Preconstruction Manager

Burns Group•Columbus, MS

About The Position

Burns Group is a family-owned business, established in 1977, proudly serving the civil construction and aggregates industry across the Southeast. Our operations span heavy civil construction, logistics, and recycling—driven by a commitment to quality, innovation, and service. Guided by our core values—Own It, Say What You Mean, Raise the Bar, and Build for More—we empower our people to lead with integrity, deliver excellence, and pursue long-term impact in every project. Discover what it means to be #burnsbuilt. Role Description The Preconstruction Manager owns projects before they are built. This role leads opportunities from intake through award and ensures a clean, structured handoff to Project Management. The Preconstruction Manager quarterbacks Business Development, Estimating, Operations, and the client to ensure we pursue the right work, price it strategically, de-risk it early, and prepare it for successful execution. This is not a bid coordinator role. This is an ownership position responsible for protecting margin, strengthening execution, and ensuring growth happens intentionally. Great projects are won before they are built.

Requirements

Ideal Background: You’ve bid it — and you’ve built it.
Experience as a Project Manager, Estimator, or Operations leader
Strong understanding of heavy civil field execution realities
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams
Comfortable and confident in client-facing environments
Strong commercial awareness and contract literacy
Proven risk identification and mitigation capability
Decisive, disciplined decision-maker
High accountability and ownership mindset
All candidates must be able to pass the following: Drug Screen Background & MVR Screening
Employment Eligibility: Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility will be required if selected for hire.

Responsibilities

Opportunity Leadership Own assigned opportunities from intake through award
Evaluate pursuits against capacity, risk profile, and strategic alignment
Drive internal pursuit strategy and maintain momentum across teams
Make clear, disciplined bid / no-bid recommendations
Align leadership around pursuit strategy and desired outcomes
Client & Preconstruction Leadership Lead or support client meetings during pursuit phase
Build trust through preparation, clarity, and transparency
Present pricing strategy, scope clarifications, and value engineering options
Serve as the preconstruction face of Burns throughout pursuit
Estimating & Pricing Strategy Review estimates for scope gaps, risk exposure, and constructability issues
Ensure cost build reflects how the project will actually be executed in the field
Recommend pricing posture, contingency approach, and markup strategy
Submit proposals and ensure documentation aligns with negotiated intent
Risk & Execution Alignment Identify scope, schedule, and contractual risks early
Coordinate with Operations and Project Controls to validate assumptions
Develop preliminary execution plans and milestone schedules
Ensure risks are mitigated, priced, or consciously accepted
Align internal teams on delivery strategy prior to contract execution
Structured Handoff to Project Management Lead formal preconstruction handoff meetings
Deliver complete scope narratives, assumptions, exclusions, and risk registers
Support early and critical-path buyout strategy
Ensure awarded projects are executable on Day 1