Preconstruction Manager - Commercial / Institutional

Layton Construction Company•Tampa, FL

About The Position

Ajax Building Company, part of STO Building Group, is seeking an experienced Preconstruction Manager to lead project planning and cost strategy from early concept through GMP. The role ensures alignment among design, budget, and constructability, and serves as a strategic partner to clients, design teams, and operations. It is a client-facing role requiring leadership in meetings and the ability to influence design collaboratively. The position reports to the Director of Preconstruction Services, supports project teams across Florida, and requires some travel. The Preconstruction Manager supports projects across higher education, healthcare, municipal, mission critical, and other institutional markets. Ajax describes itself as a commercial contractor delivering complex projects across the Southeast, with a collaborative, team-oriented culture and opportunities for responsibility and career advancement.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in preconstruction or estimating within commercial construction.
Strong understanding of how projects are built, priced, and delivered across all phases of construction.
Experience leading or supporting preconstruction efforts from concept through GMP development.
Ability to work effectively in a client-facing role and lead meetings confidently.
Demonstrated ability to guide and influence the design process proactively and collaboratively.
Strong communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
Willingness to travel for project meetings and presentations as needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience with higher education and/or municipal projects.
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience is also accepted.

Responsibilities

Lead preconstruction efforts from conceptual budgeting through design development and GMP execution in partnership with Operations.
Guide pricing, validate estimates, and align preconstruction work with project goals.
Develop and oversee conceptual budgets, cost models, and design-phase estimates; detailed quantity takeoffs are not part of this role.
Create and distribute design-phase deliverables, including cost reports, value engineering analyses, and budget updates.
Prepare and lead GMP proposal development and client presentations.
Provide constructability feedback and value engineering recommendations to advance cost-effective designs.
Engage with design teams to challenge assumptions and promote efficient, buildable solutions.
Solicit and evaluate subcontractor and vendor pricing in coordination with the estimating team.
Maintain and use historical cost data for forecasting and benchmarking.
Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, architects, engineers, and consultants during preconstruction.
Lead and participate in client and design meetings, communicating cost impacts and project strategy.
Build and maintain relationships that support project execution and future business development.
Support projects in higher education, healthcare, municipal, mission critical, and other markets.
Travel for project meetings and presentations as needed.