Associate Director of Preconstruction

Intermountain Electric (IME) brings decades of experience as a trusted leader in electrical contracting. Founded in 1946, we began as a small company in Denver, CO, and have since grown to be part of the largest specialty contractor in North America. Today, we work with owners and contractors nationwide, delivering complex construction solutions across various industries, including aviation, mission critical, entertainment, and healthcare.

At IME, our people are our most valuable asset. We are committed to fostering a culture that prioritizes safety, quality, and professional growth. Joining IME is more than just finding a job—it's about building a career with opportunities to advance and make an organizational impact. Power your future with IME and be a part of a team that drives success in every project.

Associate Director of Preconstruction

For 80 years, Intermountain Electric, Inc. (IME) has been a trusted partner on the front lines of some of the most essential electrical projects, delivering safe, smart, and reliable electrical solutions through our people and partnerships, the IME Way.

Through strategic planning, collaboration, and technical excellence, and guided by our values of Integrity, Safety, Ingenuity, Relationships, Craftsmanship, and Spark, we empower our professionals to innovate, support our field teams, and strengthen the partnerships that move our work forward.

Join a team where your expertise fuels the systems that keep communities running!

Key Responsibilities

The Associate Director of Preconstruction is a senior leader responsible for delivering accurate, competitive, and strategically aligned cost solutions while elevating preconstruction standards, talent capability, and pursuit effectiveness across the organization. This role blends hands-on estimating leadership with enterprise-level perspective, serving as a trusted advisor to executives, a credible presence for clients, and a mentor who strengthens how preconstruction work gets done.

Estimating Strategy

• Lead pricing strategy and estimate development for large, complex, and high‑visibility pursuits with a focus on accuracy, transparency, and sound risk judgment.
• Establish, validate, and document estimate assumptions, risk registers, contingencies, and escalation logic.
• Ensure estimates align with company risk tolerance, market positioning, and delivery strategy.
• Review and approve final pricing prior to executive sign‑off, standing behind the work with confidence and accountability.
• Participate in estimate‑to‑actual reviews and drive corrective action to strengthen future performance.

Preconstruction Strategy & Pursuits

• Support disciplined go/no‑go decisions, pursuit planning, and workload forecasting to focus teams on the right work.
• Plan and participate in pursuit meetings and client interviews, providing clarity and confidence throughout the process.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key regional clients through honest communication and consistent follow‑through.
• Partner closely with Business Development on strategic planning and major pursuits across business units.
• Shape win strategies, interview messaging, and value propositions that are clear, authentic, and differentiated.
• Provide insight on market conditions, labor and material trends, subcontractor capacity, and risk exposure.
• Serve as a senior preconstruction voice in executive and operations discussions.

Leadership & Development

• Directly manage the Senior Estimating Manager and Senior Preconstruction Manager, setting clear expectations and accountability.
• Mentor high‑potential estimators and preconstruction managers through a structured leadership pipeline.
• Support workforce planning, hiring, goal setting, training, and succession planning for critical roles.
• Establish performance expectations centered on accuracy, collaboration, accountability, and sound judgment.
• Foster an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and proud of their work.

Standards, Systems & Knowledge

• Define, implement, and uphold company‑wide estimating standards, templates, workflows, and data practices.
• Champion consistency across cost models, scope tracking, bid leveling, and risk documentation.
• Provide functional leadership for estimating tools, cost databases, assemblies, benchmarking, and specialty modules.
• Partner with IT and Operations to evaluate, implement, and optimize technology that supports accuracy and scalability.
• Oversee historical cost data, ensuring it reflects actual outcomes, market conditions, and regional nuances.
• Lead post‑project cost reviews and translate lessons learned into improved assemblies and benchmarks.
• Promote continuous improvement and consistent use of data while allowing appropriate professional judgment.

