Director of Estimating or Director of Preconstruction

Director Of Estimating Or Director Of Preconstruction And Estimating

CT Mechanical, a division of Comfort Temp Company, has been delivering exceptional commercial HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical contracting solutions across Florida since 2014. With offices in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa, we serve commercial, industrial, and institutional clients with professionalism, precision, and integrity. Our work is guided by our core values: Do what you say. Do what it takes. Walk with purpose. Do the right thing.

CT Mechanical is conducting one search to fill one senior leadership position. Based on the selected candidate's demonstrated experience and leadership range, the final title will be either Director of Estimating or Director of Preconstruction and Estimating. Both paths require expert commercial mechanical and plumbing estimating capability. The selected leader must understand and be able to direct the complete bid process, lead the estimating team, improve department performance, support major pursuits, protect margin, and strengthen the connection between Estimating, Operations, Project Management, and executive leadership. The Director of Preconstruction and Estimating is the larger role. It includes every responsibility of the Director of Estimating position and adds direct leadership of the Business Development team, market strategy, customer development, opportunity qualification, pipeline accountability, and the complete front-end process. It is not a sales-only position and does not reduce or transfer estimating ownership.

This leader owns CT Mechanical's estimating function across commercial mechanical and plumbing disciplines, including people, workload, technical standards, bid strategy, quality control, pricing discipline, risk review, data, and project turnover. This leader owns and performs the complete Director of Estimating role described above and also directly leads Business Development, customer and market strategy, pipeline quality, pursuit planning, and the conversion of qualified relationships into profitable backlog.

Success looks like accurate, competitive, and timely estimates across all markets. Better consistency in pricing, labor approach, scope review, proposal quality, and risk identification. Stronger estimating department organization, accountability, capacity planning, and workload visibility. Improved quality control on major bids and strategic pursuits. Cleaner handoff from Estimating to Operations and Project Management. Stronger vendor and subcontractor engagement that supports competitive, complete bids. Improved post-bid review, estimate-to-actual feedback, and data-driven refinement of pricing and pursuit strategy. Growth and development of the estimating team across offices and disciplines. A scalable estimating structure that supports continued company growth. For the broader Preconstruction scope, a unified process connecting Business Development, opportunity qualification, Estimating, preconstruction, and turnover. For the broader Preconstruction scope, a qualified pipeline built around strategic fit, customer quality, team capacity, win probability, and profitable backlog.

Key responsibilities include department leadership and estimating strategy, bid oversight and quality control, preconstruction and operational alignment, market intelligence and continuous improvement, and talent development and team capability. Additional responsibilities for the Director of Preconstruction and Estimating include retaining full responsibility for every Director of Estimating duty, standard, outcome, and technical decision listed in this posting, directly leading the Business Development team alongside the Estimators and Bid Coordination support staff, setting market priorities, target customers, relationship plans, territories, activity expectations, pipeline standards, and accountability for Business Development team members, building and maintaining senior relationships with General Contractors, owners, designers, property stakeholders, and strategic partners, leading opportunity qualification and pursuit planning so CT Mechanical invests estimating resources in work that fits its capabilities, capacity, risk profile, and margin expectations, using CRM activity, pipeline conversion, customer quality, win/loss data, backlog needs, and profitability to coach the Business Development team and improve decisions, creating clear handoffs from Business Development to Estimating and from Estimating to Operations so customer expectations, strategy, scope, and risk remain aligned, and preventing low-value, poorly qualified, or non-strategic pursuits from consuming estimating and operational resources.

Key performance indicators include estimate accuracy and competitiveness, bid turnaround time and on-time submission rate, win rate and awarded-work trends, quality and completeness of turnover documentation, gross margin performance on awarded work relative to estimate, department capacity and workload visibility, estimator performance, development, and retention, vendor engagement and pricing responsiveness, consistency in process and submission quality across branches, estimate-to-actual feedback and use of historical cost data, for the broader Preconstruction scope, qualified pipeline value and quality, customer development, pursuit conversion, Business Development accountability, and profitable backlog growth.

Requirements include 8+ years of progressive estimating experience in commercial HVAC, plumbing, mechanical contracting, or closely related construction environments, 3+ years of leadership experience overseeing Estimators, estimating workflow, preconstruction professionals, or related technical teams, expert knowledge of commercial mechanical and plumbing systems, bid strategy, takeoffs, labor drivers, vendor relationships, estimating methods, scope, and risk, demonstrated ability to lead and personally evaluate the complete bid process, including drawings, specifications, addenda, labor, equipment, materials, vendor and subcontractor quotes, pricing, proposals, and turnover, strong understanding of hard-bid, negotiated, conceptual, design-build, and value-engineering estimating environments, practical understanding of how estimating decisions affect procurement, labor planning, field installation, project management, schedule, cash flow, and margin, demonstrated ability to lead people, improve systems, establish standards, and hold a department accountable, strong communication, organization, judgment, and cross-functional leadership skills, proficiency with Bluebeam, Microsoft Excel, and estimating platforms. Experience with QuoteSoft, Trimble AutoBid, Viewpoint, or similar software is preferred. Valid driver's license and ability to attend site visits, customer meetings, and regional office meetings as needed.

Additional requirements for the Preconstruction scope include proven experience directly leading Business Development, sales, market development, capture, or customer-facing professionals in a construction-related environment, demonstrated ability to build and qualify a pipeline, set relationship strategy, coach activity and accountability, and connect market development to profitable awarded work, experience developing senior relationships with General Contractors, owners, designers, property stakeholders, and strategic partners, credibility with both technical estimating teams and relationship-driven Business Development professionals. A sales-only background without deep commercial mechanical and plumbing estimating capability will not meet the requirements of this position.

Preferred qualifications include experience leading estimating across multiple branches, regions, or markets, experience with both commercial HVAC and plumbing estimating, experience supporting healthcare, industrial, institutional, data center, or technically complex commercial projects, experience building department process, labor standards, cost data, and pricing consistency, experience with CRM discipline, pipeline reporting, customer strategy, or capture planning for candidates pursuing the broader Preconstruction scope, bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred, but not required with strong relevant industry experience.