Estimating Manager

Tarlton Corporation•St. Louis, MO

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Tarlton is hiring an Estimating Manager for its Water/Wastewater business unit, based in St. Louis, Missouri. The role supports the growth of the company’s Energy, Industrial, and Civil operations across Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. Projects include water and wastewater treatment plants, pump and lift stations, underground utilities, and other energy, industrial, and civil work for municipalities, sewer and water districts, and consulting engineers. The Estimating Manager leads estimating teams and pursuit activities across delivery methods and pricing models, with particular responsibility for civil, concrete, and steel self-perform work. The role brings constructability, sequencing, safety, and risk insight to estimates and proposals, collaborates with operations and company leaders to pursue suitable work, and helps maintain and grow client relationships. This position also leads estimators, supports estimating systems and processes, and manages estimating capacity and bid delivery. The position is full-time and based in St. Louis, with occasional local or regional travel to project sites, pre-bid meetings, client meetings, and business or community events. Work is normally performed in a quiet interior office environment, with occasional work in a jobsite trailer or owner-designated office where noise from construction equipment and tools may be loud. Physical demands include occasional lifting or moving of up to 25 pounds and occasional standing, walking, hand use, reaching, stooping, or kneeling. The role has limited exposure to physical risk.

Requirements

At least 8 years of estimating experience, including at least 2 years leading pursuit teams or people.
At least 4 years managing or estimating Water/Wastewater projects.
Track record of owning bids on large or complex projects and managing multiple bids at once.
Experience leading estimators.
Self-perform pricing experience, including means, methods, and production rates.
Advanced proficiency with digital takeoff software such as On-Screen Takeoff, Bluebeam Revu, or similar.
Advanced proficiency with estimating platforms such as CostOS, Timberline, WinEst, or similar.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Ability to travel occasionally within the region for project sites, pre-bid meetings, client meetings, and business or community events.

Nice To Haves

Hard-bid and conceptual estimating experience on lump-sum, CM at Risk, or design-build projects.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, or a related field; equivalent experience or union/trade background is also considered.
Industry certifications such as PMP, CPE, or DBIA.

Responsibilities

Review bid documents and identify items requiring clarification on major pursuits.
Coordinate site visits and review existing conditions, as-built documents, and surveys for renovation work.
Perform and review takeoffs; maintain consistent estimating methodology and tool use; validate quantities and pricing prepared by others.
Develop conceptual budgets from limited information and clearly document assumptions.
Review area labor agreements for work rules and wage determinations.
Lead subcontractor prequalification and vendor relationships, and resolve coverage gaps on critical trades.
Establish means, methods, productivity, and pricing for self-perform work; select equipment and materials; and validate crews and rates with operations personnel.
Evaluate phasing, logistics, sequencing, safety, and constructability for estimates.
Prepare and review general conditions costs and maintain templates and standards, including safety planning.
Contribute to bid strategy with operations and leadership, and lead final bid reviews.
Manage the Go/No-Go process for the assigned market with group leadership, ensure estimating resources and on-time delivery, and plan estimating capacity alongside preconstruction work.
Run bid day for assigned pursuits, finalize subcontractor and supplier pricing, and coordinate with leadership on final bid numbers.
Lead risk reviews with operations, set contingency, and review escalation and qualifications on major bids.
Lead value engineering and constructability reviews, considering cost, schedule, and lifecycle impacts.
Own compliance approaches on major and public pursuits, including small business participation goals, in coordination with finance and community engagement.
Lead estimating services on hard-bid and negotiated pursuits across design-bid-build, CM at Risk, and design-build delivery, using lump-sum, unit-price, and T&M pricing.
Represent estimating with clients and in executive settings, including pursuits, proposals, qualifications packages, interviews, and owner presentations.
Partner with Business Development and Operations on pipeline, capture plans, and win strategy.
Build relationships with clients, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers; strengthen repeat-client relationships and help develop new ones.
Report on escalation and market conditions.
Ensure detailed handoffs and turnover on awarded work, including converting estimates to cost codes and budgets.
Lead preconstruction through design phases on CM at Risk and design-build projects, including priced value engineering options and alternates.
Lead the estimate-to-actual feedback loop with operations.
Contribute to the utilization and maintenance of estimating systems, cost data, data governance, training, and improvements to estimating processes, policies, and procedures.
Lead, hire, develop, and review Senior Estimators and Estimators, and contribute to succession planning.
Mentor Estimators and Project Engineers on takeoff, pricing, and constructability.
Delegate responsibilities and balance workload across pursuits.
Engage with market leaders to contribute to group decisions and strategy.