Senior Estimator

The Opportunity

Pinnacle Recruitment Services is partnering with an established, employee-owned construction firm in Bakersfield to identify an experienced Sales/Lead Estimator to lead estimating efforts, develop new business opportunities, and strengthen the company's project backlog.

This is a key leadership role combining estimating, business development, client relationships, and team management. The Sales/Lead Estimator will work closely with executive leadership to identify opportunities, develop competitive bid strategies, lead complex estimates, and help secure profitable work.

The company serves multi-family, institutional, commercial, and industrial markets, including multi-family developments of 60–700 units and commercial and institutional projects up to $50M.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively identify and pursue new project opportunities to grow and maintain a strong backlog.
• Build relationships with clients, developers, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and industry partners.
• Lead client meetings, negotiations, bid strategy, and bid/no-bid decisions.
• Manage and mentor a small estimating team, assigning workloads and ensuring timely, accurate estimates.
• Lead conceptual, design-build, design-development, and hard-bid estimates.
• Oversee takeoffs, subcontractor solicitation, material pricing, scope review, and final bid preparation.
• Develop value-engineering, constructability, and cost-saving strategies.
• Evaluate project risk, profitability, schedules, contract requirements, and pricing strategy.
• Coordinate with project management, field operations, safety, finance, scheduling, and risk management.
• Maintain estimating databases, historical costs, unit rates, and industry benchmarks.
• Manage subcontractor and vendor relationships, including prequalification and proposal evaluation.
• Ensure complete turnover of awarded projects from estimating to project management.
• Track bid activity, win rates, estimating accuracy, profitability, and backlog contribution.
• Participate in industry events and networking activities to develop relationships and generate opportunities.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of construction estimating experience with significant multi-family, institutional, commercial, or comparable projects.
• Experience with multi-family projects of 60–700 units and/or commercial and institutional projects up to $50M.
• Proven experience leading or mentoring an estimating team.
• Strong understanding of construction costs, subcontractor procurement, value engineering, and project risk.
• Experience with conceptual estimating, design-build proposals, and hard bids.
• Strong client-facing, business development, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to read and interpret plans, specifications, schedules, and contract documents.
• Proficiency with estimating/takeoff software such as Bluebeam, Sage Estimating, PlanSwift, Autodesk Takeoff, ProEst, RSMeans, or similar.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills and willingness to embrace AI-assisted estimating and takeoff tools.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Strong analytical, financial, organizational, and leadership skills.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base compensation, based on experience
• Employee ownership opportunity
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Professional development and advancement opportunities
• Stable, collaborative work environment with a diversified project portfolio

If you're an experienced construction estimator who enjoys winning work, developing client relationships, and leading a high-performing estimating team, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply today for confidential consideration.