Director / VP of Preconstruction

Location: Cary, NC (Onsite)
Type: Full-Time
Compensation: Competitive Base Salary + Bonus + Benefits

Overview

Ultimate Staffing is seeking a Director / VP of Preconstruction on behalf of a leading commercial construction organization. This is a high-profile, revenue-driving leadership role responsible for owning the full preconstruction function and serving as the critical bridge between business development and project execution.

We are looking for a hungry, driven, and highly visible leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and knows how to win work, build relationships, and lead high-performing teams. This individual will oversee estimating, preconstruction strategy, and cross-functional collaboration while playing a key role in driving growth and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Preconstruction Leadership

• Lead the full preconstruction lifecycle from initial client engagement through final proposal delivery.
• Oversee estimating strategy, bid execution, and proposal development across multiple project types.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and competitive budgets-from conceptual estimates to final pricing.
• Establish and maintain best practices for preconstruction processes, tools, and standards.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop teams including estimators, project managers, and preconstruction staff.
• Build a culture of accountability, speed, and accuracy across the team.
• Drive hiring, performance management, and succession planning.
• Manage team utilization and productivity to align with company growth goals.

Business Development & Growth

• Act as a key face of the organization in the market-building strong relationships with clients, developers, architects, and brokers.
• Partner closely with business development to identify, pursue, and win new opportunities.
• Lead and participate in client presentations, competitive interviews, and proposal efforts.
• Maintain and grow a personal network that generates consistent project opportunities.

Estimating & Financial Oversight

• Ensure high levels of accuracy in all estimates and proposals.
• Review and approve complex or high-value estimates.
• Drive margin protection through disciplined scope management and subcontractor evaluation.
• Monitor pipeline, win rates, and forecasting metrics.

Subcontractor & Market Relationships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with subcontractors across all trades.
• Leverage market relationships to improve pricing, coverage, and competitiveness.
• Identify and onboard new subcontractor partners to support growth.
• Ensure consistent, structured outreach to key partners.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with operations, design, and field teams to ensure seamless transition from preconstruction to execution.
• Align project budgets with construction realities and schedules.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and adoption of new technologies.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in commercial construction, with significant focus in preconstruction and estimating.
• Proven leadership experience managing estimators, PMs, and cross-functional teams.
• Background with larger commercial construction or design-build firms.
• Strong understanding of construction methods, sequencing, risk, and cost drivers.
• Demonstrated success in winning work and driving business development efforts.
• Deep network of subcontractor relationships and industry contacts.
• Experience with conceptual estimating, GMP, and competitive bid environments.
• Proficiency with estimating and construction management software (e.g., Procore, Destini, or similar).

What We're Looking For

• A builder-mentality leader who understands both the numbers and the field.
• A relationship-driven professional whose network generates opportunities.
• A strong communicator and presenter who can confidently lead client interactions.
• A high-energy, results-oriented individual who is motivated to grow business and teams.
• A hands-on operator who can dive into estimates while leading at a strategic level.

Why This Opportunity

• Highly visible, impact-driven leadership role with influence on company growth.
• Opportunity to shape and lead a critical function within the business.
• Collaborative, team-oriented culture with strong market reputation.
• Competitive compensation with performance-based incentives tied to success.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.