Business Development & Sales Manager - Preconstruction

Company: NAFCO

Location: Hybrid / Field-Based

Employment Type: Full-Time

Reports To: EVP of Sales & Strategy

Position Summary

NAFCO is seeking a proactive, relationship-driven Business Development & Sales Manager – Preconstruction to grow its commercial and industrial steel fabrication pipeline. This role focuses primarily on commercial steel fabrication, with additional responsibility for identifying industrial fabrication opportunities.

The successful candidate will build relationships with general contractors (GCs), construction managers, developers, and project teams to engage early in the construction process—before projects go out to bid. By partnering closely with estimating, operations, and marketing, this individual will help position NAFCO as a trusted steel partner, develop qualified opportunities, and drive profitable growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Business Development: Build and strengthen relationships with target GCs, construction managers, developers, owners, and design teams to increase bid invitations and secure preferred-subcontractor status.
• Preconstruction & Pipeline Growth: Identify upcoming projects, engage customers during design and budgeting, and provide opportunities for budget pricing, constructability reviews, value engineering, and schedule planning.
• Sales & Opportunity Management: Develop and manage a qualified sales pipeline, lead assigned opportunities from initial contact through award, and pursue negotiated and early-involvement projects.
• Estimating & Operations Collaboration: Coordinate bid/no-bid decisions, prepare qualified bid opportunities, support bid reviews and follow-ups, and align customer expectations with project scope, capacity, and delivery schedules.
• Marketing & Market Intelligence: Collaborate on targeted campaigns, project profiles, capability statements, presentations, and industry events while sharing customer feedback and market insights.
• Industrial & Cross-Division Growth: Identify industrial fabrication opportunities and support collaboration across NAFCO divisions, including Wolf Point Engineers and Powell Construction.
• CRM & Sales Reporting: Maintain accurate account and opportunity records in Monday.com, forecast pipeline activity, monitor win rates, and follow established sales processes.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in business development, sales, preconstruction, estimating, or project management within commercial construction.
• Established relationships with general contractors and construction managers.
• Experience in structural steel, miscellaneous metals, steel fabrication, or erection strongly preferred.
• Ability to interpret construction drawings and specifications and discuss scope, scheduling, sequencing, and constructability.
• Strong understanding of construction bidding, subcontracting, and contractor selection processes.
• Proven ability to develop new business, build a sales pipeline, and win profitable projects.
• Experience with CRM platforms and project intelligence tools; Monday.com, IIR, Dodge, ConstructConnect, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator experience is beneficial.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational skills, commercial judgment, and ability to collaborate across sales, estimating, marketing, and operations.
• Degree in construction management, engineering, business, or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
• Exposure to industrial markets, including EPCs, OEMs, manufacturing plants, and heavy industrial projects, is an advantage.

Measures of Success

Success will be measured by growth in qualified pipeline value, target-account engagement, bid invitations, win rates, awarded revenue, project margins, negotiated opportunities, and cross-division business development. Maintaining accurate CRM records and reliable forecasts is also essential.

Within the first 12 months, the successful candidate is expected to establish strong GC relationships, increase preconstruction involvement, contribute to commercial steel growth targets, and generate repeat business and qualified industrial opportunities.

Travel Requirements

Regular travel for customer meetings, job-site visits, and industry events is required, with occasional overnight travel within the region.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who actively pursues new business, understands the commercial construction process, and earns the trust of customers through technical knowledge and consistent follow-through. This individual combines strong relationship-building skills with disciplined pipeline management and a focus on profitable growth.

Join NAFCO and help shape steel opportunities before they reach the bid stage.

Pay: $88,400.00 - $107,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Prescription drug insurance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote