Manager, Estimating and Pre-Construction

Core Spaces•Chicago, IL

7h•$125,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The Estimating & Pre-Construction Manager will report to the Vice President of Pre-Construction to oversee construction cost budgeting, design consistency and quality, contractor relationship management, construction contract negotiation, and site infrastructure and logistics. The Pre-Construction team is directly responsible for transitioning new developments from Entitlements to Construction and getting all projects to the underwriting budget and to an executed GMP contract. The Estimating & Pre‑Construction Manager will partner closely with the Entitlements team to align design, schedule, and budget with the proforma, and support a smooth transition to construction by onboarding Core Development Managers as projects advance. During the construction phase, the Estimating & Pre-Construction Manager will assist in ongoing Change Order management and interpretation of GMP contract terms.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field.
5+ years of experience in construction management, consulting, construction estimating, and/or pre-construction.
Knowledge of construction means and methods, architecture, project management, budgeting, scheduling, and contracting.
Proficiency in reading and analyzing construction plans and specifications.
Advanced Excel skills, including financial modeling, cost analysis, and data-driven reporting.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Strong technical and analytical skills, with the ability to evaluate complex information and develop practical solutions.
Keen attention to detail
Able to manage tasks across multiple projects.

Nice To Haves

Student and/or multi-family ground-up construction.
Leading comprehensive GMP risk reviews to identify cost, schedule, constructability, and contractual exposure
Vetting, onboarding, and managing general contractors and consultants
Negotiating preconstruction agreements

Responsibilities

Support the Acquisitions and Entitlements teams with early-stage concept budgets and preliminary scheduling
Collaborate with the Entitlements team to develop and maintain the overall development schedule, ensuring alignment across entitlements, design, permitting, procurement, and construction.
Review conceptual design iterations and provide timely input on cost implications and constructability considerations.
Support the Entitlements team with project design coordination and participation in design meetings.
Assist in the selection, evaluation, and onboarding of MEP, structural, and ERS consultants.
Review and provide input on equity, lender, and development agreements as they relate to development costs, schedules, and contracting requirements.
Drive consistency and quality across design standards and building systems throughout the project portfolio.
Manage site logistics considerations and provide guidance on required easements.
Oversee utility relocation efforts to prevent impacts to scheduled construction starts.
Develop and manage budgets for utility and infrastructure improvements to mitigate cost overruns and delays in permanent connections.
Manage and analyze Core’s historical construction data, research market trends, and support early schematic-phase hard cost modeling.
Own the maintenance and ongoing updates of the Core Outline Specification.
Support the onboarding of general contractors, including negotiation of pre-construction agreements and development of pre-construction budgets.
Assist with onboarding Core Development Managers to projects and support the transition of responsibilities from Entitlements to Development.
Provide input into overall project contracting strategies.
Support the Pre-Construction team with contractor scoping, budget refinement, and cost updates.
Contribute to strategies for achieving budget targets, including value engineering initiatives.
Track and manage post-entitlement design and procurement schedules, ensuring key milestones are achieved.
Support oversight of the development of GMP design drawings and documentation, including organizing and maintaining GMP contract exhibits and supporting materials.
Assist the Pre-Construction team with GMP risk assessments, including evaluation of budget risk, value engineering opportunities, and contract concessions.
Support Development Managers with evaluation and review of change orders, including pricing analysis and compliance with GMP contract terms.
Assist Development Managers with contract interpretation and adherence to owner-specific requirements.
Monitor construction execution and capture feedback to inform continuous process improvement.
Manage and maintain strong working relationships with General Contractors.
Own and maintain cost estimating tools, market trend logs, and historical cost databases.
Foster, promote, model, and reinforce Core’s culture and values.
Identify opportunities to improve Core’s development execution and proactively provide recommendations to executive leadership.

Benefits

A culture that provides you with a sense of belonging
Competitive pay that values your contributions
Incentives designed to reward your achievements
Paid flexible PTO to disconnect or celebrate life milestones
Paid 14+ holidays, including your birthday, to disconnect and celebrate
Paid Parental Leave that begins after 90 days
Paid volunteer time off to give back to your community
Monthly workshop weeks; fewer meetings & more collaboration
Robust health plan options that begin within at least 30 days of your employment
Monthly phone reimbursement
Wellness allowance and perks, including a yearly subscription to a meditation app
An environment that provides you a voice to share your perspectives
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for access to confidential support services
Company retirement options including 401(k) + matching & Roth account option