Senior Estimator and Purchaser - Electrical Distribution

Location: (Mohave Valley Arizona or Dallas Texas) (Remote work-from-home available) | Department: Sale's/Pricing/ Procurement | Reports to: [Sales Manager / VP Sales/ Store manager]

We are looking for an experienced Estimator and a person who can procure to own the pricing and quoting process for our hospitality-focused electrical distribution business. This is not a generalist support role - it is a dedicated position for someone who can build accurate, competitive estimates from the ground up and develop real purchasing leverage with our manufacturers and vendor partners over time.

You will work closely with our sales team on quotes for new construction and renovation projects with hotel owners, developers, ECs, and GCs - often on tight timelines where the difference between winning and losing the job comes down to how sharp and defensible our first number is.

What You'll Do
• Prepare detailed, accurate estimates from BOMs, specs, HVAC, and related commodities.
• Build and maintain cost databases and pricing benchmarks by manufacturer, product line, and project type, so quotes reflect real market cost - not just a single-digit margin stacked on a vendor's first number.
• "Partner with manufacturers and vendors to understand pricing structures and negotiate more competitive, consistent upfront costs, minimizing reactive rebids."
• Develop and grow direct purchasing relationships with manufacturers over time - negotiating volume pricing, program pricing, and preferred-distributor status where possible.
• Investigate and explain pricing discrepancies between initial quotes and rebids, and flag systemic issues (margin erosion, inconsistent vendor pricing, ) to sales leadership.
• Track win/loss ratios on bids and identify where we are losing competitiveness, especially on gear as the entry point to HVAC and commodity business.
• Partner with sales reps to turn estimates around quickly without sacrificing accuracy, so reps can respond to EC/GC deadlines.
• Maintain organized records of quotes, revisions, and vendor cost data for audit and negotiation purposes.
• Procure when the PO comes in and coordinate with Sales team and Store manager.

What We're Looking For
• 5+ years of estimating experience in electrical distribution, electrical contracting, or a related industry (HVAC, gear, switchgear experience strongly preferred)
• Proven experience reading BOMs, specs, and construction drawings for commercial/hospitality projects.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with manufacturers and vendors that translate into better pricing or purchasing terms - not just order-taking.
• Strong analytical skills - comfortable digging into why a quote came in high and building the case to fix it.
• Experience with distributor/manufacturer pricing platforms (e.g., ABB, Eaton, Schneider, Square D, or similar) a strong plus
• Excellent communication skills; able to push back constructively on vendors and manufacturers to get better numbers.
• Meticulous, deadline-driven, and comfortable having a high-stakes number that directly affects whether we win the job.

Why This Role Matters

Gear pricing is our foot in the door with hotel developers and GCs. Win it, and we typically get the HVAC and commodity business that follows - worth several times the gear order on a particular property. This role exists to make sure our first number is a competitive one, not a starting point for a rebid.