Cadrex Estimating Director - Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions : Job Details

Overview

Cadrex is searching for a Director of Estimation who is responsible for leading overseeing the estimation department, ensuring accurate, competitive, and timely cost estimates for projects, proposals, and bids within a manufacturing company. This leadership role collaborates closely with Sales, Engineering, Operations, and Finance to ensure that estimates reflect customer requirements, production capabilities, and financial targets. The ideal candidate has extensive estimation experience for manufacturing projects, excellent leadership abilities, and a strong understanding of materials, labor, and production processes.

Description

Cadrex is searching for a Director of Estimation who is responsible for leading overseeing the estimation department, ensuring accurate, competitive, and timely cost estimates for projects, proposals, and bids within a manufacturing company. This leadership role collaborates closely with Sales, Engineering, Operations, and Finance to ensure that estimates reflect customer requirements, production capabilities, and financial targets. The ideal candidate has extensive estimation experience for manufacturing projects, excellent leadership abilities, and a strong understanding of materials, labor, and production processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct and manage the estimation process from initial customer inquiry through final proposal submission
• Develop and maintain standard estimation procedures, tools, and templates to ensure speed, consistency and accuracy
• Review and approve high-value or complex estimates for accuracy, competitiveness, and strategic alignment
• Analyze customer specifications, blueprints, and RFQs to determine material, labor, and overhead costs
• Collaborate with Engineering and Production teams to assess manufacturability and capacity
• Work with Procurement to ensure accurate pricing of raw materials and outsourced services
• Coordinate with Sales to develop competitive bids that meet customer expectations and profitability goals
• Maintain an organized database of historical costs and projects to inform future estimates
• Monitor industry trends, pricing fluctuations, and competitor strategies to maintain market competitiveness
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing estimation team

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in estimating or cost analysis in a manufacturing environment, with at least 3 years in a leadership role preferred
• In-depth knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials, labor costing, and ERP/MRP systems
• Strong analytical, financial modeling, and strategic thinking skills
• Excellent organizational, leadership, and project management abilities
• Effective communicator with experience working cross-functionally
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, ERP systems, and estimating software

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Manufacturing, or a related field required

Location

• Remote (needs to live close to WI or IL)

Schedule

• M-F

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, use hands and fingers, handle or feel, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to work near moving mechanical parts and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to the risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and occasionally loud.

Core Values

• Safety first, rising to the challenge, collaboration, accountability, and doing the right thing

Total Compensation Includes

• Health/dental/vision coverage
• Employer-paid and supplemental life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off and holiday pay
• Monthly remote work stipend (for remote employees who qualify)
• 401(k) investment plan, with an employer match of up to 4%
• Education support program
• Safety eyeglasses/shoe reimbursement
• Referral bonuses
• Bonus plan for all full-time employees

About Us

CADREX Manufacturing Solutions is a leading provider of complex sheet metal and machined production parts, assemblies, and weldments for a variety of end markets, including electrical transmission and distribution, warehouse automation, technology, aerospace & defense, medical, food, and industrials. With locations in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Washington, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Monterrey Mexico, CADREX offers numerous in-house manufacturing capabilities, including laser cutting, sheet metal fabrication, complex assembly, CNC punching, CNC machining, forming, robotic welding, stamping, fastener insertion, and tool and die manufacturing, to effectively serve customers with lights-out manufacturing capabilities for mid- to high-volume production. For more information, visit www.cadrex.com. Cadrex provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

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