Enterprise Integration

• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, Business Development, Owners, Designers, and specialty groups to ensure alignment from pursuit through execution.
• Ensure clean, informed handoff from preconstruction to operations, including budgets, risks, and key assumptions.
• Provide insight to Executive leadership on technology roadmaps, talent needs, and scalability.
• Support long‑term planning for estimating and preconstruction as the organization grows.
• Serve as a steward of institutional knowledge, supporting continuity, clarity, and future readiness.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding of multiple delivery methods, contracts, procurement strategies, and risk allocation (IPD, DBB, DB, CMAR, P3).
• Advanced proficiency with estimating platforms, takeoff tools, Excel, analytics, and cloud-based project management and collaboration systems; familiarity with AI-assisted estimating tools preferred.
• Strong financial modeling skills and ability to apply data-driven judgment to pricing, risk, and decision-making.
• Ability to synthesize complex technical and financial information into clear, executive-level insights.
• Strategic, enterprise-minded leader with executive presence and credibility with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Influences outcomes through clarity, trust, professionalism, and sound judgment—balancing precision with speed.
• Demonstrates full ownership, follow-through, and commitment to developing people and future leaders.

Demonstrated Accomplishments

• Demonstrated success delivering accurate, reliable estimates for large, complex, and high-value projects while operating beyond project-level execution to influence pursuit strategy and outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead teams through high-stakes pursuits with quality win rates aligned to organizational strategy, including close partnership with Director- and VP-level leadership.
• Strong track record of driving measurable improvements in bookings, productivity, and overall estimating performance at a regional or enterprise level.
• Experience building, mentoring, and retaining high-performing estimating teams, including developing managers and future senior leaders across projects or regions.
• Demonstrated impact strengthening and standardizing preconstruction processes while enabling smooth, confident transitions from estimate to execution.
• Active contributor to enterprise-wide preconstruction initiatives, company-wide pursuit strategy, and market expansion efforts, with increasing scope and executive visibility.
• Proven effectiveness serving as a trusted advisor and right hand to executive level leaders, supporting strategic decisions and long-term capability planning.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• CCM, PE, LEED, Lean, or CST, preferred
• Extensive experience leading large, complex preconstruction and estimating efforts, including accountability for high‑value pursuits, pricing strategy, and risk management across multiple delivery methods and contract structures. Proven record of improving bookings, productivity, and overall performance.
• Demonstrated success operating at a senior preconstruction leadership level—managing and mentoring teams, influencing executive and client decisions, supporting enterprise‑wide initiatives and pursuit strategy, and contributing to market growth; professional certifications a plus.

Working Conditions: The majority of the time you will work in a typical office environment.  Occasionally, you may travel to a construction job site. When on construction job sites you will encounter typical construction conditions including extreme temperatures, noise, dust, mud debris, welding, leading edge, trenching, and shoring, sometimes in a confined space.  You may be required to visit multiple locations during any one day. 

Benefits Overview: IME provides an industry-leading comprehensive benefits package.  Full-time employees are eligible to choose from a variety of healthcare coverage options, which become effective the first of the month after hire.  In addition, employees are offered a substantial amount of PTO and are immediately eligible to make contributions to a generously matched and fully vested 401k.  

Salary Range:  $157,250 - $212,750

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.* 

Established in 1946, IME is part of Quanta Services, the largest specialty contractor in North America. We base our business model on always doing the right thing and pride ourselves in finding the best processes and practices in everything we do. As an electrical contractor, we install and service the power and lighting to commercial and industrial buildings in the Western US. 

The statements included in this job description are not intended to be all-inclusive and other duties may be assigned as required. 

Intermountain Electric, Inc. (IME) is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and to creating an environment free of discrimination and harassment.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.  

IME will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees who are qualified for a job so that they may perform the essential duties of the position.   

IME strives to provide a safe work environment for its employees. Under applicable laws and regulations, IME conducts background checks on all final candidates. 

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity), age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and/or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

We prohibit all types of discrimination and are committed to providing access and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. For additional information or if reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application, interview, or hiring processes or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact us the Company’s Human Resources department.