MEP Senior Cost Manager

RLB Careers•Boston, MA

11d

About The Position

The Senior Cost Manager - MEP Estimator oversees construction project cost management to help keep projects within expected budgets and schedules, meet company quality standards, and satisfy clients. The role coordinates mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, and electrical scopes with other disciplines to ensure complete scope coverage. It interfaces with clients, consultants, designers, superintendents, and subcontractors to support project goals and company policies, while identifying opportunities to add value and achieve desired client outcomes. The position leads bid and preconstruction estimates, develops estimates and cost strategies for MEP trades, and manages estimates through review and closeout. It performs plan and specification analysis, quantitative takeoffs, pricing, cost analysis, bid analysis, change order reviews, valuations of work in progress, and evaluation of consultant deliverables, quotes, bids, value engineering reports, and claims. The role also communicates with subcontractors and vendors, participates in value engineering and negotiations, prepares cost recommendations and reports, and attends client meetings as needed. The role requires a four-year college degree in a relevant construction, engineering, architecture, or cost estimating discipline, or an equivalent recognized technical qualification related to MEP. Candidates should have 5–10+ years of relevant construction cost estimating experience across building types and design stages, knowledge of cost management services and related documents, strong planning, organization, and communication skills, and familiarity with industry estimating and Microsoft Office software. Work is primarily in an indoor office environment, with possible work at project sites when necessary.

Requirements

Four-year college degree in Construction Management, Structural Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Cost Estimating, or an equivalent recognized technical qualification related to MEP.
5–10+ years of relevant construction cost estimating experience across a variety of building types and program, conceptual, schematic, design development, and construction-document stages, using elemental and CSI formats.
Knowledge and understanding of the execution of cost management services.
Good planning, organization, and communication skills.
Understanding of technical and non-technical documents related to cost management services.
Knowledge and use of industry estimating software and Microsoft Office software programs.
Ability to coordinate mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, and electrical project scopes with other disciplines.
Ability to work on a computer and answer and speak on a telephone.

Responsibilities

Prepare estimates, cost options, cost strategies, change order reviews, valuations of work in progress, and bid analyses for MEP needs.
Act as the lead individual on bid and preconstruction estimates.
Prepare preconstruction estimates at schematic and design development stages.
Review construction plans and specifications, complete quantitative takeoffs, and support estimators.
Communicate with subcontractors about project scope, schedule, risks, and related matters.
Lead and support bid-day tasks, including finalizing project cost and alternates, verifying subcontractor scopes and costs, analyzing project risks, and resolving bid-scope conflicts and questions.
Develop budgets and complete estimates for MEP trades, including conceptual budgets when project documentation is incomplete.
Compile and analyze cost factors, including materials, labor, equipment, and profit margins.
Perform complex cost estimates and analyses for capital and professional services projects.
Evaluate consultant estimating deliverables for cost containment.
Evaluate quotes, bids, change orders, value engineering reports, and claims for accuracy and completeness of stated costs.
Acquire and evaluate pricing documents, historical cost data, and vendor cost data to develop estimates and price recommendations.
Forecast costs for future projects and changes to existing projects.
Prepare technical evaluations, draft cost-estimating reports, memos, and letters, and present recommendations to management.
Perform plan and specification analysis, takeoffs, and pricing for construction projects as part of the Estimating Team.
Work with subcontractors and vendors to define scope and perform subcontractor and vendor analyses.
Manage complete estimates through final review and closeout.
Participate in value engineering studies and negotiations with contractors.
Attend client meetings as needed.
Undertake other cost-related tasks as directed by the supervisor and other duties as assigned.
Collaborate and communicate effectively to contribute to team performance and support desired client outcomes.