Estimating Career Path (LCE)
From Procurement Specialist to Director of Procurement — explore the roles, responsibilities, and requirements across the Estimating career path at Cotton. Select any role below to see its full job summary and career details.
Individual Contributor Roles
Roles that grow through deepening estimating and procurement expertise and taking on more complex proposals.
Procurement Specialist
Supports centralized procurement and proposal management across Cotton’s business units, including RFIs,…
VIEW ROLE DETAILS → INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOREstimator
Develops accurate, executable cost estimates and technical solutions for base life support, workforce…
VIEW ROLE DETAILS →People Manager Roles
Roles that grow through leading teams and ultimately the procurement and estimating function across the business.
Career Level Comparison Overview
See how education, experience, knowledge, and judgement requirements build from role to role. Select any role name to open its full profile.
| Role | Education | Experience | Knowledge | Judgement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEOPLE MANAGER | ||||
| Director of Procurement | High School Diploma | 5+ years centralized procurement, estimating, or strategic sourcing experience, including contract negotiation, high-value vendor relationships, cross-functional leadership, and cost efficiencies | Procurement, strategic sourcing, estimating, cost modeling, vendor evaluation, contract law, and regulatory and compliance standards. | Oversees multiple departments with strategic decisions and makes decisions on complex business issues |
| INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOR | ||||
| Procurement Specialist | High School Diploma | 1–3 years procurement, sourcing, or proposal writing experience, including cross-functional project coordination | Procurement practices, sourcing processes, vendor compliance, RFP/RFI/RFQ processes, and proposal documentation and bid submission standards. | Works independently with guidance and exercises judgement within guidelines |
| Estimator | — | 5+ years estimating, proposal support, operations support, procurement, pricing, or technical solution development experience | Service-based operational delivery, cost development, mobilization and logistics, sourcing and staffing, pricing strategy, operational constraints, and proposal and pricing documentation. | Works independently with minimal oversight and makes decisions on complex issues |
Curious how these roles connect to the rest of the business?
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