Estimating Manager

Location: Upstate Area, South Carolina

About the role

Our client is a growing, well-established MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing & piping) contractor serving commercial and industrial projects across the Southeast. Driven by rapid, steady growth, they're creating a brand-new leadership role to bring structure and mentorship to a team that has largely grown up through the ranks, a rare chance to build and shape an estimating department from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and mentor a growing estimating team (starting with 2, scaling toward 4)
• Work hands-on and personally estimate mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and piping projects
• Bring high-level management structure and best practices to a fast-growing department
• Partner closely with sales and executive leadership on bid strategy and pricing
• Help build the processes and team this company needs for its next phase of growth

Requirements

• Strong, hands-on mechanical estimating background; comfortable taking a project from plans to a complete, defensible bid
• Skilled at reading and quantifying mechanical drawings and specs (HVAC, piping systems, plumbing) and producing accurate material and labor takeoffs
• Working knowledge of mechanical/plumbing codes, common equipment, and installation methods well enough to catch scope gaps and risk before a bid goes out
• Comfortable soliciting and evaluating subcontractor and vendor pricing, and assembling it into a clean, competitive bid package
• Experience with estimating/takeoff software and standard construction bidding tools (Bluebeam, On-Screen Takeoff, or similar)
• Broader exposure to electrical and/or piping estimating is a plus, given oversight of all four disciplines
• Proven experience managing, developing, and mentoring a small team, with the instincts to grow it thoughtfully as headcount scales
• Comfortable coaching estimators who've grown up through the ranks — reinforcing strong instincts with more structured processes and standards
• Experience hiring and onboarding as a team expands, not just managing steady-state
• A hands-on, present leadership style — someone who leads by example on the estimates while still building out the department
• Adaptable and organized enough to bring order to a fast-moving, rapidly growing environment without slowing it down
• No specific degree required — real-world mechanical estimating and leadership experience matters most

Benefits

• Family‑oriented, low‑ego culture that protects work‑life balance
• Monday–Thursday schedule with an optional half‑day Friday
• Minimal nights or weekends
• Choice of a company vehicle or a vehicle allowance plus gas card
• Relocation assistance available for the right candidate

Pay

• Compensation negotiable based on experience
• Performance bonus