Preconstruction Manager

Job Title: Preconstruction Manager

Job Description

The Preconstruction Manager leads multiple preconstruction pursuits from initial concept through project turnover, ensuring accurate estimates, strategic pricing, and a seamless handoff to project execution teams. This role drives the preconstruction process for commercial construction projects, partnering closely with operations, trade partners, and clients to deliver well-planned, financially sound, and constructible projects. The position offers the opportunity to influence high-profile commercial interiors and related projects while contributing to a collaborative, high-performing team culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple preconstruction pursuits simultaneously, guiding projects from early concept through turnover to operations.
• Prepare detailed and accurate estimates, budgets, cost studies, and pricing for commercial construction projects, including conceptual and GMP/final pricing.
• Perform value engineering analyses and constructability reviews to optimize project scope, cost, and schedule.
• Manage bid solicitations and the trade partner bidding process, including outreach, solicitation, bid leveling, and scope alignment.
• Develop, maintain, and strengthen relationships with subcontractors and trade partners to support competitive and reliable pricing.
• Oversee and coordinate the RFI process during preconstruction to clarify scope, resolve design questions, and reduce risk.
• Evaluate proposals and bids to ensure completeness, accuracy, and alignment with project requirements and budgets.
• Collaborate closely with Project Managers, Superintendents, and Operations teams to align preconstruction plans with field execution strategies.
• Ensure a smooth and thorough transition from preconstruction to project execution, including handoff meetings and documentation.
• Identify project risks and opportunities early in the pursuit and develop strategies to address them.
• Support business development efforts by contributing to pursuit strategies, proposal content, and client presentations.
• Present budgets, key assumptions, clarifications, and recommendations to clients, architects, engineers, and ownership teams in a clear and professional manner.
• Monitor market pricing, labor trends, material availability, and lead times to maintain estimating accuracy and inform recommendations.
• Mentor and support junior estimators and preconstruction team members, providing guidance, feedback, and training.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of preconstruction processes, tools, and best practices across the team.
• Participate in client-facing meetings, interviews, and project pursuit presentations as a key representative of the preconstruction team.
• Maintain strong documentation and organization of estimates, bid information, and project assumptions using industry-standard tools and software.

Essential Skills

• 5-8+ years of progressive experience in construction estimating, preconstruction, or a related construction discipline, including a minimum of 2 years of preconstruction or pricing experience while serving in a Project Manager role.
• 5+ years of experience in preconstruction, estimating, or construction management with a general contractor.
• Proven experience leading full-cycle estimates from conceptual through GMP/final pricing on commercial interior or similar projects.
• Strong estimating and budgeting skills with the ability to develop accurate and detailed cost models.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent pursuits and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience leading or mentoring junior estimators or coordinating small preconstruction teams.
• Strong working knowledge of construction documents, scopes of work, and bid packages.
• Experience managing trade partner bidding processes, including solicitation, bid leveling, and scope alignment.
• Exposure to value engineering, cost studies, and constructability reviews.
• Experience collaborating with Project Managers, Superintendents, and Operations teams to align preconstruction with project execution.
• Basic experience participating in client-facing meetings, presentations, or project pursuits.
• Proficiency with estimating tools and software, including Bluebeam, Outbuild, Procore, and NetSuite.
• Experience in commercial construction projects such as corporate interiors, hospitality, life sciences, education, or senior living.
• Strong client-facing experience with the ability to communicate budgets, assumptions, and recommendations clearly.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting pursuits across a variety of sectors, including workplace, amenity, hospitality, healthcare, lab and life sciences, and education.
• Ability to balance competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated accountability, integrity, and follow-through in managing preconstruction deliverables.
• Curiosity and a continuous improvement mindset, with an interest in refining processes and tools.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including executive leadership, project management, and operations.
• Comfort presenting to and engaging with architects, engineers, ownership teams, and other external partners.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risks early and propose practical solutions.

Work Environment

This role is based in downtown Chicago, IL, with a 100% in-office schedule from Monday through Friday. You will work in a highly collaborative environment, partnering closely with executive leadership, project management, operations teams, and clients on a daily basis. The team culture emphasizes empathy, integrity, perseverance, curiosity, humility, respect, and accountability, with a strong focus on doing what is right and supporting one another through complex, high-stakes projects. The organization is a nationally growing general contractor, offering exposure to high-profile commercial projects and significant career advancement potential. You will regularly use modern construction and preconstruction technologies, including Bluebeam, Outbuild, Procore, and NetSuite, within a professional office setting dedicated to transforming spaces and delivering exceptional value.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Chicago, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $80000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Gold PPO Health Insurance 401k Plan Unlimited Flex PTO Commuter Benefits, Paid Family Leave Professional Development Volunteer Time Off

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 24, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.