Position Summary
The Subcontracting Manager (Preconstruction) is a full-time, dedicated role responsible for developing, maintaining, and executing the subcontractor-facing components of Sure Steel’s Subcontracting Initiative.
This role focuses on the practical, relationship-driven, and execution-support functions required to make subcontracting successful at the project level. The Subcontracting Manager serves as Sure Steel's primary point of coordination for subcontractor network development, vetting, relationship management, and RFP and buyout execution in support of Operations.
The role reports to the Vice President of Preconstruction and partners closely with Estimating, Project Management, Construction, Risk, and Accounting to ensure subcontractors are culturally aligned, properly vetted, competitively sourced, and positioned to support Sure Steel's backlog and execution needs. When competing priorities arise across departments, the Vice President of Preconstruction serves as the escalation point for direction. re Steel's backlog and execution needs.
Core Responsibilities
1. Subcontractor Network Development & Relationship Management
Build and maintain a network of subcontractors that align with Sure Steel’s culture, values, safety expectations, and execution standards.
Establish and maintain ongoing relationships with key subcontractor partners to understand:
Capacity and backlog
Geographic availability
Skill sets and scope strengths
Market conditions and labor constraints
Act as a long-term relationship steward, ensuring Sure Steel is viewed as a preferred, professional, and reliable partner.
2. Subcontractor Vetting & Qualification Oversight
Provide oversight of the subcontractor vetting process in coordination with Risk Management, Accounting, and Operations.
Ensure subcontractors meet minimum standards related to:
Safety performance
Quality capability
Production and supervision capacity
Financial stability
Insurance and compliance requirements
Coordinate reference checks and cultural alignment assessments.
Support leadership by identifying risks, limitations, or concerns identified during vetting.
3. Subcontractor Matrix Ownership & Maintenance
Maintain the Subcontractor Matrix as defined in the Initiative, including:
Creating and updating subcontractor status (New, Pending Verification, Fully Vetted, Probation, Ineligible).
Tracking historical performance and feedback.
Receive structured and informal feedback from:
Project Management
Field Operations
Risk and Accounting
Update matrix status based on performance trends, closeout reviews, and stakeholder input.
4. Backlog Awareness & Market Readiness
Maintain a working understanding of:
Company backlog trends
Potential subcontracting demand by region and scope
Subcontractor availability relative to projected workload
Support Operations and Preconstruction by identifying market-ready subcontractor options as needs emerge.
Proactively flag capacity constraints, gaps in coverage, or over-reliance on specific partners.
5. RFP & Buyout Process Execution
The Subcontracting Manager is responsible for running the RFP process when subcontracting is required, including:
RFP development and coordination
Defining and packaging standalone scopes suitable for subcontracting
Bid solicitation from vetted subcontractors
Managing bidder communication and clarifications
Bid leveling and scope normalization
Preparing subcontractor selection recommendations for leadership approval
Verifying subcontractor compliance with Sure Steel and project-specific standards
Maintaining and updating bid status in the subcontracting pipeline tracker following each RFP cycle
Ensuring buyout recommendations preserve Sure Steel’s minimum margin requirements
This role executes the process in alignment with decisions made by Operations and leadership, but does not independently determine whether a project is subcontracted.
6. Commercial Advisory & Negotiation Guidance
Advise leadership and Project Management on when it may be appropriate to:
Competitively bid a scope to multiple subcontractors
Negotiate directly with a qualified subcontractor in lieu of broad bidding
Provide market context, partner history, and risk considerations to support informed decision-making.
Lead the development of negotiation strategies consistent with Sure Steel's commercial standards.
Ensure all commercial advisory and negotiation recommendations are anchored to Sure Steel's minimum margin requirements.
7. Cross-Functional Coordination
Partner with:
Estimating – for target budgets and scope clarity
Operations / Directors – for understanding execution needs and labor constraints
Project Management / OPMs (as joint process owners for RFP development, scope definition, and buyout execution) – to support smooth transition from preconstruction to execution
Risk & Accounting – to ensure subcontractors meet compliance and financial capacity requirements
Vice President of Preconstruction – as the escalation point when competing cross-functional priorities require direction
Support Project Engineers and Construction Managers by including them in subcontractor selection and evaluation processes where appropriate.
Participate in the monthly subcontracting pipeline review forum and maintain the subcontracting pipeline tracker, updating bid status and upcoming needs following each meeting.
Role Boundaries & Clarifications
This role does not:
Own overall governance of the Subcontracting Initiative
Set enterprise subcontracting strategy or capacity targets
Approve subcontract awards independently
Override Operations or Executive decision authority
This role does:
Own execution of subcontractor-facing processes
Own the health and accuracy of the Subcontractor Matrix
Act as Sure Steel’s primary subcontractor relationship and RFP coordination lead
Qualifications
Required
7+ years of experience in preconstruction, procurement, project management, or operations within construction or structural steel.
Demonstrated experience running RFPs and subcontractor buyouts.
Strong understanding of subcontractor markets, labor dynamics, and scope-based procurement.
Ability to build and maintain professional external relationships.
Preferred
Experience in structural steel, erection, or related trades.
Familiarity with subcontractor qualification systems and performance tracking.
Behavioral Expectations
Relationship-oriented but risk-aware
Organized, detail-focused, and disciplined in execution
Comfortable advising without overstepping authority
Aligned with Sure Steel’s cultural and execution standards
Excellent communicator with both internal teams and external partners
