Estimating Manager

AXIUS GROUP LLC•Wichita, KS

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Estimating Manager leads the estimating function and oversees accurate, competitive, and profitable cost estimates and quotations for manufactured, fabricated, machined, formed, finished, and assembled aircraft components and related products. The role connects Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and Operations, translating customer requirements into commercially sound proposals. It requires knowledge of aerospace manufacturing processes, costing, production capacity, lead times, and pricing strategies, and directly supervises up to five employees. The manager leads estimates from initial RFQ through proposal submission, develops pricing for a range of aerospace components and programs, and establishes consistent estimating methods, documentation, procedures, and approval processes. The role evaluates costs and margins, supplier quotations, risks, and long-cycle program assumptions; reviews estimates prepared by staff; and uses actual production results to improve cost models and pricing accuracy. The manager also supports negotiations, program launches, continuous improvement, and communication of significant risks and assumptions to senior management. The position supports aerospace quality-system and customer requirements by accounting for necessary inspection, testing, traceability, certifications, documentation, and compliance activities in estimates. It maintains accurate, auditable records and follows company policies, AS9100 requirements, customer and regulatory requirements, export-control rules, and ethical practices. The work is primarily office-based, with regular interaction with manufacturing operations and periodic visits to operational areas, supplier facilities, and customer facilities. The position may involve access to EAR- or ITAR-controlled information; applicants must be eligible for employment under U.S. export-control laws and be a U.S. Citizen.

Requirements

Significant estimating, costing, quoting, or pricing experience in aerospace, defense, precision manufacturing, machining, fabrication, or a related industrial environment.
Typically 7–10+ years of progressively responsible estimating, costing, pricing, manufacturing engineering, or related experience in aerospace, defense, precision manufacturing, or a comparable technical manufacturing environment.
Strong understanding of aerospace and related manufacturing processes, associated cost drivers, and direct and indirect manufacturing costs.
Ability to interpret engineering specifications, 2-D drawings, 3-D models, bills of material, and manufacturing requirements.
Strong knowledge of labor standards, machine rates, overhead, burden, material costs, subcontracting, and outside processing.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel or equivalent spreadsheet and data-analysis tools.
Working knowledge of ITAR and export-control requirements, or ability to quickly obtain the required knowledge and training.
Strong analytical and mathematical skills to evaluate costs, pricing options, and program risks.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple RFQs and competing deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including explaining complex cost and pricing information to technical and non-technical audiences.
Sound business judgment when working with incomplete or changing information and balancing customer requirements, competitiveness, and profitability.
Ability to maintain confidential and proprietary information, collaborate across functions, mentor team members, and support continuous improvement.
Must satisfactorily perform essential functions and assigned tasks while supporting safety, quality, compliance, continuous improvement, and organizational objectives.
Must follow company policies, AS9100 requirements, customer requirements, applicable regulatory standards, export-control regulations, and ethical business practices; maintain a safe workplace and protect company and customer information.
Applicants must be eligible for employment under U.S. export-control laws and be a U.S. Citizen.
Must follow applicable ITAR/export-control procedures for controlled technical data and complete required training.

Nice To Haves

Experience estimating aerospace structural or aircraft components.
Experience with CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, forming, welding, assembly, or aircraft component manufacturing.
Experience in AS9100-certified aerospace manufacturing environments.
Experience with estimating software, ERP/MRP estimating systems, standard cost models, and estimating databases.
Prior supervisory or management experience.
Experience quoting defense contracts or government-related aerospace programs.
Familiarity with FAR/DFARS, CMMC-related requirements applicable to military contracts and information systems, cost accounting, or government contract pricing.
Formal training in cost estimating, manufacturing engineering, supply chain, finance, or a related discipline.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Business, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field; equivalent combinations of education, technical training, and substantial relevant aerospace manufacturing experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

Lead the estimating and quotation process from initial RFQ through final proposal submission; review drawings, specifications, statements of work, bills of material, quality requirements, and contractual requirements.
Develop estimates for aerospace components and activities, including machining, sheet metal, forming, fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, special processes, tooling, prototypes, production programs, repair, and rework.
Determine manufacturing processes, routings, labor hours, materials, tooling, equipment, outside processing, subcontracting, inspection, testing, packaging, freight, burden, overhead, and other cost elements.
Recommend pricing based on cost, customer requirements, market conditions, competition, capacity, strategic importance, and desired profitability; analyze margins and support negotiations as requested.
Compare estimated costs with actual production results, identify variances, and recommend updates to estimating methods, labor standards, burden rates, cost models, and pricing assumptions.
Coordinate manufacturing approaches with Engineering and Manufacturing and identify cost-reduction opportunities, including process improvements, sourcing, lot sizes, tooling strategies, and make-versus-buy analysis.
Obtain and evaluate supplier and subcontractor quotations; assess technical cost drivers, manufacturing challenges, assumptions, and risks, and develop contingencies for incomplete information, material volatility, or unusual requirements.
Lead, coach, and develop estimating personnel; assign workloads and review staff estimates for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate pricing.
Develop strategies and maintain assumptions for long-cycle opportunities, extended development periods, and multi-year production programs; coordinate escalation assumptions with Sales and Finance and support recurring price reviews and established-program negotiations.
Maintain estimating databases, historical pricing, cost models, and standard assumptions; establish consistent methodologies and documentation, improve or automate estimating systems, and participate in lean manufacturing, value engineering, and continuous improvement.
Establish pricing for new customers and products, product changes, long-term production, prototypes, development work, make-versus-buy decisions, engineering changes, expedites, and non-recurring engineering or tooling.
Prepare formal quotations under company policies and approval requirements, ensuring estimates are complete, consistent, traceable, and documented.
Track quote turnaround time, win rate, estimated versus actual hours and costs, margins, quote value, average quote size, cost variance, and pricing accuracy.
Develop estimating procedures, work instructions, templates, and approval processes.
Partner with Sales, Business Development, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Supply Chain/Purchasing, Quality, Finance/Accounting, Program Management, and Senior Leadership; support new-product introductions and program launches and communicate significant risks and assumptions to senior management.
Include required inspection, testing, documentation, traceability, certifications, and quality activities in estimates; review specifications for quality and compliance requirements affecting cost.
Support corrective action and continuous improvement when estimating errors contribute to cost or production issues, and maintain accurate, auditable estimating records.
Conduct timely, constructive performance evaluations and administer disciplinary actions and employee terminations in accordance with company policy.
Travel as needed by train, airplane, subway, automobile, or other public or private transportation.
Conduct toolbox talks and other training, communicate effectively, adapt to change, and align activities with the Company Mission Statement.
Follow company policies, AS9100 and customer requirements, regulatory and export-control requirements, ethical practices, and safety procedures; protect company and customer information.
Follow export-control procedures for controlled information, complete required training, use approved systems and access restrictions, and promptly report suspected unauthorized access or disclosure.