Job Title: Chief Estimator
Company: Loenbro, LLC
Business Unit/Department: Loenbro Industrial Construction
Location: Texas
Reports to: Preconstruction Manager
Employment Type: Full Time
FLSA Classification: Exempt
About Loenbro
Loenbro is a trusted, long-term construction lifecycle partner to thousands of customers across the U.S. Our market spans all industries, and our service offerings include Critical Electrical, Mechanical & Structural, Soft Crafts, Inspection, Underground Maintenance and Installation, and Fabrication. Our expertise lies in simplifying the complex and establishing long-standing relationships with our partners. We have a national presence but a local approach—every customer benefits from our capabilities and our care.
At Loenbro, we don’t just offer jobs—we build careers grounded in integrity, teamwork, excellence, and purpose. Join a team where your expertise is valued, your growth is supported, and your work helps maintain and enhance the critical infrastructure that powers communities across the nation.
Job Summary
The Chief Estimator is the estimating department leader responsible for strategy, quality, people, resource allocation, and business results. This role sets estimating standards and methodology; leads complex, high-value and multi-discipline pursuits; and ensures accurate, competitive, timely, and defensible proposals. The Chief Estimator develops estimating talent, directs workflow and pursuit assignments, strengthens cost data and systems, and partners with key stakeholders to align scope, pricing, market conditions, risk, and execution strategy for successful project delivery.
Essential Job Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership to the estimating team by aligning priorities, staffing, pursuit assignments, and resources with regional and company objectives.
- Build, retain, train, mentor, and develop a high-performing estimating team; establish clear expectations, accountability, succession plans, and professional development priorities.
- Assess estimating staffing needs, support recruiting and hiring efforts, and maintain appropriate team capacity as business needs grow.
- Lead the estimating process, estimate-request workflow, deadlines, deliverables, documentation control, and quality control across project sizes, disciplines, and delivery methods.
- Establish, maintain, and continuously improve department standards, procedures, work package structures, estimating methods, cost structures, and review requirements.
- Direct the development of estimates across varying project stages, delivery methods, and levels of scope definition, ensuring each estimate is appropriately structured for the pursuit.
- Lead or oversee complex, high-value, and integrated multi-discipline pursuits; validate scope alignment, quantity takeoffs, constructability, sequencing, pricing, and cross-scope gaps.
- Review and approve final estimate and proposal packages for completeness, accuracy, compliance, pricing integrity, execution alignment, and defensible treatment of assumptions, exclusions, risks, and opportunities.
- Lead risk assessment, contingency development, constructability review, cost optimization, and value engineering; evaluate alternatives and provide guidance on recommended solutions.
- Oversee subcontractor and vendor strategy, bid solicitation, quote coverage, bid leveling, scope comparison, commercial evaluation, and market-pricing awareness.
- Partner with Operations to develop direct job expense, labor productivity, execution assumptions, procurement strategy, and estimate turnover requirements that support successful project delivery.
- Coordinate with owners, architects, engineers, contractors, Business Development, Procurement, and Operations to align scope, engineering input, cost data, negotiations, and pursuit strategy.
- Own department reporting, analytics, and performance metrics, including hit ratio, client feedback, bid volume, estimating capacity, estimate accuracy, and process compliance; use results to drive improvement.
- Champion historical-cost analysis, benchmarking, trend logs, productivity data, market intelligence, cost databases, and estimate-performance reviews to improve accuracy and competitiveness.
- Develop and advance estimating software, tools, reporting systems, data governance, and technology initiatives to improve consistency, scalability, and decision quality.
- Promote a culture of integrity, urgency, disciplined execution, collaboration, continuous improvement, and excellence consistent with Loenbro LEAD values.
Minimum Qualifications
Required:
- 10+ years of estimating experience in industrial construction, with strong experience across mechanical/structural, concrete structural, process equipment, process piping, and light civil scopes.
- 5+ years of experience leading estimators, managing pursuit assignments, and overseeing estimating workflow, quality, and team performance.
- Demonstrated expert proficiency in quantity takeoffs, scope development, cost estimating and pricing, conceptual estimating, bid and proposal management, risk analysis, QA/QC, and estimating process management.
- Proven ability to lead complex, multi-discipline estimates and proposals involving mechanical/structural systems, concrete and structural work, process equipment, process piping, and light civil construction with minimal oversight.
- Strong knowledge of labor productivity, material and equipment pricing, subcontractor and vendor cost analysis, indirect costs, contingency, escalation, and project-specific pricing requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to establish estimating standards and methodologies, allocate resources, manage workflow, develop employees, and lead continuous-improvement initiatives.
- Advanced analytical capability using historical costs, benchmark data, trend logs, ratios, metrics, market trends, and estimate performance results.
- Proficiency with industry-standard estimating, quantity takeoff, scheduling, reporting, and ERP systems; advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to interact effectively with clients, designers, Operations, Business Development, leadership, subcontractors, and vendors.
- Ability to manage multiple complex estimates, competing priorities, and demanding deadlines.
- Willingness to travel periodically to offices, client locations, and job sites.
- Valid driver’s license and insurability when driving is required.
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience.
- Relevant estimating, cost, project-delivery, leadership, safety, or technical certifications and training that complement demonstrated role proficiency.
- Experience with estimating software, systems, and data-management tools, including Accubid, HeavyBid, Salesforce, PlanSwift, and Bluebeam.
Potential Hazards:
- Potential exposure to extreme cold and hot temperatures
- Exposure to manufacturing, pipeline, and refining environment
- Exposure to noise above 85 decibels and intense odors
- Exposure to areas with limited visibility
Physical Demands and Work Environment
- Climbing up and down stairs and ladders to both get in and out of trenches and up to elevated platforms, including scaffolding at significant heights
- Lifting necessary equipment and materials 1–50 pounds, 50% of the time on a monthly basis for required tasks
- Potential or periodic requirements may include the following:
- Walking on uneven terrain, with an average of 2 miles per day
- Standing
- Sitting, stooping, crawling, and kneeling
- Use of respirator if position requires
- Driving if required to travel
- If driving is required, a valid driver’s license and proof of insurability are required. All drivers are subject to a DMV background records search.
Benefits
Loenbro offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, and rewards to those who join our team:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match
- Paid time off (PTO) and holiday pay
- Life and disability insurance
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
Benefits eligibility may vary based on employment classification and hours worked.
Guided by Core Values (LEAD), grounded in grit and a commitment to excellence, Loenbro betters our families, customers, and local communities. If you’re ready to be part of a company that LEADS by:
- Living with Integrity
- Exceeding Expectations
- Acting with Urgency
- Delivering Excellence
…we want to hear from you.
Loenbro is an Equal Opportunity Employer
This job will remain open until filled.