Brief Description

Director of Preconstruction

Bobbitt Construction

Full-Time
Exempt, Salaried
Reports to VP of Construction Operations??

About Bobbitt Construction

At Bobbitt, we do more than build projects. We help shape communities, solve complex challenges, and bring ideas to life and every successful project starts long before construction begins. With operations across North Carolina, Bobbitt is one of the Southeast's most trusted commercial construction firms, known for Design-Build expertise, integrated in-house capabilities, and a relentless commitment to client relationships.

About The Role

The Director of Preconstruction is one of Bobbitt's most visible and strategically important leaders. This role is the bridge between business development and construction operations, responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary preconstruction team across estimating, in-house civil/site design, permitting, and architecture and engineering (A&E). This person is equally at home building a conceptual budget from a napkin sketch and presenting to a C-suite client at a competitive interview. They are known in the market, trusted by clients, and relentless about winning the right work at the right margin. At Bobbitt's revenue scale, this role carries significant P&L influence and is a key driver of the company's strategic growth.

Who You Are

You are a seller and a doer. Your phone rings because clients want you on their team. You walk into a presentation room and command it. You understand construction deeply not just the numbers, but the sequencing, the logistics, the risk, and the gaps that others miss. You are fast, sharp, and relentless about accuracy. You build relationships the way Bobbitt builds buildings: with care, precision, and a long-term view.

Departments Oversight

The Director of Preconstruction provides direct leadership and accountability across four integrated departments:

Estimating Department

Leads and develops a team of estimators across all project types including hard bid, GC, Design-Build, corporate interiors, and specialty
Establishes estimating standards, scope discipline, and bid strategy across the team
Ensures zero scope gaps and no estimating misses from conceptual design through construction documents
Develops estimators to descope subcontractors effectively and protect Bobbitt's cost position on every bid

Civil / Site Design Department

Oversees Bobbitt's in-house civil and site design team, this is a key differentiator in Design-Build pursuits
Ensures civil deliverables align with project schedules, permit timelines, and client expectations
Leverages in-house civil capabilities to accelerate preconstruction timelines and reduce external consultant dependency
Holds the site/civil department leader accountable for quality, turnaround speed, and integration with estimating and A&E

Permitting Department

Oversees Bobbitt's permitting team which is responsible for expediting approvals across multiple jurisdictions in North Carolina
Ensures permit timelines are integrated into master project schedules from the earliest stage of preconstruction
Builds and maintains strong relationships with local jurisdictions, plan reviewers, and inspection departments
Holds the permitting department leader accountable for zero permit delays that are within Bobbitt's control

Architecture & Engineering (A&E) Department

Leads Bobbitt's in-house architectural and design team which is integral to the company's Design-Build platform and competitive differentiation
Ensures A&E deliverables are aligned with client vision, project budget, and constructability requirements at every design phase
Fosters tight integration between A&E, estimating, civil design and operations to accelerate Design-Build preconstruction cycles
Holds the A&E department leader accountable for design quality, schedule adherence, and client satisfaction

Core Responsibilities

Preconstruction Leadership & Proposal Excellence

Lead the full preconstruction process from initial client inquiry through stipulated sum, GMP or lump sum delivery, driving competitive, accurate, and margin-protective proposals
Deliver ROMs and conceptual budgets within 1 to 2 days from limited design information; demonstrating speed, construction knowledge, and market intelligence
Produce conceptual estimates within 1 week and full standard proposals within 2 weeks; complex proposals within 3 weeks
Develop multiple estimate scenarios and margin strategies presenting options that are compelling to clients without exposing Bobbitt to unnecessary risk
Oversee and personally contribute to high-profile or complex estimates where experience and judgment add the greatest value
Ensure Division 1 and General Conditions costs are accurately scoped, competitively priced, and clearly presented in every proposal
Manage proposal delivery quality across all locations establishing consistent standards for Cary, Wilmington, and the Triad

