Manufacturing Estimator & Project Coordinator

Multi-Color Corporation Recruiting • Blue Ash, OH

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Project Estimator & Proposal Manager is responsible for developing accurate cost estimates, pricing models, quotations, and sales proposals for custom labeling and packaging equipment. This role serves as the primary owner of the estimating process, working closely with engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, and sales teams to develop competitive, profitable proposals. In addition to estimating responsibilities, this individual coordinates projects through completion, ensuring alignment with scope, budget, timeline, and customer expectations. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, manufacturing knowledge, mechanical aptitude, advanced Excel capabilities, and the ability to develop repeatable estimating tools, templates, and costing methodologies that improve accuracy and efficiency. This is an onsite, individual contributor role.

Requirements

• 3+ years of estimating, costing, proposal development, manufacturing engineering, industrial project coordination, or related experience
• Demonstrated experience developing customer quotations, cost estimates, budgets, or proposals.
• Experience pricing labor, materials, purchased components, equipment, subcontractor services, and project-related costs.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, lookups, data analysis, and cost modeling.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple estimates and projects simultaneously.
• Excellent written communication skills with experience preparing customer-facing proposals and documentation.
• Experience creating estimating templates, cost models, or standardized quoting processes.

Nice To Haves

• Experience estimating custom machinery, capital equipment, automation systems, industrial equipment, or manufacturing projects.
• Manufacturing, industrial equipment, machinery, packaging, printing, or automation industry experience.
• Experience working within ERP systems.
• Mechanical aptitude and ability to understand machine assemblies and components.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, Project Management, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Develop detailed cost estimates for custom machinery, retrofits, and automation projects.
• Analyze labor, materials, purchased components, subcontractor services, and overhead costs to determine project pricing.
• Create, maintain, and continuously improve estimating templates, costing models, and quotation tools.
• Review historical project costs and ERP data to establish accurate pricing assumptions.
• Generate customer proposals, quotations, scopes of work, budgets, and pricing packages.
• Collaborate with engineering, purchasing, operations, and vendors to obtain pricing and technical information.
• Identify project risks, assumptions, exclusions, and cost drivers during proposal development.
• Support sales teams with pricing recommendations and proposal reviews.
• Participate in pricing reviews with leadership prior to proposal submission.
• Manage awarded projects from order entry through final completion.
• Develop project schedules, milestones, and resource plans.
• Monitor project scope, cost, timelines, and deliverables.
• Coordinate activities across engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, and customer stakeholders.
• Support project reviews, status updates, and change-order management.
• Ensure complete project documentation and machine closeout packages are delivered.
• Utilize ERP systems to review historical costs, create sales orders, manage invoicing activities, and track project performance.
• Monitor project budgets and financial performance against estimates.
• Generate project cost reviews, forecasting reports, Gantt charts, and status updates.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to estimating accuracy and project profitability.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation
• Generous benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance and 401(k)
• Paid Holidays: New Years, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, plus two floating Holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree