Senior Estimator

Winchester Interconnect•Garden Grove, CA

7h•$80,000 - $100,000

About The Position

As our Senior Estimator, you will be the primary owner of the technical quoting and estimating process for Winchester's portfolio of custom engineered cables, complex harnesses, and electro-mechanical assemblies. You will serve as the technical expert responsible for translating customer requirements into comprehensive, accurate, and competitive quotes. This role requires you to combine deep technical knowledge of cable manufacturing and harness assembly with advanced analytical skills to lead the RFQ (Request for Quote) response. You will coordinate with all cross-functional teams to develop cost estimates, establish pricing strategies, and define project timelines, ensuring every quote we deliver supports our customers’ needs and our internal profitability targets. This position reports to the Program Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing), Applied Science, or equivalent technical field.
7-10 years of estimating/quoting experience in cable and harness manufacturing or complex electro-mechanical assembly, preferably in an aerospace/defense environment.
Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident) due to ITAR regulations.
Advanced proficiency in MRP/ERP systems (preferably Visual ERP), Microsoft Project, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Workspace.
Extensive knowledge of cable manufacturing processes (e.g., extrusion, braiding, shielding, overmolding, harness assembly) and techniques in an aerospace/mil-spec environment.
Deep understanding of AS9100 quality requirements and interconnect industry standards (WHMA-A-620, IPC-A-610).
Strong understanding of accounting principles relating to product costing, material pricing, overhead allocation, and margin analysis.
Highly proficient in technical drawing interpretation (including schematics and harness diagrams), vendor management, cost modeling, and analytical report development.
Strong ability to develop labor hours estimates based on process complexity, statements of work, and bill of materials requirements as well as recommendations for design for manufacturing improvements.
Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and written communication skills with the ability to interface with customers, sales teams, and senior leadership.

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end technical quoting process, from initial RFQ review to the creation and delivery of final quotation packages for complex engineered cable assemblies, wire harnesses, and bulk cable builds.
Develop and manage all comprehensive cost estimates, creating detailed pricing analysis using Visual ERP and advanced Excel modeling to evaluate all material, labor, tooling, and manufacturing process costs.
Interface directly with customers and sales teams to clarify technical requirements, communicate proposal details, and ensure all quote packages are comprehensive and professional.
Manage the entire quoting pipeline, establishing systematic RFQ review protocols and providing weekly status updates to sales and leadership on quote status, pricing recommendations, and competitive analysis.
Calculate and commit to accurate manufacturing lead times by analyzing material availability, supplier lead times, internal manufacturing capacity, and technical complexity factors.
Drive achievement of corporate margin targets by embedding strategic cost analysis, value engineering opportunities, and supplier optimization data into the quoting process.
Monitor quote vs. actual cost performance, identifying gaps and implementing corrective actions with measurable KPIs and continuous improvement processes.
Coordinate with engineering teams and manufacturing supervisors to ensure all quotes and estimates reflect current capabilities, capacity constraints, and technical feasibility.
Lead the implementation of estimating and quoting best practices to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and reduce quote response time.
Develop and validate optimal Visual ERP system configurations for estimating processes, including multi-level BOM structures and cost roll-up methodologies.
Generate comprehensive reports on quoting performance (win/loss analysis, quote cycle time), margin trends, and competitive positioning metrics.
Perform detailed cost analysis during new product development cycles to support strategic pricing decisions.
Comply with all company policies and procedures.
Perform other duties as assigned.