Estimator, Purchasing Manager

Summary

Join our team as an Estimator & Purchasing Manager! This crucial role requires precision in estimating costs, understanding subcontractor pricing, and deep knowledge of residential construction. You will be integral in project planning, ensuring accurate and competitive project estimates. Responsibilities include overseeing the sales, pre-construction, and construction processes to protect the company's gross margin, developing standardized scopes of work, recruiting trade partners, and participating in product development. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills, along with experience in construction estimating and proficiency in relevant software. We offer a remote work environment with various benefits, including paid time off, parental leave, health care reimbursement, and professional development opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field
• Minimum of 3 years of experience as an estimator in construction
• Strong understanding of the construction industry
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate with project management and business development team members
• Excellent analytical and mathematical skills
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple project estimates and priorities simultaneously
• In-depth knowledge of construction materials, BlueBeam and BuilderTrend
• English and Spanish communication skills

Responsibilities

• Set & Protect Gross Margin: Oversee the sales, pre-construction and construction processes from the perspective of achieving and protecting the company’s targeted gross margin
• Establish and implement a detailed estimating tool that summarizes information for clients and adequately identifies and controls costs and material specifications to achieve the targeted gross margin
• Establish and oversee cost variance and schedule delay processes
• Oversee actual costs and variances
• Develop and implement a standardized “scope of work” for architectural and other design drawings to assure they are complete and accurate before client pricing is finalized
• Develop and implement a detailed, base level of material specifications with the ability for acceptable alternatives to be selected
• Develop and implement scopes of work and job ready/job complete checklists for each trade partner
• Develop and implement a feedback mechanism or process to correct construction drawings, material specifications and scopes of work/checklists so that any exceptions are promptly resolved and prevented from occurring in the future
• Participate developing the pre-construction process and implement it
• Participate in meetings with clients, architects, engineers, municipal employees, trade partners and others to efficiently and effectively implement the pre-construction process for each client or potential client
• Assist in sales meetings with potential clients, particularly in presenting estimating and material specification alternatives
• Provide all necessary information to project managers and superintendents timely, seeking their input where practicable
• Recruit and negotiate with competent, quality trade partners and material suppliers at prices that allow homes to be built within the established preliminary budgets and time frames
• Bring in contracted costs within the established guidelines set forth during the various stages of a project
• Conduct the bid process within the proposed bid schedules in order to negotiate accurate and complete contracts
• Obtain trade partner and supplier information and job cost information so that accounting records are current, accurate and complete (e.g., completed contract, contractor information)
• Establish and maintain the successful operation of a computerized purchase order system
• Design and maintain and variance purchase order system
• Resolve any trade partner or material supplier payment issues
• Participate in client and other meetings to develop the construction drawings, materials, and methods necessary for each project
• Recommend cost savings and more effective materials or methods
• Maintain the company’s reputation and goals in all interactions with clients and others
• Participate in developing the company’s product development process and implement it
• For each project, identify and correct exceptions to the product development process and recommend process changes to keep those exceptions from occurring in the future
• Improve the product or its cost effectiveness (performance engineering) by the addition of new products into the construction process
• Assure that products selected for use are of appropriate quality and available on schedule
• Supervise the interior design process so that upgraded selections are made before construction commences to the greatest extent possible
• Assure that all alternatives selected by the client are detailed, complete, and accurate in estimates, purchase orders, and related information provided to trade partners and material suppliers
• Coordinate dissemination of all relevant information to others in the company and to trade partners and material suppliers, using company software applications to the greatest extent possible
• To the extent the company uses a design center, oversee its operation
• Assure the highest levels of client satisfaction with the company during pre-construction activities
• Assure the highest levels of trade partner and material supplier satisfaction with the company during pre-construction and construction activities
• Administer self-improvement programs providing for both professional and personal development
• Maintain team so that well-qualified, high potential trade partners and professionals are hired and retained
• Provide training and education and develop the potential of the company’s trade partners
• Implement innovations and cost-cutting and customer-value enhancing procedures throughout the company
• Maintaining industry accepted ethical standards

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Currently living in Latin America

Benefits

• Work remotely Monday - Friday, 40 hours a week (no weekends)
• Vacation: 10 business days a year
• Holidays: 5 National Holidays a year
• Company Holidays: 5 Company Holidays a year (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Zipdev Day)
• Parental Leave
• Health Care Reimbursement
• Active Lifestyle Reimbursement
• Quarterly Home Office Reimbursement
• Payroll Deduction Purchase Plans
• Longevity Bonus
• Continuous Learning Bonus
• Access to Training and Professional Development Platforms