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Construction Manager / Site Manager

The Work
Construction managers, also known as site managers or site agents, supervise and direct operations on a construction project to ensure it is completed safely, on time and within budget. This may be the construction of a new building or buildings, or the maintenance and refurbishment of existing ones. On smaller sites, managers may carry sole responsibility for the whole project; on larger sites, they may be in charge of a particular section, reporting to the senior site manager. Senior construction managers may oversee several construction projects at the same time.

Duties typically include:

liaising with architects, planners, estimators and buyers prior to commencement of building work
planning a work schedule for the project using management software packages
preparing the construction site including hire of labour, installation of temporary offices and overseeing delivery of materials
liaising with the site workforce
monitoring building progress, in particular, quality of work, compliance with regulations, costs and speed of completion of stages
reporting regularly to the client.

Construction managers work closely with other professionals including architects, engineers, technicians and surveyors, and also act as a point of contact for the public. They have frequent meetings with subcontractors and daily contact with the site workforce.

Hours and Conditions
The working week is usually 39 hours, Monday to Friday, but evening and weekend work may be required to meet deadlines.

Work is mainly on site in all weather conditions. Some work will be at heights off ladders or scaffolding. Protective clothing is required including safety boots, helmets and in certain cases goggles and ear defenders. Travel to and from sites and meetings is common, so driving licence is normally essential.

Skills and Interests
As a construction manager, you should:

have excellent interpersonal skills to communicate with a variety of people and to motivate staff
be well organised and have planning and problem-solving skills
be prepared to take on responsibility and be decisive
have a good numeracy and IT skills
have in-depth knowledge of all aspects of building
have a good knowledge of health and safety regulations
be physically fit.

Training
Trainees tend to start as estimators, planners, buyers, site engineers or assistant site engineers. After gaining experience they may move into construction management or more complex projects. Employers have their own training programmes that extend the trainee's knowledge and experience, possibly combined with professional exams of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

The CIOB have information on a range of training programmes covering all aspects of construction management. Areas include construction project management, construction contracts and law, construction design and management (CDM) regulations, and technical and specification report writing.

The CIOB in conjunction with the National House Building Council also offer a series of work-related training programmes for those within the industry including:

Site Supervision NVQ Level 3
Site Management NVQ Level 4
Contracts Management NVQ Level 5.

There is also an NVQ programme at levels 3 and 4 for technical staff including estimators, planners and buyers. This covers tenders, procurement, organisation of resources, construction problems, dispute resolution and development of relationships. Contact CIOB for details.

The Association of Building Engineers (ABE) also offer information on a range of NVQ qualifications similar to those listed above. Contact ABE for details.

Opportunities
Construction managers work for construction companies or specialist subcontractors. There are also opportunities with local building contractors, central and local government, utility companies, and larger organisations such as major retailers.

There are opportunities to become self-employed on a consultancy basis, particularly in specialist aspects of the work, and opportunities to work abroad may be possible.

Experienced construction managers may progress into contract management, or become company directors. There are also opportunities in teaching and research, as well as support services such as health and safety.

Salary
The figures below are intended as a guideline only.

Trainee construction managers earn in the region of £14,000 to £19,000 per year.

Experienced managers earn between £25,000 to £40,000 per year.

Further Information
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party websites.

Watch the Building Visions video interview with Senior Planning Manager Adio Amuza >

Chartered Institute of Building
Tel: 01344 630700
www.ciob.org.uk

Association of Building Engineers
Tel: 0845 126 1058
www.abe.org.uk

CITB - Construction Skills
Tel: 01485 577577
www.citb.org.uk

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