Senior Estimator

HNTB Corporation•Downers Grove, IL

21d

About The Position

The Senior Estimator provides technical leadership in researching and implementing estimating tools and best practices, applies specialized technical knowledge to complex projects, and demonstrates expert cost-estimating skills. The position develops accurate cost estimates for defined scopes of work at any stage of project definition, including conceptual, definitive, man-hour, and equipment-factored total installed cost estimates. Duties may also include economic cost studies, cash flows, and contingency analyses. The Senior Estimator may mentor, direct, and oversee earlier-career staff. The role oversees cost estimating and quality control for complex projects, supports change orders, value engineering, claims, procurement, risk analysis, bid reviews, and price negotiations, and collaborates with project, scheduling, design, client, and risk teams. It also develops and maintains enterprise estimating policies, processes, procedures, guidelines, manuals, software protocols, historical cost databases, and reporting systems. The position may lead multiple estimating projects or serve as a project advisor or technical lead.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or a related degree and 9 years of relevant experience; alternatively, 13 years of relevant experience developing cost estimates in lieu of education.

Nice To Haves

AACE Certified Estimating Professional (CEP), ASPE Certified Professional Estimator (CPE), or equivalent.
Experience preparing cost estimates on behalf of a general contractor using commercially available estimating software.
Experience in two or more project lifecycle phases, such as predesign, design, procurement, construction, and post-construction.
Experience working as a client's PM/CM agent, such as providing program management or construction management services, or as part of a design-build contractor, or equivalent design and construction experience.

Responsibilities

Oversee preparation of independent cost estimates for submitted change order proposals.
Provide cost support during Value Engineering Studies and design charrettes.
Create complex cost models for cost-estimating elements.
Prepare claims analyses and estimates.
Perform parametric order-of-magnitude estimating before graphical representations of facilities are developed.
Analyze specifications, sketches, drawings, bills of material, and sample layouts to estimate labor, material, and equipment costs using pricing schedules and historical data.
Develop duration estimates for construction activities based on assumed construction approaches and production rates.
Oversee and provide quality control and assurance for quantity takeoffs and cost estimates on complex projects, checking mathematical and technical accuracy.
Consult with clients, vendors, and other departments to formulate quantity takeoffs and cost estimates and resolve issues.
Work with project supervisors to ensure project estimates meet financial and regulatory guidelines.
Prepare bid estimates to support reviews of construction contractor bids.
Provide support and potentially lead price negotiations.
Perform related cost-estimating and budgeting functions.
Set up cost-monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.
Prepare cost reports and present findings to design and client teams; participate in client presentations as required.
Collaborate with scheduling teams to develop production-based bottom-up cost estimates and align estimates with construction schedules.
Develop and maintain enterprise-level estimating policies, processes, procedures, guidelines, and desk manuals.
Ensure consistency of estimating methods and data use across projects and programs.
Provide guidance and oversight on estimating software use, protocols, and standards.
Accumulate, evaluate, and document historical cost data and construction means and methods to maintain current estimating standards and databases.
Oversee a database or warehouse of estimation data recorded and tracked from each job.
Support preparation of procurement documents related to estimating specifications.
Support costing of Risk Registers and collaborate with the Risk team to align register items with project risk profiles.
Work on multiple estimating projects as a project leader or project advisor within functional teams, as needed.
Quality-control estimating deliverables prepared by support staff, if required.
Mentor Estimators I, II, and III, if applicable, and potentially serve as technical lead.
Perform other duties as assigned.