Senior Preconstruction Manager

Location: Bethesda, MD

Salary: $130,000–$180,000, depending on experience and qualifications

Job Type: Full-Time

Superior Skilled Trades is partnered with a leading general contractor in the Bethesda, MD area to identify an experienced Senior Preconstruction Manager. This position will take a lead role in securing profitable new construction work and managing complex preconstruction and estimating efforts for government construction projects ranging from $5 million to $150 million.

The Senior Preconstruction Manager will lead bid strategy, estimating, risk management, client relationships, design-build pursuits, and the overall preconstruction process from early pursuit through bid review and negotiation. This position will work closely with government owners, architects, engineers, construction managers, subcontractors, senior leadership, and operations teams.

• →Lead preconstruction and estimating efforts from early pursuit through bid submission, review, negotiation, and project turnover.
• →Communicate directly with government owners and participate in business development efforts to identify and pursue new construction opportunities.
• →Develop pursuit strategies that align with company profitability goals and project requirements.
• →Review and interpret construction plans, specifications, government procurement requirements, and contract documents.
• →Perform quantity surveys and develop detailed construction estimates.
• →Develop scopes of work, bid packages, bid lists, and subcontractor solicitation strategies.
• →Analyze subcontractor bids and provide recommendations based on scope, cost, schedule, compliance, and overall value.
• →Identify, evaluate, and mitigate project risks related to scope, pricing, schedule, procurement, and constructability.
• →Lead bid clarifications, value engineering efforts, estimate reviews, client presentations, and post-bid negotiations.
• →Build and maintain strong relationships with government owners, architects, engineers, construction managers, subcontractors, and other industry partners.
• →Lead design-build pursuits by coordinating architects, engineers, preconstruction professionals, subcontractors, and other project stakeholders.
• →Collaborate with senior leadership and Operations to establish bid strategy and ensure a successful transition from preconstruction to project execution.
• →Monitor construction market conditions, including costs, subcontractor availability, competition, and industry trends.
• →Secure new work that meets established profitability guidelines while effectively managing project risk.
• →Mentor and provide guidance to Preconstruction team members.
• →Assist with developing and improving departmental procedures, processes, and best practices to increase estimating accuracy, efficiency, consistency, and accountability.
• →Maintain strong communication throughout the preconstruction process and ensure project teams receive a clear and thorough turnover.

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in construction estimating and/or preconstruction.
• Experience managing estimates and preconstruction efforts for projects ranging from $5 million to $50 million.
• Experience with government, federal, state, municipal, or other public-sector construction projects.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience communicating directly with Owners and Architects/Engineers.
• Strong understanding of government construction procurement, bidding, and contract requirements.
• Experience leading design-build pursuits preferred.
• General knowledge of all major construction trades.
• Strong understanding of construction plans, specifications, scopes of work, and project delivery methods.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Bluebeam.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple pursuits and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with government owners, design professionals, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.

• Experience with federal government construction projects.
• Experience with government procurement and competitive bidding processes.
• Experience with design-build delivery.
• Experience managing complex government construction projects.
• Knowledge of local subcontractor and trade partner markets.
• Strong presentation and negotiation skills.
• Experience mentoring and developing junior Preconstruction team members.

The ideal candidate is an experienced construction professional with a strong background in government preconstruction, estimating, client development, and design-build delivery. This individual should be comfortable leading pursuits, presenting estimates and bid strategies to government owners, identifying project risks, negotiating with subcontractors and stakeholders, and helping secure profitable new work.

The successful candidate will be both technically strong and relationship-driven, with the ability to work effectively with government owners, architects, engineers, subcontractors, senior leadership, and Operations.