Chief Estimator Overhead Transmission

CHIEF ESTIMATOR – OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION

Summary:

Join Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. a leader in the construction industry with over a century of service supporting America’s most important infrastructure projects in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Riggs Distler has a reputation as an employer of choice in the industry and promotes a safe, exciting, and team-oriented work environment, empowering people to grow and evolve with our business.

As a Chief Estimator you will be the hands-on estimating leader responsible for personally developing and completing detailed estimates for overhead transmission projects while also leading estimating strategy, consistency, and quality for the group. This position is not limited to reviewing the work of others; the Chief Estimator will maintain direct ownership of transmission estimates from initial scope review through final proposal and operational handoff.

The role will also review and provide estimating, constructability, and risk guidance for Drilling & Foundations and Matting & Access scopes, working collaboratively with the respective operational and technical leaders to ensure integrated project pricing and execution plans. This is a hybrid position with office location being in Rocky Hill, CT.

The salary range is $150,000.00 -$190,000.00.

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation Package
• Paid Time Off
• Company sponsored Healthcare Plan including Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
• HSA Account with Company Contribution
• 401k Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Profit Sharing
• Accident & Critical Illness Insurance
• Student Loan Payment & 529 College Saving Program
• Company Paid:
• Life & AD&D Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Identity Theft Protection
• Employee Assistance Program

Responsibilities:

• Personally prepares, develops, and completes detailed estimates and proposals for overhead transmission projects, including labor, equipment, materials, subcontractors, indirect costs, escalation, schedule impacts, risk, contingency, and fee
• Leads the full estimating process for assigned transmission opportunities, including scope review, takeoffs, vendor and subcontractor solicitation, crew and equipment planning, pricing development, internal reviews, clarifications, and final submission
• Reviews drawings, specifications, customer standards, bid documents, RFIs, addenda, outage requirements, site conditions, access constraints, union requirements, and commercial terms to establish complete and defensible estimates
• Works directly with Operations, Project Management, Field Leadership, Safety, Fleet, Procurement, and Scheduling to develop practical execution plans and validate production rates, crew composition, equipment needs, sequencing, and project duration
• Reviews overhead transmission estimates prepared by other estimators, provides technical direction and constructive challenge, and ensures estimates are accurate, organized, timely, and aligned with operational strategy
• Reviews and provides guidance on Drilling & Foundations and Matting & Access estimates, with emphasis on scope integration, constructability, productivity assumptions, equipment strategy, schedule interfaces, risk, and overall proposal competitiveness
• Coordinates multi-discipline estimates where overhead transmission, drilling and foundations, and matting and access scopes are combined, ensuring that interfaces, exclusions, assumptions, and responsibilities are clearly defined
• Identifies scope gaps, ambiguities, cost exposure, schedule constraints, and commercial risks early in the estimating process and develops appropriate clarifications, qualifications, allowances, and mitigation strategies
• Develops and maintains relationships with customers, suppliers, subcontractors, union representatives, field personnel, and internal stakeholders to improve market intelligence, pricing accuracy, and project success
• Leads estimate reviews and presents pricing strategy, key assumptions, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to operational and executive leadership
• Supports estimate reconciliation, project turnover, and post-award handoff to ensure the project team understands the bid basis, production assumptions, inclusions, exclusions, schedule, and identified risks
• Monitors actual project performance against estimated labor, equipment, material, and production assumptions and incorporates lessons learned into future estimates, unit pricing, and estimating standards
• Develops and maintains historical cost data, production metrics, estimating templates, standard work packages, and consistent processes for overhead transmission estimating
• Leads, mentors, trains, and develops estimators while continuing to maintain a direct, hands-on estimating workload for priority overhead transmission opportunities
• Tracks internal and external cost trends and recommends improvements that enhance competitiveness, project execution, customer satisfaction, and profitability

Education, Skills, Experience Needed:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant utility construction experience will be considered
• 10 years of overhead transmission estimating, project management, field operations, engineering, or related experience within the electric utility construction industry
• Demonstrated ability to personally develop complete overhead transmission estimates rather than solely reviewing or managing estimates prepared by others
• Strong knowledge of overhead transmission construction methods, including access planning, foundations, structure installation, conductor and wire operations, outage coordination, restoration, and project logistics
• Working knowledge of Drilling & Foundations and Matting & Access operations sufficient to review estimates, challenge assumptions, identify interfaces and risks, and provide practical estimating and constructability guidance
• Advanced ability to interpret plans, specifications, technical requirements, customer standards, construction schedules, contracts, and bid documents and translate them into detailed execution and pricing strategies
• Strong understanding of labor agreements, crew composition, equipment utilization, production rates, subcontracting, material procurement, cost escalation, project risk, and regional utility construction practices
• Advanced analytical, mathematical, problem-solving, negotiation, and financial skills, with excellent attention to detail and follow-through
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and industry estimating and construction management software. Experience with Bluebeam, HCSS, Primavera P6, and Microsoft Project is preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to lead estimate reviews, clearly present complex assumptions and risks, and collaborate with field, operational, commercial, and executive stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop estimating personnel while managing multiple concurrent pursuits and personally delivering high-priority estimates with accuracy and timeliness
• Ability to travel as required for site visits, pre-bid meetings, customer meetings, estimate reviews, and project coordination

This job description is subject to change at any time. It reflects management’s assignment of essential functions and does not exclude or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. will provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, gender, genetic information, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law. Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. will provide reasonable accommodations to allow an applicant to participate in the hiring process (e.g., accommodations for a test or job interview) if so requested