Director of Preconstruction
Location: Largo, Maryland | Washington, DC Metro Area
Compensation: $175,000–$200,000 + Annual Performance Bonus
Industry: Commercial Construction | General Contracting
Work Arrangement: Onsite
About the Opportunity
Our client, an established general contractor in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, is seeking an experienced Director of Preconstruction to lead its preconstruction and estimating department.
This is a senior leadership opportunity for a construction professional who combines strong technical estimating expertise with proven people-management capabilities, strategic thinking, and a collaborative leadership style.
The successful candidate will oversee the estimating function, develop and mentor a growing team, strengthen estimating processes, and partner closely with business development and operations to support the company's continued growth.
Reporting directly to the President, the Director of Preconstruction will manage a team of three professionals while remaining actively involved in key estimating activities and strategic project pursuits.
Key Responsibilities
Department Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop a preconstruction team consisting of a Lead Estimator, Estimator, and Bid Coordinator.
- Establish clear expectations, accountability, and effective workload management practices.
- Identify skill gaps and implement development strategies to strengthen departmental capabilities.
- Review estimates and deliverables to ensure accuracy, quality, and consistency.
- Drive continuous improvement in estimating processes and departmental performance.
Preconstruction & Estimating
- Oversee estimating activities across a diverse portfolio of commercial construction projects.
- Review and validate estimates before bid submission.
- Maintain hands-on involvement in estimating, including managing individual bids from inception through submission when needed.
- Develop competitive, accurate estimates that support business growth while protecting project margins.
- Evaluate opportunities across interior construction, new construction, renovations, and other project types.
- Participate in site visits for significant project opportunities, particularly those valued at approximately $10 million or more.
Business Development & Strategic Partnership
- Work closely with business development to evaluate, prioritize, and pursue new project opportunities.
- Provide timely estimating support and strategic input throughout the pursuit process.
- Communicate key drivers behind pursuit decisions, including pricing strategies, competitive positioning, and win strategies.
- Keep executive leadership informed of estimating activities, project pursuits, and potential challenges.
- Contribute to improving overall bid success rates and profitability.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Build strong working relationships between preconstruction, business development, and operations.
- Ensure awarded projects are transitioned smoothly from estimating to operations.
- Communicate critical estimating assumptions, project considerations, and relevant information during project handoffs.
- Maintain transparency and alignment across departments throughout the pursuit and award process.
Executive Communication & Accountability
- Provide proactive, concise, and consistent updates to the President and key stakeholders.
- Identify challenges early and present actionable recommendations and solutions.
- Manage departmental priorities independently while maintaining visibility into progress and results.
- Participate in regular leadership meetings and provide structured updates on departmental performance and project pursuits.
Qualifications & Experience
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in preconstruction and construction estimating.
- Proven experience leading and managing estimating or preconstruction teams.
- Strong background across multiple construction project types, including interiors, new construction, and renovations.
- Experience estimating and managing projects with values generally reaching $30 million.
- Demonstrated ability to balance departmental leadership with hands-on estimating responsibilities.
- Experience collaborating closely with business development and operations teams.
- Understanding of an estimate-and-handoff business model, where preconstruction leads estimating and project pursuits before transitioning awarded work to operations.
- Demonstrated ability to improve estimating processes, bid competitiveness, and project margins.
Technical Skills
Experience with the following platforms is strongly preferred:
- Bluebeam: Construction takeoffs, quantity measurements, and estimating.
- BuildingConnected: Bid management and invitation-to-bid platforms.
- Procore: Construction project management and operational coordination.
Experience with comparable construction takeoff and estimating tools may be considered.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
- Candidates without a bachelor's degree will also be considered based on relevant professional experience and a proven track record in preconstruction.
Leadership Competencies
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Strong leadership and people-management capabilities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- High emotional intelligence and adaptability when managing diverse personalities and working styles.
- A proactive, transparent, and solutions-oriented approach.
- Strong organizational and strategic decision-making skills.
- The ability to work independently while maintaining accountability and communication with executive leadership.
- A collaborative mindset and genuine interest in developing people and improving processes.
- Share the key drivers behind pursuit decisions, including win strategy, pricing approach, and competitive position, not just final numbers.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with local government or federal construction projects.
- Relevant construction industry certifications.
- A demonstrated track record of improving bid win rates and project profitability.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Salary: $175,000–$200,000 annually.
- Annual Bonus: Year-end performance-based bonus tied to individual and company performance.
- Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package, with additional details provided during the interview process.
Work Environment & Travel
- Location: Onsite in Largo, Maryland.
- Territory: Washington, DC Metro Area, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore Metro.
- Travel: Primarily local travel for project site visits and client meetings.
- Schedule: Standard business hours.
- Reporting: Directly to the President.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible leadership role within an established and growing general contracting organization.
The Director of Preconstruction will have the opportunity to shape departmental strategy, develop a talented estimating team, influence business development decisions, and make a measurable impact on the company's