the Preconstruction Department in alignment with Bancroft's strategic objectives.
Establish departmental goals, performance expectations, priorities, and key performance indicators.
Provide leadership, coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities for Preconstruction team members.
Build succession plans and leadership development pathways within the department.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Manage staffing plans, workload distribution, and resource allocation across the department.
Conduct performance reviews and support employee development plans.
Serve as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team and Senior Staff.
Participate in organizational planning, strategic initiatives, and company-wide decision making.
Collaborate with executive leadership to support growth objectives, market expansion, and operational excellence.
Evaluate industry trends, technology advancements, AI applications, and emerging delivery methods to maintain competitive advantages.
Develop and implement departmental strategies that support company profitability and long-term growth.
Provide overall leadership and strategic oversight for conceptual, schematic, design development, GMP, and construction document estimates.
Ensure consistency, accuracy, quality, and competitiveness across all estimating efforts.
Support project teams during buyout, contract issuance, turnover, and project closeout.
Guide risk assessment, value engineering, constructability reviews, and cost planning efforts.
Ensure adoption of standard estimating processes, procedures, and best practices.
Partner with Business Development on pursuit strategies, proposal development, interviews, and client presentations.
Maintain and strengthen relationships with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, and trade partners.
Participate in key client meetings and strategic pursuits.
Support backlog growth and work acquisition goals.
Act as a trusted advisor to clients during project planning and design development.
Partner with Operations leadership to ensure successful project transitions from Preconstruction to Construction.
Collaborate with Marketing, Business Development, Finance, and Operations teams to support organizational objectives.
Facilitate alignment between project delivery, scheduling, estimating, procurement, and project execution teams.
Support strategic planning around project pipeline, staffing forecasts, and resource management.
Champion the implementation and advancement of LEAN methodologies throughout the preconstruction process.
Evaluate, recommend, and implement software, technology, AI solutions, and process improvements.
Maintain and improve estimating databases, historical cost information, benchmarking tools, and reporting systems.
Advance VDC, BIM, and digital construction capabilities within the preconstruction function.