Preconstruction Manager

Govan Brown•Greenville, SC

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

At Ajax, the Preconstruction Manager leads project planning and cost strategy from early concept through GMP, ensuring alignment between design, budget, and constructability. This role serves as a strategic partner to clients, design teams, and operations—guiding pricing, validating estimates, and helping drive efficient, well-coordinated project outcomes. This is a client-facing position requiring strong leadership in meetings and the ability to influence the design process in a collaborative, solutions-oriented manner. The role reports to the Director of Preconstruction Services and supports project teams across Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, with some travel required.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in preconstruction/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 operate effectively in a client-facing role and lead meetings with confidence
Demonstrated ability to guide and influence the design process in a proactive, collaborative manner
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 preferred
Ideal candidate will have South Carolina market experience (Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, etc.)
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or related field preferred (or equivalent experience)

Responsibilities

Lead preconstruction efforts from conceptual budgeting through design development and GMP execution in partnership with Operations
Serve as the strategic lead during preconstruction—guiding pricing, validating estimates, and ensuring alignment with project goals
Develop and oversee conceptual budgets, cost models, and design-phase estimates without being responsible for detailed quantity takeoffs
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 design in a cost-effective manner
Proactively engage with design teams to challenge assumptions and drive efficient, buildable solutions
Solicit and evaluate subcontractor and vendor pricing in coordination with the estimating team
Maintain and utilize historical cost data to support forecasting and benchmarking
Serve as a primary point of contact with clients, architects, engineers, and consultants during preconstruction
Lead and participate in client and design meetings, clearly communicating cost impacts and project strategy
Build and maintain strong relationships to support both project execution and future business development
Support higher education and municipal projects across the South Carolina market