Administrative Assistant

Job Overview

Matthews Brothers Dredging, LLC (MBD) is a Gulf Coast dredging contractor and service provider built on customer service, repeat service contracts, clean and well-maintained equipment, and top-tier field operators with deep dredging experience.

We are seeking a highly organized Administrative Assistant to support our Business Development Manager with the day-to-day work that wins and keeps our contracts: building estimates, writing proposals, assembling bid packages, and keeping project documents in order. This is a hands-on office role for someone who likes numbers, writes clearly, and takes pride in getting every detail right before a document goes out the door.

Dredging-specific estimating experience is not required. We will train the right candidate on how MBD prices and presents its work. Candidates with backgrounds in document control, technical writing, construction administration, or proposal coordination are strongly encouraged to apply.

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Business Development Manager, this position is the working hands behind MBD’s estimating and proposal effort. Under the Manager’s direction, the Administrative Assistant prepares estimates using company templates and pricing, drafts and formats proposals, assembles and submits complete bid packages, and maintains an organized, version-controlled library of bids, contracts, and supporting documents.

The role also provides general administrative support to Business Development and coordinates with Operations, field crews, vendors, and clients to gather information and keep pursuits on schedule. The right person can juggle several bids with overlapping deadlines without letting quality slip.

Reports To - Business Development Manager

Primary Responsibilities:

Estimating Support

• Prepare project estimates in MBD’s estimating spreadsheets based on scope, quantities, and pricing direction from the Business Development Manager
• Calculate dredge quantities, production durations, mobilization/demobilization, crew, equipment, and fuel costs using company rates and templates
• Review bid documents, drawings, specifications, and hydrographic survey data to pull out quantities, scope requirements, and key dates
• Request, track, and compare quotes from vendors and subcontractors (survey, disposal, towing, trucking, fuel, materials) and apply MBD’s standard markup to third-party costs
• Build and maintain unit-rate, equipment-rate, and vendor-pricing databases
• Prepare estimate summaries and back-up for Manager review; make revisions as directed

Proposal Writing

• Draft complete proposals from MBD templates, including cover letters, scope of work narratives, pricing schedules, schedules, qualifications, and exclusions/clarifications
• Insert and maintain MBD’s standard proposal language, including dredged volume calculation definitions (net and gross volume, pre- and post-dredge surveys) and standard Terms & Conditions
• Edit, proofread, and format all outgoing documents for accuracy, consistency, and a professional, branded appearance
• Maintain a library of proposal templates, boilerplate, project experience write-ups, resumes, and equipment sheets
• Assign and track proposal numbers and revisions; keep a master proposal log

Bid Packages & Submittals

• Monitor bid opportunities from clients, port authorities, public agencies, and online bid portals (including SAM.gov and state/local procurement sites)
• Maintain the bid calendar, including pre-bid meetings, site visits, question deadlines, addenda, and due dates
• Download, organize, and review solicitation documents; track addenda and submit RFIs as directed
• Assemble complete, compliant bid packages: bid forms, pricing, bid bonds, insurance certificates, licenses, safety records (EMR, OSHA logs), W-9s, and required affidavits
• Coordinate signatures, notarization, and on-time delivery of electronic and hard-copy submissions
• Record bid results and maintain bid tabulations for future pricing

Document Control

• Establish and maintain file structures, naming conventions, and revision control for estimates, proposals, contracts, and project records
• Maintain contract files, change orders, transmittals, and correspondence logs
• File and organize pre-dredge (BD) and post-dredge (AD) surveys, quantity reports, and related project documentation
• Ensure only current, approved versions of documents are issued to clients and field personnel

Contract & Client Administration

• Prepare post-award paperwork, including contract review checklists, subcontract and purchase order documents, and client vendor-setup packages
• Maintain company prequalification and compliance portals (e.g., ISNetworld, Avetta, Veriforce) and keep insurance, safety, and qualification documents current
• Support invoicing by preparing quantity back-up from survey results, standby and debris tracking, and third-party cost documentation
• Track service contract renewal dates and follow-ups to support repeat business with existing clients
• Maintain the customer and contact database

General Administrative Support

• Manage the Business Development Manager’s calendar, meetings, and travel arrangements
• Answer and route calls and emails; draft routine correspondence
• Take meeting notes and track action items to completion

Qualifications:

Required

• 3+ years of administrative, office, or project support experience, preferably in construction, marine, industrial, or oil & gas
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (formulas, templates, data organization), Word, and Outlook
• Proficiency with Adobe Acrobat (combining, editing, filling, and signing PDFs)
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Comfortable with numbers, unit conversions, and basic math (areas, volumes, unit rates)
• Ability to read basic drawings, specifications, and survey plots, or willingness to learn
• Highly organized with a proven ability to meet hard deadlines across multiple tasks
• Professional, customer-focused communication with clients, vendors, and field personnel
• High school diploma or equivalent; valid driver’s license

Preferred

• Experience in document control, technical writing, proposal coordination, or estimating support
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in business, construction management, technical communication, or a related field
• Familiarity with dredging, marine construction, or heavy civil work
• Experience with public-sector bidding (USACE, port authorities, TxDOT, or municipalities)
• Experience with Bluebeam Revu or similar PDF markup/takeoff software
• Experience with contractor prequalification portals (ISNetworld, Avetta, Veriforce)
• TWIC card, or ability to obtain one

Project Types You Will Support

• Maintenance and new-work dredging
• Berth, dock, and slip dredging at industrial and marine terminals
• Pump house and intake dredging
• Bankline, shoreline, and bulkhead-adjacent dredging
• Port authority, USACE, and private industrial projects

Join us as we push boundaries in business development! Your energy, strategic mindset, and passion for building relationships will be instrumental in driving our growth forward. We value proactive thinkers who thrive on challenge and are eager to make an impact through innovative solutions and relentless pursuit of excellence.

Pay: $65,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person