Chief Estimator and Project Management, Landscape and Hardscape Construction

Job Description

Job Description

Chief Estimator and Senior Project Manager
Putnam Valley, NY
Full-time | Primarily office-based
Base salary: Approximately $150,000 plus profit sharing

Our client is an established and reputable construction and landscape company with a long-standing presence in the New York market. They have built their reputation by delivering high-quality work, standing behind their commitments, and successfully completing technically demanding projects for public, commercial, municipal, HOA, condominium, and high-end residential clients.

Their construction division specializes in civil and site construction, masonry, concrete, excavation, drainage, hardscape, and complex exterior improvements. They have developed a particularly strong niche in public-school construction and other projects involving multiple interdependent scopes.

The construction division currently generates approximately $5 million in annual revenue, with significant opportunity to grow well beyond its current level. We are adding a senior construction professional who can expand our estimating capacity, strengthen project oversight, develop our existing estimator, and help build the systems required for continued growth.

The Opportunity

The Chief Estimator and Senior Project Manager is a senior leadership position reporting directly to the owner.

This individual will lead estimating for the construction division while providing administrative oversight of larger and more complex projects after award. The position combines approximately 55% estimating, 35% project management and coordination, and 10% leadership and team development.

This is not a traditional landscape-estimating position. The work primarily involves masonry, concrete, civil and site construction, excavation, drainage, hardscape, and specialty exterior construction.

The successful candidate will be someone who understands how projects are built, recognizes costly scope before it is missed, and can develop accurate estimates for work involving multiple trades and construction disciplines.

Estimating Responsibilities

• Lead estimates for complex public, commercial, municipal, HOA, condominium, and high-end residential construction projects.
• Review complete plan sets, specifications, bid documents, contracts, addenda, and scope sheets.
• Perform accurate quantity takeoffs and develop labor, material, equipment, and subcontractor costs.
• Establish realistic labor requirements and production rates for custom and nonstandard construction.
• Identify scope gaps, exclusions, ambiguities, constructability concerns, and contractual exposure before proposals or contracts are finalized.
• Account for often-overlooked costs such as forming, scaffolding, access, staging, safety, equipment, temporary conditions, phasing, and project sequencing.
• Review civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, HVAC, and other relevant drawings to confirm that the complete scope has been captured.
• Solicit and evaluate supplier and subcontractor proposals.
• Develop clearly defined subcontractor scopes of work.
• Document estimating assumptions, allowances, qualifications, and exclusions.
• Maintain consistent estimating activity during peak production periods to support a dependable backlog.
• Improve estimating standards, historical cost information, production rates, and estimate-to-actual feedback.
• Help determine which opportunities align with the company's capabilities, margins, and growth objectives.

Project Management Responsibilities

• Provide administrative project-management oversight for larger and more complicated projects.
• Manage submittals, shop drawings, revisions, material selections, samples, and approval processes.
• Prepare, document, submit, and track change orders.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
• Track critical-path activities and ensure required approvals are obtained before work proceeds.
• Confirm that subcontractors, materials, equipment, and specialty components are ready when needed.
• Anticipate coordination problems before they affect schedule, quality, client relationships, or profitability.
• Use Aspire to monitor budgeted versus actual labor, materials, expenses, and work in progress.
• Conduct post-project reviews and apply lessons learned to future estimates and projects.

Leadership and Team Development

• Serve as the senior leader of the estimating function.
• Train, mentor, and develop Maple Leaf's existing estimator.
• Delegate appropriate takeoffs, estimates, CAD assignments, and related responsibilities.
• Review estimating work and provide technical guidance and accountability.
• Help the existing estimator strengthen construction knowledge, scope recognition, and communication skills.
• Develop repeatable estimating and project-management systems that can support significant future growth.
• Help determine when additional estimating or project-management resources should be added.

Qualifications

• Approximately 10 or more years of relevant construction experience.
• Candidates with fewer years may be considered if they possess deep construction knowledge and experience within a disciplined estimating organization.
• Significant experience in both construction estimating and project management.
• Background in one or more of the following:
  • Civil or site construction
  • Masonry and brickwork
  • Structural or decorative concrete
  • Excavation and drainage
  • Hardscape construction
  • General contracting
  • Specialty exterior construction
• Strong knowledge of construction methods, materials, labor requirements, equipment, production rates, and project sequencing.
• Ability to estimate complex projects involving multiple interdependent scopes.
• Experience reviewing complete construction documents, technical specifications, contracts, and subcontractor scope sheets.
• Ability to identify hidden scope, contractual risk, and constructability concerns.
• Experience managing submittals, shop drawings, material approvals, and change orders.
• Understanding of job costing, work-in-progress reporting, and budget-to-actual performance.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate confidently with owners, general contractors, architects, engineers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
• Leadership, delegation, mentoring, and process-development skills.
• Experience with Aspire or comparable estimating and job-costing software.
• Experience with Bluebeam, PlanSwift, or another construction takeoff platform is preferred.

Typical Projects

Our work includes:

• Masonry and brickwork
• Structural and decorative concrete
• Excavation and site preparation
• Drainage systems
• Curbs and sidewalks
• Asphalt paving
• Retaining and structural walls
• Exterior staircases and entry features
• Hardscape construction
• Terraces and outdoor structures
• Pool-related structures
• Custom fencing, gates, and metalwork
• Public-school improvements and renovations
• Municipal and park construction
• Commercial and retail site improvements
• HOA and condominium projects
• Complex high-end residential exterior construction

The average project is approximately $100,000, with multiple projects ranging from $500,000 to approximately $2 million.

Why Join this Company

• Join a reputable local company known for high-quality work and long-standing client relationships.
• Report directly to the owner and have meaningful influence over business decisions.
• Help shape and lead the estimating department.
• Develop another estimator and influence future hiring.
• Work on technically challenging projects rather than repetitive production work.
• Join an established construction operation with substantial room for continued growth.
• Participate in an open-book management environment with visibility into company performance.
• Share in company results through the profit-sharing program.

Compensation and Work Arrangement

• Base salary targeting $150,000, depending on experience and overall fit.
• Participation in the company profit-sharing program.
• Full-time, primarily office-based position in Putnam Valley, New York.
• Reports directly to the owner.

If you are an experienced construction estimator, preconstruction leader, or project manager who enjoys finding what others miss and wants the authority to build a stronger estimating operation, we encourage you to apply.

Please submit your resume for confidential consideration.