Senior Estimator

Who are we?

At Reeder General Contractors, we are driven by a clear mission: to provide opportunity and add value to the lives of the people we work with. We accomplish this by delivering purpose-driven construction services rooted in a safety-first approach, servant leadership, family values, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Simply put, our mission is to Make People Better—our employees, our partners, and the communities we serve

Job Summary

Our Senior Estimator is responsible for the overall project estimate or bid while providing leadership, training, and mentoring for the team under the Director of Preconstruction. This role works closely with clients, architects/engineers, and subcontractors/suppliers to plan cost factors for building projects, and analyzes construction documents, specifications, proposals, and other documentation to prepare accurate time, cost, and labor estimates and bids for projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead major pursuits and serve as the primary estimating lead on large, complex bids
• Develop conceptual budgets during early project planning and preconstruction phases
• Establish estimating strategy for each pursuit, including approach, resources, and timeline
• Lead bid reviews and present final numbers to leadership prior to submission
• Perform risk assessments and identify cost and schedule risks before they impact a project
• Review contracts for scope, terms, and exposure ahead of buyout and award
• Develop value engineering options that protect scope while improving cost or schedule outcomes
• Support business development efforts, including proposal input and client-facing positioning
• Participate in owner and architect interviews as a representative of the preconstruction team
• Improve estimating procedures, tools, and standards across the department
• Lead and mentor estimating staff, providing training and day-to-day guidance
• Coordinate scheduling across active pursuits to ensure estimating deadlines and milestones are met

Qualifications

• 7+ years of estimating experience
• Significant commercial construction experience
• Proven success on large, complex projects
• Expert-level conceptual estimating ability
• Strong understanding of current market conditions
• Advanced constructability knowledge
• Value engineering expertise
• Procurement strategy development
• Strong understanding of project scheduling
• Risk analysis
• Cost modeling
• Preconstruction planning
• Strong presentation skills
• Interview experience representing the company to owners and architects

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Leadership
• Executive communication
• Strategic thinking
• Well versed in negotiation and buyout
• Coaching
• Collaboration
• Critical thinking
• Client relationship management

Performance Expectations

• Highly accurate estimates
• Strong project win rate
• Trusted advisor to operations
• Develops future estimators
• Protects company profitability
• Builds owner and architect confidence

Physical Requirements & Environment

• This position is primarily performed in an office environment and requires prolonged periods of sitting, working at a computer, and communicating with internal team members, subcontractors, and vendors.
• Must be willing to work non-traditional hours to meet project needs
• Assignment location may include project sites and/or in the office

Soft Skills

• Attendance and punctuation: Shows up consistently on time for work every day. Shows up ahead of time to prepare for regularly scheduled meetings. Deliver assignments on time. Following through with commitments.
• Behaviors relations with others: Cooperates & contributes to team efforts, responds positively to suggestions and instructions or criticism, keeps internal and external team members informed of important details, and adapts well to changing circumstances. Maintains a zero gossip focus and discourages others from spreading gossip or rumors. Stays professional by not talking bad about internal or external team members. Never criticize, condemn or complain.
• Leadership: Shows up consistently on time for work every day. Shows up ahead of time to prepare for regularly scheduled meetings. Deliver assignments on time. Following through with commitments.
• Problem solving: Identifies resources needed to resolve a problem and/or when a problem should be escalated to higher levels or transferred to individuals with more expertise. Determines and recommends alternative actions to be taken to resolve issues. Seeks solutions that exhibit win/win outcomes. Overcomes obstacles to achieve desired results. Learn from mistakes and focus on continual improvement.
• Communication: Strong communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with team members and clients. Sense of urgency & time management skills to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Execution & Quality: Successfully delivers work assignments on schedule and follows through on commitments. Appropriately organizes time and resources of self and staff to achieve results. Produces quality work with minimal errors.
• Productivity: Successfully delivers work assignments on schedule and follows through on commitments. Appropriately organizes time and resources of self and staff to achieve results Properly uses materials, software and equipment to effectively and efficiently complete varying workload in a timely fashion.
• Initiative and Energy: Takes advantage of training opportunities and progresses through workload at an acceptable rate. Initiates actions without needing direction; Demonstrates a sense of urgency; Corrects errors; Requests assistance in a timely manner; Handles unexpected situations calmly & efficiently to minimize problems.
• Accountability and Dependability: Takes responsibility for decisions, actions & results; delivers on commitments to managers, team members and clients/vendors. Acts in the best interest of the company; places success of the organization ahead of personal gain. Proactive in decisions and actions.
• Teamwork: Builds trust by respecting the ideas and contributions of everyone; works well with others. Coaches and encourages others on a regular basis; contributes to positive morale and spirit within the team; and embraces diverse and global cultures and ideas.
• Engaging: Demonstrates enthusiasm and passion for our business; willing to take risks and question status quo; creates excitement and inspires others to deliver by motivating, positively influencing and recognizing others and making work fun.
• Commitment to Excellence: Meets commitments using available resources. Sets clear and measurable goals; stays focused on business priorities; willing to make tough decisions and live with consequences; displays persistence and tenacity to overcome obstacles. Seeks simple solutions to complex problems, considering varied alternatives before selecting solution; effectively uses internal/external network.
• Integrity: Demonstrates a commitment by adhering to its stated values, policies and procedures. Does the right thing, conducts business in an ethical manner in accordance with company's conduct guidelines.
• Background and Drug Testing: Maintain a current clear background and drug test, in order to have clearance to work in certain school districts. Renewal is required annually.

Our Core Values

Safety

We lead with a safety-first approach in everything we do. Safety is a core value embedded into every decision, jobsite, and interaction.

Servant Leadership

We lead by example, serve first, stay humble, take responsibility, and put people first. We are accountable and committed to developing others.

Family

We operate as one team built on unity, trust, support, and accountability. Strong relationships create strong results.

Commitment to Excellence

We execute with discipline and consistency. We take pride in our work, pursue continuous improvement, take ownership, and protect the reputation we have worked hard to build.

Working Environment

• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds
• May require periods of travel
• Normal office environment
• Frequent activity: Sitting, Viewing Computer Screen

REEDER General Contractors is committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We expect every member of the REEDER community to do their part to cultivate and maintain an environment where everyone has the opportunity to feel included, and is afforded the respect and dignity they deserve.

Decisions related to hiring, compensating, training, evaluating performance, or terminating are made fairly, and we provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees. We examine our unconscious biases and take responsibility for always striving to create an inclusive environment that makes every employee and candidate feel welcome.