Director of Preconstruction

Ventura Solutions•Northbrook, IL

6h•Onsite

About The Position

Our client is seeking a Director of Preconstruction who will provide strategic leadership and executive oversight of the Preconstruction and Estimating teams for complex electrical construction projects. This role is responsible for driving excellence in project pursuit, budgeting, forecasting, and preconstruction planning. Working closely with Business Development, Operations, and Executive Leadership, this individual plays a critical role in setting project strategy, optimizing estimating processes, enhancing client relationships, and ensuring alignment with company objectives and profitability goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field required, OR an equivalent combination of education and progressive, relevant work experience in electrical construction and preconstruction leadership.
Minimum of 15+ years of experience in electrical construction, with at least 8–10 years in preconstruction/estimating leadership roles.
Proven success overseeing complex commercial, industrial, and design/build projects.
Experience leading large, multi-disciplinary teams and managing executive-level client relationships.
Expert-level knowledge of electrical systems, NEC codes, estimating methodologies, construction means, and methods.
Proficiency with estimating software (e.g., Accubid, Bluebeam, Excel); experience with VDC/BIM and digital takeoffs is highly preferred.
Strong financial acumen and analytical thinking.
Excellent leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence at all organizational levels.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy Lead and mentor the Preconstruction and Estimating teams, fostering a high-performance culture built on collaboration, accountability, and technical excellence.
Develop and implement preconstruction strategies to support growth, profitability, and market competitiveness.
Partner with executive leadership in companywide strategic planning, forecasting, and pursuit evaluation.
Champion innovation, continuous improvement, and adoption of modern estimating tools and technologies.
Project & Estimating Oversight Provide executive oversight and risk analysis for all high-value and complex estimates.
Ensure accuracy, consistency, and competitive positioning of estimates through disciplined application of best practices and market intelligence.
Standardize and improve estimating systems, workflows, and tools (e.g., Accubid, BIM, automated takeoffs).
Collaborate with Operations and Project Executives to ensure a smooth transition from preconstruction to execution.
Lead efforts to align estimating outputs with BIM modeling needs, enabling data-driven prefabrication and construction workflows.
Business Development & Client Engagement Cultivate and expand relationships with key clients, developers, general contractors, and industry partners.
Lead preconstruction efforts on major pursuits, including bid strategy, presentations, and interviews.
Partner with Business Development to assess opportunities, develop capture strategies, and win work.
Financial & Operational Management Set and manage departmental budgets, staffing plans, and resource allocation.
Monitor performance metrics such as estimate accuracy, proposal win rates, and team utilization.
Analyze trends in labor, material, and market conditions to provide data-driven insights to senior leadership.
Participate in contract negotiations, risk reviews, and value engineering efforts to support project success.