Business Development & Market Presence

Serve as one of Bobbitt's most recognizable faces in the market; known, sought-after, and trusted by owners, developers, brokers, architects, and repeat clients
Maintain a strong personal backlog of client relationships that generates consistent proposal opportunities for Bobbitt
Lead and win competitive interviews and presentations commanding the room with confidence, technical credibility, and client focus
Collaborate closely with the all department leaders to align pursuit strategy with Bobbitt's growth targets
Actively build Bobbitt's market presence across North Carolina; expanding subcontractor, client, and consultant networks in each regional office
Identify and prioritize the right projects to pursue protecting Bobbitt's estimating resources and win rate by going after winnable, profitable work

Estimating Accuracy & Margin Protection

Hold the team accountable to a 5% accuracy standard at conceptual/schematic phase and 3% from design development through construction documents
Drive zero scope gaps and zero estimating misses ensuring that what Bobbitt bids is exactly what it builds
Validate that final project execution margins align within 2%??? of final estimates creating a direct line of accountability from pre-con to field performance
Train and coach estimators on how to identify missing scope, challenge subcontractor bids, and protect margin through disciplined descoping
Review and approve all major estimates before submission ensuring accuracy, completeness, and strategic alignment

Subcontractor Relationships & Partner Outreach

Build and maintain Bobbitt's subcontractor network, create deep relationships across all trades in the core markets, expanding into Wilmington and the Triad
Establish a structured partner outreach program ensuring Bobbitt maintains preferred contractor status with top-performing subs in each market
Train the estimating team on how to effectively descope subcontractors, compare bids critically, and close scope gaps before award
Leverage subcontractor relationships to gain market intelligence, pricing insight, and early awareness of project opportunities
Maintain a qualified subcontractor database across all trades and markets regularly updated and stratified by performance and capacity

Team Leadership, Development & Hiring

Lead, coach, and develop all department leaders and their teams across estimating, civil, permitting, and A&E setting clear expectations and holding each accountable to performance
Conduct regular one-on-ones with direct reports providing structured feedback, development planning, and performance management
Build Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for all estimators and department leaders creating clear growth pathways and building long-term bench strength
Lead the hiring and interviewing process for all preconstruction roles seeking candidates who are technically sharp, client-ready, and aligned with Bobbitt's culture
Identify underperformers early and implement structured improvement plans; recognize and advance high performers
Build a preconstruction team that is cohesive, fast, accurate, and proud of the work they produce

Strategic Planning, Technology & Continuous Improvement

Drive Bobbitt's preconstruction strategy identifying markets, project types, and client segments to pursue to maximize growth and margin
Champion technology adoption across the preconstruction team including AI-assisted estimating, digital takeoff tools, scheduling platforms, and proposal generation technology for efficiency
Establish and continuously refine preconstruction processes, standards, and playbooks across all three markets
Partner with the VP of Construction Operations to ensure seamless handoff from preconstruction to field execution aligning estimates with field realities
Report regularly to the executive leadership team on pipeline health, win rates, team performance, and strategic recommendations

Qualifications & Competencies

Minimum 15 years of commercial construction experience, with at least 10 years in estimating and preconstruction leadership
Proven track record managing projects across a wide range of types: hard bid, GC, Design-Build, corporate interiors, and specialty construction
Deep expertise in Integrated Design-Build delivery from initial concept through construction documents and delivery development
Demonstrated ability to produce accurate conceptual estimates from early narratives and limited design information
Strong understanding of Division 1, general conditions, subcontractor descoping, and margin protection strategies
Extensive subcontractor relationships in the Cary/Raleigh market with demonstrated ability to expand into Wilmington and the Triad
Highly external-facing energetic, polished, and fluent in front of clients, developers, architects, and executives
Proven ability to lead and win competitive interviews and presentations
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, able to present complex information clearly and compellingly
Strong interviewing skills, proven ability to identify, evaluate, and hire top preconstruction talent
Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams including estimators, designers, civil engineers, and permitting specialists
Proficiency with estimating software, Procore, Destini, scheduling tools, and emerging AI-assisted preconstruction platforms
Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related field preferred

