Director of Estimating and Technical Sales

Director of Estimating and Technical Sales

Job Title

Director of Estimating and Technical Sales

Department

Integrated Solutions Group (ISG)

Reports To

VP of Sales

Location

7865 Northcourt Rd Ste 100 Houston, TX 77040

Effective/Revision Date

6/2026

Role Purpose

The Director of Estimating and Technical Sales is responsible for serving as the technical resource for the Business Development team by supporting customer technical questions, design for manufacturability reviews, and estimation of new part numbers. This ISG-level role requires strong technical manufacturing knowledge, customer-facing communication skills, and the ability to translate customer requirements into accurate, competitive, and manufacturable solutions. Initially, this position will perform quoting and estimating responsibilities directly and, over time, will build and lead a team to support the estimating function across UPG and ISG opportunities.

Scope & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Sales Support: Serve as the primary technical resource for the Business Development team by supporting customer questions, technical discussions, part reviews, and proposal development. Design for Manufacturability Reviews: Review customer drawings, specifications, models, and project requirements to evaluate manufacturability, risks, cost drivers, material considerations, and production feasibility. Estimating & Quoting: Prepare accurate estimates and quotations for new part numbers, including material, tooling, labor, machine time, secondary operations, outside services, packaging, freight, and other cost elements as applicable. Customer Engagement: Participate in customer calls, technical reviews, and site visits to understand project requirements, communicate UPG capabilities, and support customer confidence in proposed solutions. Business Development Partnership: Work closely with the BD team to evaluate new opportunities, identify technical risks, support pricing strategy, and ensure proposals are aligned with customer expectations and UPG capabilities. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with engineering, tooling, quality, production, finance, and operations to validate assumptions, confirm feasibility, and develop competitive solutions for new and existing customers. New Product Introduction Support: Support the transition of awarded quotes into new product launch activities by sharing technical assumptions, cost basis, customer requirements, and key risks with internal teams. Process Development: Develop and improve estimating tools, templates, procedures, and standards to ensure consistent, scalable, and accurate quoting practices across the organization. Team Development: Initially perform quoting and estimating responsibilities directly, with the expectation of building, training, and leading an estimating team as business needs grow. Market & Cost Awareness: Maintain awareness of manufacturing cost drivers, supplier capabilities, industry benchmarks, and competitive considerations that may impact pricing and customer proposals. Travel & Relationship Building: Travel approximately 25% to 40% to support customer meetings, technical reviews, ISG collaboration, supplier visits, and business development activities. Reporting & Documentation: Maintain organized records of estimates, assumptions, customer requirements, quote history, and project handoff documentation to support transparency and future reference. Compliance & Quality: Perform assigned duties in accordance with documented procedures, work instructions, customer requirements, and applicable quality system expectations.

Work Experience & Skills

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related technical field preferred. Equivalent technical manufacturing, estimating, or industry experience may be considered.

Experience: Minimum 7 to 10 years of experience in technical sales support, manufacturing engineering, estimating, quoting, product development, or a related industrial/manufacturing role. Experience in aerospace, medical device, CNC machining, injection molding, tooling, or other precision manufacturing environments is preferred. Prior leadership or team-building experience is strongly preferred.

Strong understanding of technical drawings, specifications, materials, manufacturing processes, cost estimation methods, and design for manufacturability principles. Ability to effectively communicate technical and commercial information to customers, Business Development, engineering, operations, quality, finance, and senior leadership.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office, CRM systems, estimating tools, ERP systems, and the ability to review CAD models, prints, and technical documentation. Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities, deadlines, and customer priorities.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Work environment: The worker is subject to indoor environmental conditions; protection from weather, but not necessarily from temperature changes. This position may work in a hybrid office environment when located near UPG Houston or the Minneapolis satellite office. Remote arrangements may be considered based on business needs.

Physical or operational requirements: Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Requires close visual acuity for reading, data review, technical documentation, customer drawings, and computer work. Travel expectation is approximately 25% to 40%.

Compliance Statements

Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran