Senior Estimator - Refrigeration and HVAC

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Estimator – Refrigeration & HVAC will support estimating activities across multiple business groups and customer accounts.

This senior-level position requires a strong understanding of commercial refrigeration and HVAC systems, construction practices, labor requirements, and project costs, and proposal development. The Senior Estimator will independently develop accurate, competitive, and comprehensive estimates and customer-facing proposals for service, replacement, retrofit, capital improvement, and construction projects.

Projects may include supermarkets, grocery stores, retail facilities, warehouses, restaurants, offices, and other commercial facilities. This role works closely with Operations, Field Leadership, Project Management, Sales/Business Development, Purchasing, Finance, customers, vendors, subcontractors, and other internal teams to support successful project execution from initial scope to review through project turnover.  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Estimating and Project Evaluation

• Develop accurate and detailed estimates for commercial refrigeration and HVAC projects, including equipment replacements, retrofits, remodels, capital improvements, and new installations by reviewing drawings, specifications, scopes of work, equipment schedules, bid documents, site conditions, and customer requirements.
• Perform labor, material, equipment, and subcontractor takeoffs necessary to develop complete project estimates, including labor projections using productivity assumptions, labor classifications, wage requirements, and applicable labor agreements.
• Solicit, evaluate, and level vendor, supplier, and subcontractor quotations while identifying project risks, scope gaps, constructability concerns, logistical challenges, and other factors that may impact project cost, schedule, or execution.
• Conduct site visits, field investigations, pre-bid meetings, and project walkthroughs as required to validate scope, assess site conditions, and support accurate estimate development.
• Prepare conceptual budgets, budgetary estimates, ROM estimates, and detailed project estimates and update estimates to reflect project revisions, addenda, customer requests, market conditions, and other project changes.

Proposal Development

• Prepare customer-facing proposals including scope descriptions, pricing, assumptions, exclusions, qualifications, clarifications, and project-specific documentation.
• Develop value-engineering recommendations, alternative solutions, proposal strategies, and pricing recommendations that support customer objectives while maintaining quality, safety, operational requirements, and business objectives.
• Support development of project presentations and estimate reviews for internal stakeholders and customers and ensure proposal documentation is accurate, complete, and aligned with project requirements.

Operations Partnership

• Collaborate with Operations, Project Management, Purchasing, Finance, and other stakeholders throughout the estimating process to validate labor assumptions, installation strategies, schedules, resource requirements, and execution plans.
• Participate in estimate reviews, project handoff meetings, and project turnover activities following award to ensure alignment between estimated and executed scope.
• Provide estimating support for change orders, project modifications, and additional work opportunities throughout the project lifecycle.

Business Support & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain organized estimating records, cost data, pricing information, supporting documentation, and historical cost databases to support future estimating activities.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to estimating processes, tools, reporting, and data management while staying current on refrigeration and HVAC technologies, construction methods, labor markets, industry trends, and applicable regulations.
• Build and maintain relationships with vendors, suppliers, subcontractors, customers, and internal stakeholders.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in commercial refrigeration, HVAC, mechanical contracting, construction estimating, project management, field operations, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience independently preparing estimates for commercial refrigeration and/or HVAC projects.
• Experience supporting replacement, retrofit, remodel, capital improvement, new construction projects and service.
• Strong understanding of commercial refrigeration and HVAC systems, equipment, materials, installation methods, and construction practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple estimates and deadlines with limited supervision.
• Prior experience working in a labor union environment, including familiarity with trade classifications, collective bargaining agreements, labor rates, productivity expectations, and union work rules.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting multi-site programs or national customer accounts including supermarket/grocery, retail, commercial, industrial, warehouse, restaurant, or similar occupied facilities is strongly preferred.

• Experience with CO₂ refrigeration systems, rack systems, controls, piping, leak detection systems, and related refrigeration technologies.
• Experience preparing customer-facing proposals, value engineering recommendations, and technical project presentations.
• Experience supporting multi-site programs or national customer accounts.
• Bluebeam experience preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to identify scope gaps, risks, and cost impacts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prepare and present technical information in a clear and professional manner.
• Effective collaboration skills with Operations, Project Management, Finance, Purchasing, customers, vendors, and subcontractors.
• Ability to balance technical, operational, and financial considerations when developing estimates and proposals.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and take ownership of work product.
• Continuous improvement mindset with a commitment to process optimization and data accuracy.

Travel Requirements

• 50% travel will be required for customer meetings, site walks, pre-bid meetings, field investigations, project reviews, and other business requirements.
• The position requires flexibility to travel throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions ahead of time, with additional travel as business needs require.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Combination of office, customer-site, construction-site, and field environments. Frequent sitting, standing, walking, and computer use. Site visits may require walking through active construction areas, mechanical rooms, rooftops, warehouses, supermarkets, and other commercial facilities. Appropriate PPE must be worn when required.

ABOUT CITY FM 

City Facilities Management (US) LLC is a leader in end-to-end integrated facilities management for some of the top retailers and grocers across the nation. Through our unparalleled self-performance team of highly skilled technicians, customer service gurus, energy experts and more, City FM delivers exceptional service quality and cost savings using a holistic, data-driven approach to facilities management.  

With offices in Jacksonville, FL and Burlington, MA since 2016, City FM is part of the GDI Ainsworth family founded 90 years ago. Ainsworth is Canada’s leading integrated multi-trade services provider with over 4,000 team members across US and Canada.   

WHY SHOULD YOU WORK AT CITY FM? 
City FM is part of a global network of leading facilities management, professional services, and data-driven sustainability solutions, for starters. Also, we offer a generous benefits package that includes 28 days of PTO along with a 401(k) match with immediate vesting and company match.  

We don’t just hire anyone at City FM; we’re looking for loyal team members with a deep sense of responsibility and a thirst for constant learning and growth with a willingness to always lend a helping hand.   

When you join City FM, you’re committing to making a difference. We make a commitment to you too – helping you embark on a career with purpose! Whether through our world-class training programs, over 1,500 e-learning classes through City University or Leadership Development framework – City FM cares passionately about the people we hire and ensures that growth is always on the horizon.  

Wondering if your values align with ours? If you put clients first, care passionately about what you do and are committed to working on a team that respects each other, you will fit right in!  

So, if you’re ready to get started, we’re ready for you.  

City FM is An Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer. The Company has a Drug-Free Workplace Policy in effect that is strictly adhered to.