Senior Estimator / Project Manager

Description

Senior Estimator / Project Manager – Bid and Manage Heavy Civil & Construction Projects for Mark Cerrone, Inc.

Job Overview

• Company: Mark Cerrone, Inc.
• Salary/Pay Rate: $125,000 - $150,000 annually (based on experience)
• Location: Niagara Falls, NY
• Job/Employment Type: Full Time
• Schedule: Full-time, On-site
• Project Scope: Heavy Civil, Roads, Underground Utilities/Piping, Site Development, Highway/Bridge, and General Building Construction; exposure to environmental or demolition work is a plus. Typical Project Size: 100K–100M
• Mandatory Licenses & Certifications: OSHA

The Opportunity

You will step into a high-impact, hands-on role where you personally bid and build heavy civil and general construction projects. You will own your work from the initial cost estimate through final field closeout and margin realization. This dual seat allows you to maintain full accountability over your numbers and actively shape project delivery in Western New York.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Prepare detailed unit-price estimates for heavy civil, underground utility, and NYSDOT public works projects.
• Price self-performed work using real production rates, crew sizes, and company-owned equipment data.
• Solicit, evaluate, and level subcontractor quotes for building construction to close scope gaps before bid day.
• Own project budgets and margins from award through closeout, reviewing cost and production performance against budget and addressing variances early.
• Build, own, and maintain project baseline schedules and three-week look-aheads, manage sequencing and float, and require written recovery plans when subcontractors or project conditions threaten critical milestones.
• Chair subcontractor coordination meetings and hold subcontractors accountable to contractual schedule and performance requirements through documented commitments, written notices, corrective actions, and escalation when necessary.
• Maintain contemporaneous project documentation, including manpower records, notices, contract references, and back-charge support sufficient to withstand owner or subcontractor challenge.
• Direct daily logistics with superintendents and foremen to ensure efficient labor and equipment utilization.
• Develop project engineers and assistant project managers by involving them in estimating, buyout, scheduling, documentation, closeout, and overall project execution.
• Manage the full change order process, negotiating price adjustments and updating contract records promptly.
• Maintain strong, transparent relationships with agency officials, design engineers, and project owners.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of combined estimating and project management experience, including personally bidding and managing construction projects from bid through closeout.
• Experience across both heavy civil construction — including roads, piping, underground utilities, and site work — and general building construction.
• Proven track record of independently pricing and winning competitively bid public or private work.
• Experience with public and owner-agency construction, including prevailing wage, certified payroll, MWBE/DBE/SDVOB participation requirements, and contractual liquidated-damages obligations.
• Experience working in a union construction environment, with an understanding of union work rules, jurisdiction, crew composition, staffing, sequencing, and their impact on field production.
• Solid understanding of construction cost accounting, budget management, and financial margin tracking.
• Demonstrated capability to accurately read and interpret complex plans, specifications, contract documents, and geotechnical reports.
• Strong project scheduling experience, including developing and maintaining baseline schedules, managing sequencing and float, and addressing schedule recovery when required.
• Strong subcontractor management experience, including enforcing contractual requirements, issuing written notices, and managing performance or schedule escalations.
• Proven experience mentoring and developing assistant project managers, project engineers, or emerging construction professionals, with the ability to teach both estimating and project execution while maintaining high performance standards.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to negotiate subcontracts, document field and contract issues, and communicate effectively with owners, agencies, engineers, subcontractors, and field teams.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office programs, particularly Excel, with the ability to learn estimating and project management software.
• Valid driver's license with a driving record acceptable to the company's insurance provider.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

• 10 or more years of hands-on experience in heavy civil estimating and project management.
• NYSDOT bidding and project administration experience.
• Experience managing self-performing field crews and company-owned heavy civil equipment.
• Demolition or environmental construction experience.
• Experience taking over active projects mid-stream and successfully stabilizing cost, schedule, subcontractor performance, and project documentation.
• Experience managing project closeout continuously throughout the project lifecycle, including maintaining current as-builts, progressing punch-list work, and confirming quantities with pay applications.
• Comfort working within written project-management standards and defined subcontractor escalation procedures.
• Experience with modern estimating, takeoff, and project management technology; familiarity with B2W Estimate, AGTEK, PlanSwift, Viewpoint, Bluebeam, or comparable systems is beneficial but not required.
• Current OSHA 30 certification.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary with annual performance bonuses based on bid success and project margins.
• Company vehicle allowance with full fuel reimbursement.
• Comprehensive health insurance package with employer copay support.
• 401(k) retirement plan featuring company matching contributions.
• Employer-provided $20,000 life insurance policy.
• Paid time off package including paid company holidays.
• Provided technology package including laptop, mobile phone, and software licenses.

About Us

Mark Cerrone, Inc. is a premier Western New York contractor specializing in heavy civil, underground utility, site development, and general building construction. We pride ourselves on self-performing complex projects with our own field crews and equipment fleets. We offer a stable, safety-focused work culture where dedicated professionals take ownership of their work and build long-term careers.

Mark Cerrone, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or any other status protected by law or regulations. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.