Estimator at EK Management (Burlington)

EK Management· Burlington· $65k–$85k·5d ago

Role details

Salary

$65k–$85k

Work type

Onsite

Employment

Full-Time

Job description

Join a fast-growing, family-owned construction and landscape company with 50+ years of stability and an industry-leading benefits package that sets us apart.

We’re looking for an Estimator who enjoys reviewing plans, analyzing details, and helping shape high-quality landscape projects across SE Wisconsin.

Why This Role Is Open

Due to rapid growth, we are expanding our estimating team to support increasing project volume in both commercial and residential landscape construction.

What You’ll Do

Review plans, specs, and project manuals to determine bid scope
Perform takeoffs and quantify materials
Request and evaluate supplier and subcontractor quotes
Use HeavyBid (or similar platform) to build estimate structures
Prepare preliminary budgets, detailed estimates, and bid packages
Partner with project managers and field leadership to ensure accuracy
Occasionally visit project sites for context and scoping (approx. 10%)

What You Bring

Experience in estimating, construction, landscape design, or related technical roles
Ability to read plans and understand construction processes
Comfortable with software tools such as HeavyBid, Aspire, LMN, BlueBeam, or similar
Strong analytical mindset and attention to detail
Team-oriented, adaptable, and eager to learn
Comfortable working on-site in Burlington daily

Why You’ll Love Working Here

Family-owned, 50+ years in business
Employees stay and grow (many 7–10+ year tenures)
One of the strongest benefits packages in the landscape industry
Opportunity to advance as our company expands
Supportive, people-first culture

Education and Experience:

Direct field experience working on a landscape construction crew.
1-2 years of experience in landscape construction estimating or a related field.

Work Location: In person

Why work at EK Management

Culture: Very small, founder-led firm with a mission-driven focus on improving people operations for clients. The culture is described as “looks out for the small man” and treats customers like family (per Indeed reviews).
Work Model: Remote/hybrid; the founder is based in Wisconsin/Indiana but travels frequently to client sites.
Notable: Since the firm is a solo consultancy, “working here” typically means either partnering with Erica directly or being placed as a permanent hire through her recruiting services. The careers page on jobs.gem.com lists openings for client companies (not for EK Management internal roles). Ideal for someone who values autonomy, deep client relationships, and variety in day-to-day work.

About EK Management

Company Overview

One-liner: Fractional HR consulting firm that provides hands-on people management services—strategy, compliance, talent, and culture—to small and mid-sized businesses.
Entity Type: Private / Bootstrapped (no external funding)
Headquarters: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (also serves clients from Wisconsin and Indiana)
Founded: 2020
Founders: Erica Kloppenburg

Core Business

Primary industry: Human Resources Services / HR Consulting
Target customers: B2B – small businesses, growing companies, and startups that need HR support without a full-time hire
Mission: “People are your greatest competitive advantage — but only when compliance, culture, systems, and strategy are working in harmony.”

Products & Services

[HR Department-of-One]: Fractional HR leadership, providing a set number of hours per month to handle everything from employee relations to compliance, without adding headcount.
[Strategy & Projects]: Project-based work such as designing bonus structures, updating handbooks, implementing HRIS, and other strategic initiatives.
[HR Assessment]: A deep-dive audit of the entire people operations — compliance, handbooks, recruiting, onboarding, etc. — delivered as a report with a prioritized roadmap.
[Recruiting Support]: Direct recruiting services for clients; EK Management frequently posts job openings on behalf of client companies.

Market Standing

Valuation: Not publicly available (small private consultancy)
Key Metric: 1 employee (Erica Kloppenburg); 20+ years of industry experience
Notable Investors/Partners: None (bootstrapped); works with a network of fractional HR peers across the Midwest
Growth Signals: Launched LinkedIn presence in early 2026; active client hiring (landscaping estimator, senior project manager roles posted on behalf of clients); growing brand awareness via social media

Competitive Advantages

Deep expertise in one person: Over 20 years of HR experience plus SPHR certification, offering both strategic and hands-on execution.
Scalable without overhead: Clients get a seasoned HR leader for only the hours they need, without the cost of a full-time salary/benefits.
Independent and confidential: Acts as an unbiased resource separate from ownership and internal politics, which is especially valuable for sensitive employee matters.

Strategic Focus

Continue to grow fractional HR client base across the Midwest
Expand network of partner consultants to offer broader coverage (e.g., recruiting, training)
Position HR as a proactive strategic function rather than a reactive “fire extinguisher”

Sources