PreConstruction Manager

Job description

As a Pre ‑ Construction Manager at RK, you’ll guide early project strategy, develop conceptual designs, lead budgeting and estimating efforts, and collaborate closely with Sales, Engineering, and Operations. This role offers the opportunity to shape project outcomes early, mentor a skilled preconstruction team, engage directly with customers, and influence high ‑ value decisions that set projects up for success. If you thrive in a fast ‑ moving environment where your ideas and expertise directly impact winning work, this is the place to make a meaningful impact. RK Company Overview RK Industries is a second-generation family-owned company led by brothers Rick and Jon Kinning. With seven specialized business units working together, we deliver construction, fabrication, manufacturing, and building services with a focus on safety, quality, and craftsmanship. People join RK for the craftsmanship, complexity, and the ability to make a real impact. Our in-house capabilities mean employees see their ideas become real solutions, creating meaningful collaboration and clear visibility into how work gets built. Growth happens through challenging projects, mentorship from experienced builders, and opportunities that stretch your skill set. With RK University, accredited apprenticeships, competitive benefits, and deep community investment, RK offers the stability of a family-owned company with the opportunity and momentum of an industry leader. Position Summary Lead the Preconstruction process for new and developing sales opportunities. Manage the preconstruction team as assigned, including preconstruction engineers and estimators. Guide the opportunity intake process, budgeting, estimating, value engineering and conceptual design processes. Participate in preconstruction, sales, estimating, and closing meetings as a key contributor. Role Responsibilities Work closely with Sales team on open opportunities to understand the opportunity, scope of work and generate timely estimates for sales proposals. Evaluate project opportunities for technical, financial and logistical risks. Develop and manage estimating and proposal schedules. Ability to create conceptual designs and rough order of magnitude estimates to meet customer requests. Lead, train, and develop the Preconstruction team members. Develop schematic design and design development estimates with Sales and Preconstruction team members. Lead and perform opportunity intake and documentation functions. Guide scope and bid development through bid closing functions. Ensure plans and specifications comply with budget and accepted VE and Trends. Document opportunity scope of work and ensure compliance with budget, value engineering, and trends. Key contributor for estimating meetings. Drive estimates to completion to meet bid due dates. Keep records of meeting minutes for opportunity development, design and preconstruction phases. Help manage CRM data for open opportunities. Ensure sales opportunity plans and specifications are updated and complete on the company server. Work with external stakeholders during the preconstruction phase. Take a lead role in the formulation of scope narratives. Manage customer feedback and interaction during proposal phase of project. Help build strong customer relations and repeat business. Provide engineering assistance as requested to the Operations team during construction. Perform other duties as assigned. Qualifications Career Level: Preconstruction Manager 1 College/university graduate in business, engineering or science or 5+ years equivalent combination of skills and experience generally required. 3+ years leading estimating and/or preconstruction projects in a mechanical, plumbing or water treatment environment. Participates in company business strategy development and execution. Participates in decisions and recommendations having impact on preconstruction related activities of the company. Demonstrates creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing and guiding the preconstruction process. Career Level: Preconstruction Manager 2 College/university graduate in business, engineering or science or 7+ years equivalent combination of skills and experience generally required. 5+ years leading estimating and/or large-scale preconstruction projects in a mechanical, plumbing or water treatment environment. Participates in business related issues with top-level employees and officers. Strongly participates in company business strategy development and execution. Participates in decisions and recommendations having impact on preconstruction related activities of the company. Demonstrates creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing and guiding the preconstruction process. Career Level: Preconstruction Manager 3 College/university graduate in business, engineering or science or 10+ years equivalent combination of skills and experience generally required. 7+ years leading estimating and/or large-scale preconstruction projects in a mechanical, plumbing or water treatment environment. Engages and negotiates critical business-related issues with top-level employees and officers. Participates at a senior level in company business strategy development and execution. Makes informed decisions and recommendations having significant impact on preconstruction related activities of the company. Demonstrates a high degree of creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing and guiding extensive preconstruction programs and activities of high importance. Minimum Physical Requirements While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, and a variety of office equipment. Occasionally may need to reach, stoop, or kneel. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work. What Sets RK Industries Apart Safety : Our unmatched culture of safety is our foremost core value, guiding everything we do each day: Health, Safety, & Environmental Awards : Whether in Construction, Manufacturing, Fabrication, or Service, RK Industries is highly recognized and accredited throughout the industry: Accreditations & Recognition Benefits : RK Industries offers competitive benefits to support your growth and well-being: Benefits & Rewards Philanthropy : RK Industries not only builds our community through our projects, but also invests in it by supporting local services for over a decade through the RK Foundation: RK Foundation Development : Through RK University, we provide hands-on training and development opportunities that empower employees to advance their careers and grow within the company, to include leadership and technical learning opportunities, we well as our accredited apprentice program: RK University & RK Apprenticeship Program Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis