Manager, Estimation

Job description

Canadian Tire Corporation invests significant capital each year in new stores, expansions, remerchandising programs, banner conversions, and strategic capital projects across Canadian Tire, Mark’s, SportChek, Party City, and Petroleum locations nationwide. The Manager of Estimation is responsible for providing the cost intelligence that supports these investment decisions. From the earliest order-of-magnitude estimate supporting site evaluation and business case development, through Real Estate Committee and Capital Expenditure approvals, to final project closeout and cost reconciliation, this role ensures the organization can make informed, data-driven capital investment decisions. This position is ideally suited for a leader who is equally comfortable developing a Class D elemental estimate from limited project information as they are presenting cost recommendations and project risks to senior stakeholders. Working within the estimating standards, methodologies and governance practices across a diverse portfolio of capital projects. Beyond producing estimates, the role maintains and improves the company's cost database, benchmarking tools, reporting tools, and forecasting models. By leveraging historical project data and market intelligence, the Manager turns completed projects into usable evidence that improve the accuracy, consistency of future estimates. Success in this role is not measured by the number of estimates completed. It is measured by how accurate, consistent and confidently defend its capital investments. The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor to Real Estate, Construction, Finance partners, making sure capital decisions are supported by reliable data, sound analysis, and disciplined cost management practices. What You'll Do: Estimating and Cost Planning Prepare and own construction budgets and detailed estimates for capital projects, from concept through tender, including Real Estate Committee and Capital Expenditure approval submissions. Produce elemental and divisional estimates from minimal or preliminary information, and clearly communicate the assumptions and confidence level attached to each. Cost alternate design layouts, site options and value engineering proposals so that project teams and senior leadership can make informed trade-off decisions. Ensure risk, contingency and escalation allowances are transparent and defensible, and refreshed on a regular cycle. Data, Benchmarking and Market Intelligence Own and continuously improve the corporate construction cost database — keeping cost files on completed projects so that future estimates start from real, banner-specific evidence. Analyze actual versus planned cost across the completed project portfolio to identify pricing trends, outliers and systemic estimating bias. Track construction market conditions — labour, materials, subtrade capacity, escalation, development charges and regional cost differentials — and translate them into the escalation and location factors used in corporate estimates. Provide current construction cost information and benchmarks to the Real Estate Development team to support site selection and deal underwriting. Procurement and Tendering Support bid analyses and tender award recommendation documentation. Support subtrade and general contractor negotiations, and evaluate contractor pricing against internal benchmarks. Contribute to procurement strategy decisions (stipulated sum, CM, design-build, prefabricated delivery) based on cost and schedule outcomes. Leadership and Standards Apply corporate estimating policies, standards and evaluation procedures. Lead, coach and develop a small team of estimators — setting quality standards, and building bench strength. Clear, credible presentations for senior management and committee audiences, translating detailed cost information into decisions. Partner with Project Managers, Real Estate Managers, Finance and external cost consultants as a trusted, independent source of cost truth. What You'll Bring: A degree in quantity surveying, construction management, engineering, architecture or a related discipline — or equivalent practical experience and formal estimating training. 8 or more years of progressive construction estimating experience, including estimates through an executive approval process. Demonstrated depth across quantity take-off, pricing, scheduling, subtrade negotiation, tender closing, preconstruction services and post-tender procurement. Proven ability to produce elemental and divisional concept estimates from limited information, and to defend them under scrutiny. Strong analytical and data skills — advanced Excel modelling as a baseline, with the judgement to know when a number is wrong before anyone else does. • Excellent written and verbal communication, with the business sense to recommend better ways of using cost and reporting information. Experience mentoring or reviewing the work of other estimators. The ability to prioritise across a high-volume capital program, work independently, and keep multiple project teams moving. Willingness to travel across Canada as required. Nice to Haves: A professional designation such as PQS or CEC (CIQS), MRICS (RICS), or CCP / CEP (AACE International) — or active candidacy toward designation. Retail, multi-site or rollout program experience, where speed, repeatability and prototype cost control matter more than one-off complexity. Consulting-side cost management experience with a quantity surveying or cost consultancy practice. Familiarity with the tools we use and are building toward: Bluebeam, MS Project, Lucernex or a comparable capital project system, Power BI, Power Query and SQL. Exposure to statistical cost modelling, parametric estimating or Monte Carlo risk analysis. Working knowledge of the CIQS elemental format and Canadian cost data sources French language ability. Our typical hiring range is between $79,000.00 and $131,000.00 CAD Annual. The target salary range is between $100,000.00 and $120,000.00 CAD Annual. Salary decisions are also dependent on other factors such as your experience, job-related knowledge, skills and competencies, market location, industry benchmarks, internal equity and other role-specific requirements. We may use artificial intelligence tools as part of our recruitment process to assist in the initial screening of resumes. All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters. About Us Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (“CTC”) is one of Canada’s most admired and trusted companies. With more than 90 Owned Brands, over 1,600 retail locations, financial services, exemplary e-commerce capabilities, and exciting market-leading merchandising strategies. We dream big and work as one to innovate with purpose for our customers at every level of our business, investing in new technologies and products, and doubling down on top talent to drive the company forward. We offer competitive salaries and wages to CTC employees, as well as store discounts, supported learning through our Triangle Learning Academy, Canadian Tire Profit Sharing, and retirement and savings programs for eligible employees. As part of our enhanced flex benefits program, we offer mental health benefits in the amount of $5,000 per year for benefits-eligible employees and their families, including total well-being, and mental health tools and resources for all employees. Join us in helping to make life in Canada better through living and working our Core Values: we are innovators and entrepreneurs at our core, outcomes drive us, inclusion is a must, we are stronger together and we take personal responsibility. It is an especially exciting time to join CTC and its family of companies where career opportunities are wide-ranging! Join us, where there's a place for you here. Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better. Accommodations We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.