Estimator & Inside Sales (Building Envelope & Cladding Systems)

Our client is a well-established, independently owned company representing a curated portfolio of exterior cladding and building envelope systems on behalf of leading manufacturers across Canada. With a strong reputation for technical expertise and reliable service, the team works closely with architects, contractors, and developers from early design through construction, providing practical solutions rather than simply taking orders.

The culture is lean, collaborative, and hands-on. The team is small and senior, meaning individual contributions are visible and input genuinely matters.

 

The Opportunity

On behalf of our client, we are seeking an Estimator and Inside Sales professional who is equally comfortable pricing a complex cladding package and picking up the phone to move a quote toward a decision. Success in this role is measured by projects won, not quotes issued. The successful candidate will prepare estimates and then take ownership of the follow-through, working closely with the field sales team and customers to move opportunities from quoted to closed, while keeping the CRM accurate and current on every pursuit that matters.

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Own Follow-Up and Closing

• Own the follow-up on every active quote, calling and emailing customers to understand where the project stands and drive it toward a decision
• Partner daily with the field sales team, sharing quote status, agreeing on next steps, and ensuring nothing stalls between the office and the field
• Identify the real reasons a project is not moving forward, whether pricing, scope, schedule, competition, or specification, and bring solutions back to the customer
• Negotiate and revise quotations as scope evolves, coordinating with sales and technical staff on strategy
• Track win and loss outcomes, and feed lessons learned back into pricing and pursuit strategy

2. Be the First Point of Contact

• Serve as the first response to inbound inquiries from architects, general contractors, installers, and developers
• Qualify opportunities by understanding the project, timeline, decision-makers, and overall fit
• Route technical or specification-heavy inquiries to the appropriate internal or manufacturer resource

3. Own the CRM as the Single Source of Truth

• Take ownership of the CRM as the system of record for estimates, opportunities, and pursuits
• Enter and maintain qualified projects with accurate value, stage, close date, and next action
• Keep contacts, activity, and quote status current so the pipeline reflects reality at all times
• Build and circulate pipeline and follow-up reports for the sales team and management
• Set the standard for CRM discipline across the team

4. Lead the Estimating and Bid Process

• Review architectural drawings, specifications, and addenda to determine scope, quantities, and system requirements
• Perform accurate material takeoffs for cladding, roofing, and building envelope packages
• Build and maintain detailed estimating spreadsheets in Excel, applying pricing formulas, waste factors, and freight assumptions
• Prepare clear, well-organized quotations and bid packages, including inclusions, exclusions, and qualifications
• Prepare and coordinate responses to RFPs, RFQs, and tender documents
• Coordinate pricing with manufacturers and suppliers, flagging long-lead or specialty items early
• Track bid deadlines and ensure submissions go out complete and on time

5. Collaborate and Support the Wider Team

• Work closely with sales representatives and technical staff on project pursuits
• Support specification and design-assist work by supplying budget pricing at the concept stage
• Contribute to a shared library of pricing data, historical bids, and lessons learned

 

Qualifications and Experience

You are someone who has built real credibility at the intersection of technical estimating and proactive sales follow-up. You bring:

 

• Three to five years of experience in estimating, inside sales, or technical sales within construction, building products, or a related field
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to handle inbound calls and emails professionally and represent the company to architects and contractors. Bilingual French and English is strongly preferred
• Strong Excel proficiency, comfortable building, manipulating, and troubleshooting formula-driven estimating spreadsheets, including lookups, nested formulas, linked sheets, and conditional logic
• Ability to read and interpret architectural drawings and specifications, including elevations, sections, wall assemblies, and detail drawings
• Demonstrated persistence and comfort with proactive outbound follow-up, with the drive to chase a quote to a decision and stay undeterred by a few unanswered calls
• Hands-on experience with a CRM and the discipline to keep pipeline data accurate, current, and useful to others
• A commercial mindset, thinking in terms of hit rate, pipeline value, and projects won, and working well alongside a field sales team
• Strong attention to detail and the discipline to manage multiple bids against firm deadlines
• Legal authorization to work in Canada

 

Preferred Background

 

• Direct experience with exterior cladding, metal panels, roofing, or building envelope systems
• Familiarity with digital takeoff software such as Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, On-Screen Takeoff, or similar
• Understanding of Canadian construction tender processes and bid depositories
• Post-secondary education in architectural technology, civil or construction engineering technology, building science, or a related discipline

 

Success in This Role

 

• Be a self-starter who takes initiative, chases quotes to a decision, and acts without needing to be prompted
• Builds trusted relationships with customers and the field sales team, becoming the person everyone relies on for an accurate answer
• Delivers accurate, well-organized estimates and bid packages that hold up under scrutiny
• Keeps the CRM as a source of truth that the whole team can rely on
• Contributes to a growing win rate through disciplined follow-up and sharp commercial judgment