Construction managers ensure construction projects run smoothly from start to finish. They have many duties, including planning, scheduling daily activities, preparing budgets and cost estimates, collaborating with engineers and architects, supervising trade workers and ensuring work is in compliance with regulations and codes.
When outlining important skills on your construction manager job description, you will want to emphasize that the position requires exceptional leadership, time management and decision-making skills to effectively run jobs.
Construction managers should also have business and customer service skills to be able to communicate with other professionals. Technical skills are also a plus, as an understanding of the construction trades will allow the manager to plan activities accordingly. Below, you will find a helpful example that shows you what you should include in your construction manager job description.
Construction Manager Job Summary
As a construction manager with our company, you will be an essential part of a team that is dedicated to professional excellence. You will not only oversee projects, but you will be part of every step of the process from beginning to end. You will get to interact with the workers, architects and engineers and plan and coordinate activities in a way that moves our projects toward success. This role is great for someone with a passion for working in a fast-paced environment and for a company that is rapidly growing. If you are a natural leader with outstanding time management skills and the ability to motivate, you will excel in this position.
Job Responsibilities
- Plan, coordinate and schedule activities on construction projects to ensure deadlines are met in a timely manner with quality results
- Prepare accurate budget estimates and cost reports and ensure budgets are properly adhered to
- Develop and implement reactive plans to be put into place if emergencies, bad weather or delays occur to maximize smoothness of operations
- Determine the cost effectiveness of projects and plans using computer models and identify ways to maximize cost effectiveness if possible
- Know job specifications and requirements for each project and ensure they are closely followed
- Confer with owners, contractors and design professionals to create schedules and resolve matters involving procedures and problems
- Ensure environmental regulations and safety codes are properly followed to ensure projects meet standards to avoid issues in the future
- Direct and supervise construction workers and coordinate with superintendents to ensure quality work is done on time and according to schedule and budget
Job Skills and Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering or related field
- Exceptional communication and negotiation skills
- Ability to multi-task, organize and lead
- Must know and understand building codes
Preferred
- One to five years of experience in building design or construction
- Thorough understanding of the roles of each trade
- Customer service experience in the building industry
Construction Manager Job Responsibilities
A strong job responsibilities section is absolutely essential to your construction manager job description, so put extra thought and effort into creating this section. Be clear and succinct but detailed in your list of responsibilities to help jobseekers envision the decisions they will make, the duties they will perform and the expectations they will need to meet if they fill this specific role. If written well, this section serves to deter unqualified jobseekers from pursuing this position while encouraging more suitable candidates to apply.
Rather than create a longwinded and overwhelming list of responsibilities, use this section of your construction manager job description to focus on 6-8 core duties and specialized responsibilities. Use bullet points to make this section easier to read, and describe responsibilities with dynamic action verbs to better illustrate the job.
For ideas on what to include in this section, refer to these examples of common construction manager job responsibilities:
- Supervise the planning and preparation of construction projects, obtaining all necessary permits and licenses
- Execute projects within decided budgets and timeframes
- Ensure workers and equipment perform in accordance to safety regulations, identifying and mitigating risks as they arise
- Direct crew and delegate general and specialized tasks on a daily basis
- Negotiate client contracts and provide detailed progress reports on a regular basis
Construction Manager Job Specifications
It is tempting to misjudge the importance of the skills and qualifications section of your construction manager job description. You may think writing this part of your document is a quick and effortless task because it’s the smallest section and contains just the minimum requirements jobseekers need to qualify for the position. Beware: a strong skills and qualifications section may mean the difference between a promising pile of relevant resumes on your hiring manager’s desk and a seemingly endless amount of unqualified applications to sift through.
Take special care as you build this list within your construction manager job description. Consult with your hiring manager to make sure you do not overlook any important qualifications necessary to the position, and make a clear distinction between “necessary” and “preferred” requirements so jobseekers can determine if they should pursue or pass on this opportunity.
Use these common construction manager job specifications to help you construct this section of your job description:
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management or related subject
- Five years of experience in a supervisory role within the construction industry
- In-depth knowledge of construction processes, safety and quality regulations, and construction tools, materials and equipment
- Ability to interpret blueprints and use planning software
- Strong leadership, time management, organization and problem-solving skills