Preconstruction Manager

Redmond Construction•Chicago, IL

11h

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated professional who is looking to build a long-term career with a nationally growing general contractor; someone who is invested in their own development, eager to take on increasing responsibility, and excited by the opportunity to grow alongside a company that values commitment, collaboration, and internal advancement. This role is responsible for planning, estimating, and coordinating projects during the preconstruction phase, ensuring accurate pricing, strategic alignment, and a seamless transition into execution. The Preconstruction Manager manages multiple pursuits, develops comprehensive estimates, oversees trade partner bidding, and collaborates with clients, trade partners, and internal teams to support pursuit strategy, value engineering, and constructability. Success in this role requires strong estimating and leadership skills, sound judgment, and the ability to deliver high-quality, competitive project solutions while contributing to the organization's continued growth.

Requirements

5–8+ years of progressive experience in construction estimating, preconstruction, or a related construction discipline, including a minimum of 2 years of preconstruction or pricing experience while serving in a Project Manager role.
Proven experience leading full-cycle estimates (conceptual through GMP/final pricing) on commercial interior or similar projects
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits with competing deadlines
Experience leading or mentoring junior estimators or coordinating small teams
Strong working knowledge of construction documents, scopes of work, and bid packages
Experience managing trade partner bidding processes, including solicitation, leveling, and scope alignment
Exposure to value engineering, cost studies, and constructability reviews
Experience collaborating with Project Managers, Superintendents, and Operations teams to align preconstruction with execution
Basic experience participating in client-facing meetings, presentations, or project pursuits
Proficiency with estimating tools and software (Bluebeam, Outbuild, Procore, NetSuite)

Responsibilities

Oversee and manage the entire preconstruction process, within the boundaries of active pursuits
Work on multiple projects at the same time
Manage the completion of all deliverables required for a bid submission, including schedules
Mentor junior project team staff by providing guidance and training on preconstruction processes, procedures, and best practices
Work with VP’s, Project Execs, Team Leads, PM’s, PE’s and Superintendents to facilitate a seamless hand-off to the Project Team
Conduct Landlord and Owner site walkthroughs to review project scope, identify and document RFIs, and help foster strong professional relationships.
Estimate cost of construction and participate in design evaluations, cost studies, value engineering and analysis, scheduling, constructability reviews and more
Produce clean, accurate and thorough estimates that can be submitted on time
Ensure estimates align with project profitability targets, and ideally, company financial goals
Bid solicitation with vendors and trade groups
Produce, collect and distribute preconstruction RFI’s
Develop and maintain strategic trade partner relationships to ensure competitive and reliable pricing
Evaluate trade partner performance and alignment with project goals
Help develop and contribute to the overall strategy and approach to specific projects
Coordinate with other team members to determine the best way to build a project and win the work
Identify, document, and mitigate preconstruction risks including scope gaps, design inconsistencies, and market volatility
Lead preconstruction meetings with clients, presenting estimates, assumptions, and value engineering options
Serve as a trusted advisor to clients during early design and budgeting phases
Maintain and develop new relationships with Trade Partners, Owners, Owners Reps, Brokers, Property Managers, Architects and Engineers
Utilize these relationships to provide preconstruction services aligned with company standards, goals, and direction
Attend and participate in the organization and coordination of ASA events
Maintain a pulse on the market for pricing, lead time changes and trends
Contribute to continuous improvement of preconstruction processes and standardizing estimating practices