DIRECTOR OF PRECONSTRUCTION- SEATTLE

About You:

Advocating. You see the potential in others. You give everyone who reports to you the opportunity to thrive, while holding them accountable to clear expectations. Your teams appreciate your commitment to their success.

Activating. You make things happen and you take a player-coach leadership approach. You know when to strategize and when to jump in and take action.

Connected. You’ve built relationships that last with your clients, trade partners, and past teammates. You’re actively engaged in our community and industry.

About Us:

At Lewis, where every employee is an owner, our people are empowered to make decisions – big and small – to meet the goals of our clients. We are passionate about our work and driven to build quality buildings that stand the test of time. With fulfillment as one of our six core values, Lewis has a collaborative and supportive culture committed to the success and development of our people.

A 100% employee-owned company, Lease Crutcher Lewis offers competitive compensation and benefits, like medical, dental, and vision.

Position Summary

The Director of Preconstruction is a client-facing team leader who understands Client’s priorities and their unique values. Organizes Lewis’s efforts to exceed client expectations including cost certainty, schedule optimization, and design support across a variety of markets and delivery methods. Brings an innovative mindset to enhance Lewis’s offerings to deliver unsurpassed value to the client. 

Champions quality design and supports design evolution with in-the-moment pricing, constructability reviews, tactful design critique, material sourcing, and options analysis. Ensures a collaborative and seamless transition to the operations team.

Positions Lewis as a thought leader in solving complex problems, while providing alignment, partnership, and cooperation across internal and external teams.

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS AND ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Maintain strategic fluency in evolving construction methodologies, delivery methods, regulatory/code requirements, and emerging building technologies.
• Participate in industry organizations and events to enhance Lewis’s brand in the market and develop an understanding of market dynamics that affect our services and delivery.
• Differentiate Lewis as industry leaders that provide creative solutions and best in class service to clients and design teams.

Client Engagement and Business Development

• Actively participate in business development initiatives: provide expertise, innovative insights, and creative ideas that support Lewis’s business development and marketing efforts to win new work.
• Lead and prepare comprehensive presentations for prospective and existing clients, clearly articulating the project approach and value proposition.
• Interface with the client, building trust and maintaining transparent communication regarding our services and their level of satisfaction.

Employee Management

• Sets annual preconstruction budget and manages departmental expenses, striving to achieve high levels of client reimbursement.
• Optimizes the size of the preconstruction team to meet the needs of the business.
• Work with People Services to identify needs, recruit, hire and onboard best in class talent for the preconstruction team.
• Manage departmental resources to ensure efforts are properly staffed.
• Mentor and develop the preconstruction team including estimators, preconstruction managers, project managers on rotation, and SME’s including regular check-ins, goal setting, consistent feedback, and annual performance evaluations.

Preconstruction Systems and Process

• Establish, implement, and continuously refine best practices and operating procedures for all estimating, budgeting, and proposal generation processes.
• Lead the selection and utilization of appropriate preconstruction software and technology (e.g., estimating platforms, scheduling tools, BIM integration).

Technical Execution and Oversight

• Oversee every preconstruction effort, and collaborate closely with the VP of Operations, Operations Directors, Design Integrators, and Project Executives to ensure budget continuity and consistency of preconstruction services across markets and delivery methods.
• Align design intent to clients’ drivers and develop procurement strategies to maximize clients’ buying power.
• Partner with builders to preplan work and develop creative approaches to project challenges.
• Partner with our Design Constr