Project Development Manager

Position Title: Project Development Manager - Sales & Estimating

Company: Platform 1 Inc.

Department: Operations

Reports To: Senior Operations Manager

Position Summary

The Project Development Manager - Sales & Estimating is responsible for leading the development of technical and commercial solutions for warehouse storage, racking, and automated material handling projects throughout North America. This role requires a heavily weighted background in engineering to effectively drive project development, oversee the estimating function, coordinate engineering resources, and lead on-site execution.

The ideal candidate possesses strong technical authority, an assertive and confident personality, and the strong presence required to take control of job sites, direct field teams, and handle demanding, high-pressure interactions with customers, tradespeople, and contractors.

About the Company

Our client is a global leader in the design and manufacture of industrial storage and material handling solutions, delivering innovative systems that help organizations optimize their warehouse operations, logistics, and supply chain performance.

As part of a well-established international group, the company specializes in the engineering and manufacturing of automated warehouse systems, pallet racking, shelving systems, and vertical storage solutions. Its products are trusted by system integrators, distributors, and industrial organizations worldwide to maximize storage capacity, improve operational efficiency, and support complex material handling requirements.

With a strong engineering foundation, the company provides end-to-end project support, including system design, engineering, estimating, manufacturing coordination, and on-site installation services. Backed by a global network of manufacturing facilities and technical experts, it delivers customized storage solutions across a wide range of industries throughout North America and internationally.

Key Responsibilities

Job-Site Leadership & Client Relations

• Serve as the primary, authoritative technical voice on job sites, managing direct interactions with customers, tradespeople, contractors, and demanding clients.
• Provide educated and informed technical opinions, make decisive on-site decisions, and direct operational and trade teams effectively.
• Take full control of challenging site situations with a confident, assertive, and strong leadership presence.

Engineering & Design Coordination

• Coordinate engineering activities throughout the project development lifecycle.
• Support structural modelling, engineering calculations, and design reviews using RSTAB, RFEM, Tekla, BIM software, AutoCAD, and related engineering applications.
• Ensure compliance with applicable North American building codes, engineering standards, and customer specifications.
• Coordinate architectural reviews, including HPSR requirements, egress planning, ladders, and related technical documentation.
• Establish engineering documentation standards and best practices across the organization.

Sales & Estimating Leadership

• Lead the preparation of budgetary, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM), and detailed project estimates.
• Review layouts, Bills of Materials (BOMs), production drawings, pricing models, and proposal documentation.
• Coordinate engineering resources required to support estimating activities.
• Perform cost analyses, ROI evaluations, and margin reviews to improve project profitability.
• Evaluate supplier quotations and negotiate pricing to maximize value and maintain competitive project costs.
• Develop and continuously improve estimating standards, templates, and workflows.

Project Development & Business Support

• Lead the development of new warehouse storage and automated material handling projects from RFQ through proposal submission.
• Collaborate with Sales to define customer requirements and develop innovative, cost-effective technical solutions.
• Review customer specifications, drawings, and project requirements to ensure complete and competitive proposals.

• Support business development activities by providing technical expertise during customer meetings, presentations, and proposal reviews.
• Develop value-engineered solutions that improve project competitiveness while maintaining quality and performance.

BIM & Technical Innovation

• Lead the ongoing development and implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes.
• Oversee the production and quality of 3D models, installation drawings, and technical documentation.
• Promote continuous improvement in engineering workflows, drawing standards, and digital pr