Labor Estimating Specialist

Description

About CRI:

Over the past 30+ years, CRI has partnered with countless companies to create workplaces that become ecosystems for imagination, inspiration, and ideas. 

In the landscape of ever-changing office design, we strive to create resilient workplaces that become launch pads for teams to feel excited, motivated and encouraged to do their best work. 

Our expertise is built upon a solid foundation of workplace strategy and furniture design, project management, and client advocacy. We are passionate about our values and strive to be an example of excellence in all that we do. 

About the Role:

The Labor Estimating Specialist serves as Align’s central labor-pricing expert and consultant, partnering closely with Project Managers and installation leadership to ensure competitive, accurate, and strategic labor pricing across all installation scopes. This role owns labor estimating standards, supports bid strategy and negotiations, and acts as Align’s primary resource for installation-related quotes, ensuring CRI consistently receives the best value and pricing outcomes.

Based out of the San Leandro office, the Labor Estimating Specialist is eligible to participate in our Flexible Workplace and is expected to work from the office 3 days a week after successfully completing the Introductory Performance Period.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Serve as Align’s primary labor estimating consultant, providing expert guidance on installation pricing to support bids, proposals, and project planning. 
• Lead the implementation and ongoing ownership of IQ Coordinator, including developing and maintaining labor-estimating SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) that define workflows, pricing standards, assumptions, and handoffs between estimating, Project Managers, and field operations. 
• Prepare detailed and accurate installation labor quotes, including standard installs, union and prevailing-wage work, phased installs, overtime, after-hours work, and complex site conditions. 
• Partner closely with Project Managers to support: 
• Bid responses and scope reviews 
• Labor pricing strategy 
• Negotiations with union and third-party installation providers 
• Collaborate with Sales to support proposal development, pricing accuracy, and client solutions. 
• Evaluate labor quotes from union providers, subcontractors, and installation partners, acting as a trusted advisor to ensure CRI receives the best available pricing and value. 
• Partner with leadership to align on labor-estimating standards and best practices, driving consistency, scalability, and continuous improvement across the organization. 

Requirements

Experience/Skills:

• 5+ years of estimating, financial analysis, or project controls experience, ideally within contract furniture, commercial interiors, logistics, or construction-adjacent services.  
• Strong analytical skills with disciplined attention to detail; able to multi-task, problem-solve, and prioritize in deadline-driven environments. 
• Effective communicator with a responsive, collaborative style; comfortable partnering with Sales, PMs, Warehouse, and Field teams to resolve issues quickly. 
• Familiarity with commercial furniture installation workflows, construction coordination, and jobsite protocols. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Teams; experience with CORE V preferred. 
• Proficiency with IQ Coordinator (or similar scheduling/field communication platforms) for project tracking is a plus. 
• Professional demeanor, client-focused mindset, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment. 

CRI’s Values:

• Be a Good Human?– Be kind, be respectful, be positive. Have fun and always do the right thing. 
• Be the Best Teammate?– Roll up your sleeves, share the wins and problem solve collaboratively.? 
• Be Inquisitive?– Find the why, value learning. Each day is an opportunity to be better.? 
• Be a Design Thinker?– From strategy to operations, question, ideate and solve with empathy. ?  
• Lead by Example – Go above & beyond. Expect the best of yourself and each other every day.  
• Be Yourself – Live our values with your personality.? We want you to be you!?