Deputy Director-Cost Engineering

Salary range is $133,000 to $245,000, with a midpoint of $189,000. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity, and market.

Benefits

• Health Benefits: Two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans:
  • 401a – 10% employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit.
  • 457b – up to IRS maximum (employee-only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: 25 days annually with increases at four, eight, and twelve years of service. Additional days for director-level and above. 12 paid holidays plus up to 2 paid floating holidays and 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: Free for all full-time employees.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.

About the Role

Under the general direction of the Director of Scheduling, Estimating, Risk & VE (SERVE), directs internal professional senior staff and external staff resources across all Sound Transit departments for the SERVE section of the CDD-Transformation Division in performing cost estimating, monitoring, updating, analysis, reporting, and tracking. Provides strategic and operational leadership to a team of cost engineers and consultant staff supporting the agency’s capital program. Oversees consultant task orders, contracts, scopes of work, budgets, performance management, and deliverables related to cost engineering and estimating services. Establishes and enforces enterprise-wide cost engineering standards, governance, QA/QC procedures, estimating protocols, benchmarking methodologies, and reporting frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Manage, coach, train, and develop senior-level and junior agency cost engineer staff; coordinate work activities and work products of assigned staff, consultants, and contractors. Oversee workload prioritization, resource planning, succession planning, performance management, and professional development activities.
• Engage with the Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) team to coordinate and align 4D BIM models with construction schedules, ensuring conflicts are identified and resolved proactively.
• Provide support in managing consultant contracts relating to cost estimating, including scope development, negotiations, facilitation, and report development and presentation.
• Oversee procurement support, consultant selection, task order development, contract administration, budget monitoring, invoice review, and performance management for cost engineering and estimating consultant contracts.
• Provide training and technical guidance to project controls staff, Project Delivery Team managers, and other agency personnel on scheduling tools, methodologies, contract requirements, and organizational procedures.
• Participate in business development and preconstruction activities, including proposal cost input and evaluation for alternative delivery procurements. Support procurement strategy development and commercial evaluations for Design-Build, GCCM/CMGC, Progressive Design-Build, and other alternative delivery methods.
• Serve as staff on a variety of committees as assigned; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence. Maintain awareness of new trends and developments in cost engineering/estimating practice and incorporate new methodologies as appropriate.
• Direct, manage, and coordinate the development and implementation of robust and best industry-standard cost estimating practices, tools, and software models. Utilize best cost estimating techniques and methodologies to prepare and oversee preparation of comprehensive project cost estimates at different stages of project design.
• Coordinate closely with Project Delivery Teams to validate scope assumptions, delivery strategies, constructability considerations, procurement approaches, and project execution risks throughout all phases of project development and delivery.
• Supervise the preparation of detailed total cost estimates based on conceptual design submittals and 30% to 100% complete design drawings and specifications. Ensure professional and consistent cost engineering management processes are applied, including estimate classification, estimate basis documentation, peer review, and QA/QC validation procedures.
• Manage the preparation of detailed independent cost estimates (ICE) for construction changes for all work category disciplines. Coordinate with design groups, site construction managers, and job sites to determine actual change conditions and confirm scope. Prepare cost impact analysis related to contract potential and/or directed change orders, and recommend pricing thresholds to Project Delivery Teams and senior management.
• Provide executive-level guidance and recommendations regarding commercial risk exposure, change negotiations, and settlement strategies.
• Supervise the preparation of cost estimates for funding agreements (BCE) and conversion of cost estimates to required Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formats for funding and grant request submittals.
• Lead and coordinate the reviews and analysis of consultant estimates from preliminary engineering through final design. Ensure estimate consistency, benchmarking validation, market alignment, and compliance with Agency estimating standards across all projects and programs.
• Collaborate with Project Delivery Teams to align estimate assumptions, phasing strategies, construction sequencing, and delivery methodologies with project objectives and execution plans.
• Provide support in managing consultant contracts relating to cost estimating and value engineering, including scope development, negotiations, facilitation, and report development and presentation to management, CCB, and ST Board.
• Coordinate and attend meetings with design groups, cost consultants, third parties, ST construction management, consultant construction management, and contractors to determine scope and discuss costs for various projects and to resolve scope and costs for proposed changes.
• Monitor current construction market prices and develop a historical cost database; continually maintain the database to reflect current market conditions/prices.
• Provide strategic and operational information and reports as required. Work with ST Finance Department in the development of reliable cost escalation indices and ensure they are appropriately applied to cost estimates. Review and analyze economic and local market trends and assess risks and cost implications to the capital program.
• Provide strategic advisement to executive leadership regarding market volatility, escalation trends, labor availability, procurement conditions, and supply chain impacts affecting program delivery costs.
• Oversee and provide direct leadership in forensic cost estimate analysis; independently perform delay analysis using recognized methodologies including Windows Analysis, Collapsed As-Built, and Measured Mile Impact (MIP). Serve as the Department’s senior technical authority and subject matter expert in cost engineering, cost estimating, cost claims analysis, and forensic cost evaluation.
• Oversee and provide direct leadership in the analysis of contractor claims and delay requests to determine entitlement; distinguish between compensable, excusable, and non-excusable delays; identify concurrent delay and its impact on contractor entitlement.
• Oversee and prepare clear, well-documented estimate basis and narratives and forensic reports in support of dispute resolution, negotiation, and litigation; coordinate with legal counsel, claims consultants, and expert witnesses as required. Provide technical support and expert analysis in mediation, dispute review boards (DRBs), arbitration, litigation, or other formal dispute resolution proceedings.
• Advise Project Delivery Team and contracts staff on claims avoidance strategies; identify cost-related risks and trends early and develop proactive mitigation measures to reduce the Agency’s exposure.
• Analyze project correspondence, RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes, and change order documentation for cost implications.