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be evaluated monthly, quarterly, and annually across the following metrics, calibrated to Bobbitt's revenue scale:

Category

KPI Metric

Target

Reviewed

Pipeline

Proposal win rate

= 33% of submitted proposals awarded

Quarterly

Pipeline

Repeat client win rate

= 60% of repeat client proposals awarded

Quarterly

Pipeline

Referral-based project capture

= 25% of annual pipeline from referrals

Annual

Speed

ROM / rough order of magnitude turnaround

1–2 business days from request

Per Deliverable

Speed

Conceptual budget turnaround

Within 1 week from request

Per Deliverable

Speed

Standard proposal turnaround

Within 2 weeks from kickoff

Per Deliverable

Speed

Complex proposal turnaround

Within 3 weeks from kickoff

Per Deliverable

Accuracy

Conceptual/schematic estimate accuracy

Within 5% of design development budget

Per Project

Accuracy

DD to CD estimate accuracy

Within 3% variance from design development to construction documents

Per Project

Accuracy

Final execution vs. estimate variance

Within 2% — zero scope gaps, zero estimating misses

Per Project

Margin

Aggregate margin realization

Portfolio margin within 3% of pre-con targets

Monthly

Margin

Subcontractor descoping value captured

3–5% cost savings vs. initial sub bids across portfolio

Quarterly

Team

Estimator retention rate

=85% voluntary retention year-over-year

Annual

Team

Estimator utilization rate

85–90% billable/productive hours across team

Monthly

Team

Estimator productivity

4–6 complex estimates per FTE per month

Monthly

Team

IDP completion rate

100% of direct reports have active development plans

Quarterly

Team

Open role fill time

All preconstruction roles filled within 45 days

Per Hire

Departments

Civil group deliverable on-time rate

= 95% of civil deliverables on schedule

Monthly

Departments

Permit approval timeline adherence

Zero Bobbitt-caused permit delays across portfolio

Monthly

Departments

A&E design schedule adherence

= 90% of A&E milestones met on time

Monthly

Departments

Department KPI attainment (Civil, Permitting, A&E)

= 90% KPI attainment across all departments

Quarterly

Client

Client satisfaction — proposal quality

= 4.5/5.0 post-proposal client feedback

Per Proposal

Client

Interview / presentation win rate

= 40% of competitive interviews awarded

Quarterly

Market

Top 10 target account proposal coverage

= 80% of target accounts receive a Bobbitt proposal annually

Annual

Market

Subcontractor network expansion

= 5 new qualified subs added per market per year

Annual

Strategic

Proposal cost as % of pre-con revenue

= 8% of non-reimbursable pre-con revenue spent on proposal production

Quarterly

Strategic

Technology adoption

= 80% team utilization of required platforms

Quarterly

Strategic

Pre-con to operations handoff quality

Zero field-identified scope gaps traced to pre-con errors

Per Project

What Success Looks Like

First 90 Days

Complete a full audit of all active proposals, estimates in progress, and department performance across estimating, civil, permitting, and A&E
Build relationships with all department leaders and key estimators earn trust through presence, listening, and follow-through
Conduct a structured review of Bobbitt's current subcontractor network identify gaps and build a 90-day outreach plan
Review the top 10 target client accounts and identify immediate pursuit opportunities
Assess current technology stack and recommend improvements to estimating speed and accuracy

Year One

Achieve a proposal win rate of = 33% across all submitted proposals
Deliver estimate accuracy within 5% at conceptual phase and within 2% from DD through execution on all major projects
Build IDPs for all direct reports and department leaders with measurable progress milestones
Launch a structured subcontractor partner outreach program in Cary, Wilmington, and the Triad
Establish cohesive preconstruction standards and playbooks across all three Bobbitt markets
Win at least one major marquee project through a competitive interview where this Director's market reputation was a deciding factor

Bobbitt Construction is built on trust, relationships, and the belief that the best projects start with the best preconstruction. The Director of Preconstruction is the person who makes that true — every proposal, every presentation, every estimate, every day. If you are ready to lead at this level, we would like to connect.

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