Manager, Manufacturing Estimating & Quoting

Description Turn Your Machining Expertise into Business Impact

Do you understand how manufacturing work gets done, what it should cost, and how to turn a customer need into an accurate, competitive quote?

In-Place Machining Company is seeking a Manager, Manufacturing Estimating & Quoting to lead our technical estimating and quoting function. This is a highly visible role responsible for developing accurate, competitive, and profitable proposals for a wide range of machining and manufacturing services.

This is more than a people-management position. We need a leader who can dig into drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and customer requirements; determine the best manufacturing approach; identify labor, equipment, tooling, materials, subcontracting, and other cost drivers; and ultimately ensure we are quoting the right solution at the right price.

You'll lead and develop our Tech Rep team while partnering closely with Sales, Engineering, Operations, Project Management, and technical Subject Matter Experts to turn complex customer requirements into technically sound, commercially competitive proposals.

Requirements

Lead Estimating & Quoting

• Own and oversee the development of quotes, estimates, cost models, and proposals for machining and manufacturing service opportunities.
• Lead a team of technical estimators/Tech Reps responsible for evaluating customer requests and developing accurate pricing.
• Review RFQs, mechanical drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and other technical documentation.
• Determine the most effective manufacturing and machining approach required to successfully execute the work.
• Develop detailed estimates incorporating labor hours, machining time, equipment, tooling, materials, subcontracted services, travel, freight, setup, production requirements, and project risk.
• Review estimates for accuracy, completeness, competitiveness, and appropriate margins before quotes are released.
• Challenge assumptions and identify opportunities to improve cost, lead time, execution strategy, and overall competitiveness.
• Help establish pricing strategies that balance winning work with protecting profitability.

Understand & Sell Manufacturing Services

• Develop a strong understanding of the company's manufacturing capabilities, equipment, technical resources, and service offerings.
• Match customer requirements with the appropriate machining, manufacturing, engineering, repair, or technical service solution.
• Partner with Operations and technical experts to determine how the work will actually be performed, not simply what it will cost.
• Identify manufacturing constraints, special tooling requirements, capacity considerations, outsourcing needs, and potential execution risks during the quoting process.
• Support complex or non-standard manufacturing opportunities that require creative technical solutions.

Partner with Sales & Operations

• Work closely with Sales to understand customer needs, clarify scope, and develop compelling technical and commercial proposals.
• Partner with Operations to ensure quoted labor hours, manufacturing methods, equipment requirements, and schedules are realistic and executable.
• Participate in customer discussions regarding scope, technical requirements, pricing, lead times, and manufacturing options.
• Support handoff of awarded projects from estimating to Operations to ensure expectations, assumptions, and scope are clearly communicated.
• Review completed projects against original estimates to identify variances and improve future quoting accuracy.

Lead & Improve

• Coach, develop, and hold the estimating/Tech Rep team accountable for quote quality, accuracy, responsiveness, and turnaround time.
• Establish consistency and discipline around estimating practices, documentation, approvals, and pricing methodology.
• Develop and monitor key metrics such as quote volume, turnaround time, win rate, estimating accuracy, margins, and estimate-to-actual performance.
• Continuously improve estimating tools, systems, processes, templates, and cost databases.
• Build stronger feedback loops between Sales, Estimating, Engineering, Project Management, and Operations.
• Promote and enforce a strong safety culture in all activities.

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of leadership experience within machining, manufacturing, estimating, quoting, engineering, production, or a related technical environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing or reviewing manufacturing quotes, estimates, project pricing, cost models, or proposals.
• Strong understanding of CNC machining, conventional machining, manufacturing processes, shop operations, tooling, labor requirements, and production costs.
• Ability to look at a drawing, part, or scope of work and understand how it can be manufactured and what resources will be required.
• Strong ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, blueprints, technical specifications, tolerances, and customer requirements.
• Understanding of manufacturing cost drivers including labor, machine time, materials, tooling, outside processing, freight, setup, and overhead.
• Strong commercial mindset with the ability to balance cost, margin, competitiveness, risk, and customer requirements.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, Operations, Production, and Project Management.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical and pricing decisions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven ability to develop people, establish accountability, and improve team performance.
• Project management experience is a plus.

You'll Stand Out If You Have

• Hands-on machining, CNC, manufacturing engineering, or production experience.
• Experience quoting complex, custom, low-volume, large-scale, repair, field, or engineered manufacturing work.
• Experience estimating projects where the scope is not always clearly defined and technical judgment is required.
• Experience comparing estimated costs and labor hours against actual project performance.
• Experience working directly with customers during the RFQ and proposal process.
• Familiarity with ERP, estimating, quoting, CRM, or manufacturing cost-management systems.

Why Join In-Place Machining Company?

This role sits at the intersection of manufacturing, technical problem-solving, sales, and profitability. Your team's work directly influences what projects we pursue, how competitively we price them, and how successfully they are executed.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Own and lead a critical estimating and quoting function that directly impacts growth and profitability.
• Work alongside experienced machinists, engineers, project managers, sales professionals, and technical experts.
• Use your machining and manufacturing knowledge without being limited to the traditional shop-floor career path.
• Help shape how complex manufacturing opportunities are evaluated, priced, won, and executed.
• Improve estimating processes and build a stronger connection between what we quote and what it actually takes to manufacture or perform the work.
• Work on challenging projects supporting customers and industries around the world.
• Grow into a strategic manufacturing leadership role with significant visibility across the organization.

If you know how manufacturing work gets done, understand what drives cost, and can turn complex customer requirements into accurate, competitive quotes, we want to hear from you.