Like any management position, construction managers need to excel in project management, supervision, and leadership. In particular, they need to communicate with clients, discuss any updates to the budget, supervise the implementation of the construction plan, and decide which subcontractors will be used on the project.
This construction manager job description looks at the general overview of what these professionals do, their specific responsibilities, important skills to have, the required education and experience, their work schedule and an overall job outlook. After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of what construction managers do and the path that people take to become a construction manager.
What Does a Construction Manager Do?
Starting a construction project is a huge undertaking. There are many moving parts and a manager is essential to overseeing the project and making sure that nothing falls off the radar of the team. A construction management job description shows that the managers have regular communication with clients, employees, and subcontractors. They must have up to date understanding of the budget and communicate clearly if there are any delays in the budget. In addition, this person will work closely with other leads on the project such as engineers, architects, or regulation personnel. A construction manager needs to be versed in software for both management of the budget and planning the timeline for the construction project.
It is typical for construction managers to need a bachelor’s degree if they work for a company. Also, prior experience is a requirement for this position. They can expect to earn approximately $89,000 dollars a year.
Construction Manager Job Description for Resume – Responsibilities
All of the individual responsibilities for a construction manager will revolve around some aspect of keeping the job on target and communicating effectively with all stakeholders. Use the following construction manager job description bullets as general statements you can customize them to your specific experience.
- Arrange the subcontractors who will be working on the project.
- Communicate with clients and provide updates on the budget and progress.
- Manage the construction team and hold regular meetings with lower managers.
- Collaborate with other leaders on the construction project such as other construction managers or people like engineers.
- Hold regular hours on the job site and respond to possible emergencies.
- Ensure that the building follows all relevant safety codes and regulations.
- Keeps morale of the workers up through consistent breaks and healthy routines.
Construction Manager Essential Skills
- Communication skills. The construction manager will communicate through verbal direction, written correspondence, and presentation. Thus, they must have clear and appropriate communication at all times.
- Team management skills. A good team is one in which everyone understands their roles and there is good correspondence and communication between the team. The construction manager needs to be able to manage these teams effectively.
- Decision-making skills. Related to risk management, a construction manager needs to make good decisions by weighing various factors such as risk, importance, the ability to complete the task, and leveraging resources.
- Organizational skills. A construction manager profile demands you are able to deal with lots of paperwork, forms, communication in all forms, and your own information. Thus, being able to organize all of this information effectively is essential.
This list is based on a list from LiquidPlanner.
How to Become a Construction Manager
Most construction managers need a bachelor’s degree in a related field. In addition to the degree, there is a certain level of prior experience expected.
Education & Training Requirements
The most common bachelor’s degrees for construction managers are in construction science or management, engineering, or architecture. These majors offer classes such as project management, engineering design, cost estimation and finance, building codes, and management contracts. Thus, someone who wants to supervise a large construction project definitely needs this bachelor’s degree.
However, people who supervise smaller construction projects might only need an associate’s degree. In addition, on large construction projects, there will be managers of small sections of the project. This is a similar position to the construction manager as part of a small construction project.
There are no required certifications for construction managers. However, there are a couple of certificates that are very common in the field. These are offered by the Construction Management Association of America and the American Institute of Constructors. Thus, a construction manager, or someone interested in becoming one, should look at construction manager job descriptions by state and check any necessary certificates.
Work Experience
All construction managers need prior work experience. Someone hired on as a construction manager with no prior work experience will begin as an associate. Most of their training will occur on the job. Someone could work as an associate construction manager years prior to getting a promotion to the position of head construction manager.
Sometimes, a construction manager can obtain this position without the expected degree. In this case, an extensive range of experience is required. They will need years of experience in construction and related fields. Even someone who has a degree will need to complete internships and job shadowing programs to gain experience in the field.
Work Schedules
Interestingly, many construction managers are self-employed. Approximately 40 percent of the field works independently. They will contract with various construction companies to complete a job. It is extremely normal for a construction manager to have to work more than 40 hours a week. As a result, they are the first to contact in the event of an emergency and need to be up to date on all aspects of the project.
On any given day, the construction manager will be focused on hiring subcontractors, collaborating with engineers, ensuring compliance, and communicating with the client. It is normal for them to start their job before dawn and to frequently visit the construction site.
Career Prospects
The job field is expecting a growth of 5 percent through the year 2024. They will obviously have a higher demand in expanding cities. Construction managers certified or experienced in green construction will be in demand. A construction manager helps a company with their project because they keep a strict timeline and focus on aspects of the project that could sometimes be overlooked.
Their median pay is $89,300 dollars in May 2016. Their salary range was $53,740 to $158,330. The highest paying field was those who worked in heavy and civil engineering construction.
Conclusion
Overall, a construction manager job description emphasizes effective communication and management as essential skills for these professionals. A bachelor’s degree is the common level of education and they typically earn around $90,000 dollars annually. A very similar position that entails broader responsibilities on a construction site is that of a project engineer.
