Between 2023 and 2026, the construction industry is expected to grow at a rate of 6.2% annually. For any construction project to be successful, construction management is essential. Success depends on efficient resources, schedule, and money management, whether a big construction project or a small-scale renovation.
With that said, the demand for construction project managers has surged substantially. It’s construction managers who plan, schedule, and manage the resources and project plan. That makes them a crucial part of any construction project.
In other words, construction managers must carefully plan and manage the very phase of a building project. They guarantee that construction projects are finished on schedule, safely, and within budget. And this pretty much sums up why construction managers are crucial. This makes it a lucrative job role with a high salary.
However, not every construction project manager makes it to the competitive level. To ensure that you can demand a high salary, you can take the Best project management training.
Who is a Construction Project Manager?
A construction manager must supervise residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. You work with other managers, each with a specialty in a different area of the project, and they participate in every stage, from planning to completion. On the bottom line, a construction manager is an expert in construction who is familiar with the building process.
You go over every aspect of the building process, from the groundbreaking to the handover. For those who appreciate designing, building, and managing a team of employees, a career in construction management is appropriate.
What Does a Construction Project Manager Do?
Construction project managers supervise every stage of the construction process, ensuring the project is finished on schedule within scope and budget. This position closely collaborates with architects and engineers to create designs, set deadlines, and determine labor and material costs.
Throughout the project, the role of the project manager in construction is to coordinate with the client's point of contact and respond to inquiries as needed. Further, construction managers monitor the specifics of getting approvals and design assessments. They also organize each project's labor schedule, allocating skills according to the work, handling modification requests, and working together with the construction team and architect to guarantee the project's viability.
Construction Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities
Let’s explore the construction project manager job duties at different levels of experience and expertise.
Entry-level (0-2 years of experience)
Entry-level construction project managers usually have to assist with the creation of requirements and specifications for service contracts and oversee their administration to meet building demands. Let’s have a deeper look at the entry-level construction project manager duties:
- Help in the long-term planning of preventive maintenance and asset protection and in managing the plan's implementation.
- Create project plans that meet the requirements of new construction or remodeling.
- Work with builders and bidders to guarantee projects are completed on schedule and under budget.
- Ensure the fire team is fully aware of all protocols, tools, and alarm systems.
- Inspect the property monthly to ensure the grounds and buildings are kept in top shape.
Average Salary: An entry-level construction project manager makes around $59,000 annually.
payscaleMid-level (3-5 years of experience)
Mid-level construction project managers oversee the operations involved in construction. This involves everything from managing the materials to scheduling the construction events. Here’s a list of mid-level building project manager responsibilities:
- Ascertain the resources (labor, machinery, and supplies) required while considering budgetary constraints.
- Guarantee that deadlines are met, organize all construction activities, and ensure they are completed on time.
- Obtain supplies and equipment, monitor inventory, and act quickly to address shortages.
- Employ workers and contractors and assign duties.
- Watch over the work of mechanics, workers, and other professionals and provide assistance as needed.
- Assess development and compile thorough reports.
Average Salary: Mid-level construction project managers earn up to $84,000 annually (Source: payscale.com)
Senior-Level (more than 5-6 years)
Senior-level construction managers have to overlook almost every aspect of a construction project. From conducting construction review plans to scheduling and reporting, they play a crucial role in managing the entire project from start to end. Let’s have a look at the senior-level construction project manager position description:
- Sift through the construction drawings and make a competitive timetable for the project.
- Supervise and manage additional construction managers and supervisors.
- Verify that all necessary personnel, supplies, and machinery are available and prepared for work.
- Make sure that all work sites adhere to safety guidelines and regulations.
- Coordinate with the contractors and construction workers to ensure the activities are finished on schedule and in the proper order.
- Assemble and oversee the preparation of all reports required to finish a project.
- Make sure that safe and appropriate building methods are applied while the project is being built.
Average Salary: Mid-level construction project managers earn up to $90,000 annually (Souce: Payscale).
What Makes a Good Construction Project Manager?
To become highly skilled and eligible for competitive job positions, your construction project manager responsibilities require you to have a diverse set of technical skills. Let’s have a look at this:
Hard Skills
Here’s a list of some hard skills you must have to carry out the construction project manager roles and responsibilities:
- Construction estimation: As a project manager, estimating and controlling the amounts of construction materials enables you to estimate precisely and budget expenses and materials to guarantee the project is profitable and that the workers have enough supplies and materials to finish the project without encountering any obstacles.
- Project management: One of the most crucial project management duties in construction revolves around the ability to plan construction projects effectively. The ability to identify cost controls, plan when to use project resources, and comprehend organizational procedures are all necessary for the job.
- Building code knowledge: Strong written, conversational, and presentation abilities in the context of “construction” will enable you to communicate with all stakeholders efficiently and effectively, minimizing frustrations and preventing misunderstandings.
Construction managers use building codes in two ways:
- Strengthened quality assurance by inspections and monitoring compliance with exterior and internal building codes and manufacturing quality criteria.
- Conduct construction inspections by verifying adherence to building codes and design standards.
Soft Skills
Here’s a list of some soft skills you must have to carry out the job responsibilities of project manager in construction:
- Risk management: One of the most crucial construction management competencies for project managers is risk management. Even before the project starts, the project manager and their team should be able to identify potential risks and devise a plan to deal with them.
- Organization: Project overlaps are given in the construction sector. Thus, project managers must be able to move between jobs with ease. To keep up and stay on top of things, a competent construction project manager must maintain a high standard for the organization. They should have a talent for figuring out what needs to get done now and what can wait, which helps to keep the project on track and on time.
- Customer service: The act of helping and supporting clients is known as customer service. Building managers employ customer service by attending to client's needs, addressing their issues, and upholding a high standard of workmanship. They must build a reputation for doing high-quality work and make an effort to please clients, which is a crucial part of project manager duties and responsibilities in construction.
Construction Project Manager Job Requirements
Before applying for the role of construction project manager, you must ensure that you have a deeper look at the job descriptions and roles. Each job may demand specific sets of requirements based on the construction project manager's duties and responsibilities. Let’s have a look at the most common job requirements:
Educational Requirements:
- A Bachelor’s degree in a related field like civil engineering, architecture, etc.
- A Master’s degree (or an equivalent post-graduate) in related fields like civil engineering, construction management, etc.
- Additional certifications or courses like the Prince2 Foundation and Practitioner course online.
Technical Skills:
As mentioned in the section above, construction project managers must have technical skills like negotiation, proficiency in building code, risk, and financial management.
Soft Skills:
They must also be an effective communicator and have excellent leadership qualities. Additionally, must be flexible, delegate tasks appropriately, and have strong organizational skills.
Experience:
Having hands-on experience in managed construction projects, risk assessment, and organization management is a plus. However, if you are only starting as a fresher in construction management, you can go for some additional certifications or training, like the best PMP training, to show your expertise in the industry.
Conclusion
Architecture and construction is an evergreen industry. With more and more large-scale civil projects being approved, there is a high demand for project managers in construction. If you want to make your space in this lucrative and competitive industry as an entry-level construction project manager, consider enrolling in certifications or courses. You can check out KnowledgeHut's project management training and certification to start with.
