A Project Estimator position was posted in Topeka 22 hours ago, seeking an Estimator-Project Manager to serve as overall project manager for assigned jobs. The listing describes an Estimator-Project Manager role that varies between office and job site duties.
The position serves as the overall project manager for assigned jobs, with responsibilities ranging from business development and selling to project estimating, contract execution, and compliance. The role is measured by two concrete standards: job safety and profitability.
What the Role Demands on Job Sites and in the Office
The Estimator-Project Manager splits time between the office and active construction sites. Essential duties include completing projects on budget and on schedule while ensuring quality, preparing bid strategies and proposals, and maintaining new job estimate schedules. The manager handles contracts, change orders, and project documentation, while procuring subcontracts and material orders to keep work moving.
The role requires managing pay estimates and the payment process to ensure compensation for all completed work, reviewing and approving timecards, invoices, and cost codes weekly, and working with the accounting department on job accounting. Monthly job cost reports and cost-to-complete estimates must be prepared alongside managing the submittal and approval process.
Communication extends across every project stakeholder. The posting requires managing correspondence with co-workers, customers, owners, engineers, architects, and inspectors, along with attending pre-construction, post-construction, and project close-out meetings. The manager provides representation for the company on job sites and works with field operations to ensure field notes, report logs, and diaries stay current and accurate for payroll, accounting, owners, engineers, and inspectors.
Manager Oversees Project Supervision
The Estimator-Project Manager assists with supervision of projects, job coordination, and planning and scheduling of subcontractors. The posting emphasizes willingness to travel between job sites and work with different construction crews to assist and provide training on field operations and construction best practices.
The position also carries human resources duties. The manager works with HR and Environmental Health and Safety departments to improve onboarding and training of new hires, aiming to boost employee retention rates. This includes assisting with company orientation, safety training, and interpretation of company policies in conjunction with EHS, HR, and Accounting departments.
Education, Experience, and Software Skills Specified
Bettis Companies prefers candidates with a bachelor’s degree in construction management, construction science, engineering, geology, business, or accounting, though the posting notes this can be substituted with seven to ten years of field experience. Three years of construction experience is required, with asphalt and concrete work preferred, and highway heavy construction experience specifically favored. Candidates must be at least 21 years old and possess working knowledge of HCSS HeavyBid and HeavyJob software or the ability to learn it quickly.
The physical demands are substantial and constant. The posting describes prolonged sitting, frequent climbing and balancing when entering truck cabs and trailers, and occasional manual handling of tarps, hoses, or tools weighing up to 50 pounds or more. Workers face continuous exposure to whole-body vibration from trucks, especially on rough terrain, repetitive motions from operating levers and steering, and awkward postures while inspecting loads or performing maintenance. The role requires long and short distance driving, compliance with traffic laws, and the stamina to handle stress over long periods.
Safety Compliance and Company Values Enforced
The position requires wearing personal protective equipment, following all safety rules and housekeeping mandates, reporting defects, accidents, and violations, and participating in safety meetings. The manager must ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety laws while promoting technology and innovation on site.
The posting emphasizes that the ideal candidate demonstrates the company’s core values of Service, Family, Safety, Integrity, and Pride, adheres to the Code of Conduct and Confidentiality Agreement, and maintains professional attire. Extended hours may be required, and the role demands attendance, punctuality, dependability, and the ability to take direction from senior and executive management.
What This Means for Topeka’s Workforce
These openings reflect a construction market in Topeka that needs both field and supervisory talent.
The requirement for U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or a work visa, along with pre-employment background checks, drug screens, and physicals, sets a clear baseline for eligibility.
The role offers opportunities for experienced construction professionals to split time between office and job site while ensuring job safety and profitability.