Senior Manager, Preconstruction

Nscale

3d•$140,000 - $230,000

About The Position

Nscale is seeking a hands-on Senior Manager, Preconstruction to join their growing North American Preconstruction team. This pivotal role reports directly to the Vice President, Preconstruction. The Senior Manager will lead a team of Preconstruction Managers and Analysts, responsible for integrated Capex Total Development Cost Proformas, integrated development cash flow/commitment/cancellation Cost Ledgers, and planning level constructability analysis for a portfolio of hyperscale and mission-critical data center projects. This is a player-coach role where the individual will set technical standards, develop their team, and ensure process consistency. They will be a critical contributor to shaping the Preconstruction team and providing professional cost, schedule, risk, and constructability analysis for prospective developments, influencing capital expenditure decisions across North America.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a relevant discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
10+ years of related Preconstruction or construction management experience.
Experience managing Preconstruction Managers or Senior Estimators, with demonstrated ability to lead a team of experienced professionals.
Data center or mission-critical facility experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated expertise in CapEx proformas, conceptual estimating, cash flow modeling, GC RFP review, and Prime Contractor Budget Reviews.
Strong understanding of construction documents at all levels of design — drawings, specifications, and contracts.
Proven ability to oversee multiple high-value concurrent projects while maintaining team cohesion and deliverable quality.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools including Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Word.
Excellent communicator across all levels — from trade partners to executive leadership and clients.
Willingness to travel up to 25% based on business needs.

Responsibilities

Directly manage, mentor, and develop a team of Preconstruction Managers and Analysts, including performance management, workload allocation, and career growth planning.
Build a high-performance team culture grounded in accountability, technical rigor, and continuous improvement.
Own complex scope, development cost, project specific integrated delivery schedule coordination, and risk issues for active and perspective sites.
Support recruiting, onboarding, and succession planning within the Preconstruction group.
Oversee delivery of site-specific CapEx proformas, conceptual estimates, GC RFP reviews, Cost Ledgers consisting of project wide cash flow/commitment/cancelation costs, and revenue-ready date forecasting across all active and prospective projects.
Review and approve team deliverables — including independent take-offs, cost estimates, and contractor pricing validations.
Lead or co-lead Prime Contractor Budget Reviews, directing budget review teams through cost and schedule analysis from conceptual phase through IGMP.
Ensure thorough review of Prime Contractor, Subcontractor, Colocation Provider, Power Entity, Building Design, and Consultant proposals for scope completeness, cost competitiveness, and schedule integrity.
Maintain and continuously improve the internal project cost database, incorporating lessons learned to keep estimating data accurate and market-competitive.
Support the Vice President of Preconstruction and NA Construction Leadership in driving business plans for geographic and vertical market expansion across North America, ensuring capacity requirements align with hyperscale and wholesale customer needs.
Serve as an internal subject matter expert on total development cost, providing strategic guidance from conceptual phase through Construction Documents.
Partner with Commercial Management, Sales, Site Selection, Design / Engineering, Construction, Energy, Procurement, Project Controls and Finance to ensure Preconstruction outputs support optimal capital deployment and revenue realization.
Contribute to project development strategy and early-stage decision-making on site characteristics, construction methodology, and cost optimization.
Identify, escalate, and develop mitigation strategies for risks related to scope, schedule, procurement, labor availability, and market escalation across the team's portfolio.
Drive standardization of Preconstruction procedures, documentation, reporting, and estimating workflows across all projects and team members.
Lead adoption of digital tools, estimating technology, and process improvements within the team.
Contribute to departmental KPIs and operational standards set by the Vice President.
Represent the Preconstruction team in executive presentations, client meetings, and strategic planning discussions.
Build and maintain relationships with General Contractors, major trade partners, consultants, and key vendors.
Support Prime Contractor commercial negotiations, site procurement strategy, and commercial positioning in partnership with the Preconstruction Team leadership.