Senior Estimator

SKENDER GROUP LLC•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Hey! We’re Skender, nice to meet you. At our core, we are builders — of communities, relationships, dreams, and careers. If you asked us to describe Skender, we’d say we’re ambitious, humble, and compassionate. We’re focused on building lasting partnerships with the right people. Our success starts and ends with our people. That’s why we seek out dynamic, high-energy teammates who are eager to learn, ready to take ownership of their careers, and excited to have fun along the way. Who is Skender? About 70 years ago, Skender got its start in the basement of our founder’s family home. Now, Skender has two locations, our Chicago headquarters and our Indianapolis office, with nearly 400 employees helping us raise the bar year after year. From humble beginnings to now, Skender has become one of the nation’s top 100 construction firms building dream spaces for many of the world’s leading brands. In more recent history, we’ve won 30 best-place-to-work awards from three different organizations, each based on comprehensive workplace evaluations and employee input. Our team is driven by three core values: Proactive: You take initiative, stay curious, and aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves to get the job done. Refreshing: You celebrate team wins, show appreciation freely, and always give credit where it's earned. True Partner: You thrive on collaboration, ask thoughtful questions, and are fully present and engaged with your team. If our values align with yours, this could be a great match. We love meeting new people, so we can’t wait to hear about you! We’re looking for an experienced Senior Estimator who wants real influence, not just another seat at the table. You bring deep expertise in preparing complex estimates and bids, developing reliable pricing strategies, and leveraging estimating tools and technology to drive smarter outcomes. Just as important, you’re a proactive, solutions-oriented leader who takes ownership, thinks ahead, and communicates with confidence across internal teams, trade partners, and clients.

Requirements

4 year degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a similar construction-related field.
Minimum of 6 years’ experience with estimating, cost control, and/or engineering experience in commercial construction markets.

Responsibilities

Stay current on construction costs, labor productivity, and market conditions through vendor relationships, trade publications, and other resources.
Build and maintain reliable vendor and subcontractor partnerships, ensuring accurate and timely pricing for equipment, materials, and services.
Develop and refine cost assemblies and estimates for common project components and self-performed work.
Maintain the accuracy and integrity of estimating data through consistent updates, safeguards, and use of historical cost information.
Support the Preconstruction Executive with bid preparation, vendor selection, proposal analysis, and quantity takeoffs.
Track and evaluate the time and effort required to produce detailed bids, helping improve efficiency in estimating processes.
Review owner requirements, specifications, and potential liabilities, and flag any items that may impact cost or risk.
Participate in job startup meetings and ensure approved vendors and subcontractors are properly solicited.
Continuously look for ways to enhance the effectiveness and accuracy of the estimating function.

Benefits

Skender pays 100% of the premium for health insurance (medical, dental, & vision)
Annual deposit into health savings account
Retirement plan with 100% match up to 5% of gross earnings
Tuition reimbursement for continued learning opportunities
Employee referral program
Wellness incentives
Paid time off
Parental leave for mothers and fathers
Free employee assistance program services
Free short- & long-term disability insurance
Community involvement