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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Construction Site Manager

💰 $ - $

ConstructionProject ManagementSite ManagementHealth & Safety

🎯 Role Definition

A Construction Site Manager is the on-site leader responsible for planning, coordinating and delivering construction projects safely, on time and within budget. This role owns daily site operations, enforces HSE and QA/QC standards, supervises subcontractors and trades, manages materials and plant, administers contracts and change orders, and acts as the primary client and consultant point of contact during construction and handover. Success requires strong technical knowledge of construction methods, regulatory compliance, schedule and cost control expertise, and excellent stakeholder and team leadership skills.

This job description is optimized for search and applicant screening (Construction Site Manager, Site Supervisor, Construction Management, HSE compliance, QA/QC, contract administration, scheduling, cost control, BIM, Primavera, MS Project, AutoCAD).

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Assistant Site Manager / Deputy Site Manager
  • Senior Site Engineer or Site Engineer
  • Foreman / Trades Supervisor

Advancement To:

  • Senior Site Manager / Construction Manager
  • Project Manager / Construction Project Lead
  • Head of Construction / Regional Construction Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Contracts Manager / Commercial Manager
  • Health & Safety Manager / HSEQ Manager
  • Estimating Manager / Pre-Construction Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead day-to-day site operations, coordinating multiple trades and subcontractors to achieve the construction programme milestones while maintaining strict adherence to safety, quality and environmental standards.
  • Develop, maintain and drive the construction schedule (using MS Project, Primavera or equivalent), update critical path activities daily, mitigate delays and communicate impacts to stakeholders and clients.
  • Own budget and cost-control activities on site: monitor labour and subcontractor costs, manage cost-to-complete forecasting, administer site-level change orders and variation claims, and support the project commercial team to minimize financial risk.
  • Implement and enforce HSE management systems and site-specific safety plans (including site inductions, toolbox talks, permit-to-work systems and incident reporting) to achieve zero harm and regulatory compliance (e.g., OSHA, CDM).
  • Oversee quality assurance and quality control processes: perform and document inspections, non-conformance management, hold points, witness testing, coordinate third-party inspections and ensure works are delivered to contract specification and drawings.
  • Manage procurement logistics for materials and plant on site: forecast requirements, coordinate deliveries, inspect incoming materials for conformance, manage storage, minimize waste and lock-up inventory control.
  • Supervise, mentor and evaluate site supervisory staff and operatives: allocate resources, set performance expectations, conduct performance reviews and implement training and competency programs.
  • Coordinate daily site briefings and weekly progress meetings with subcontractors, clients, consultants and the project team to resolve design queries, RFIs and buildability issues promptly.
  • Administer contract obligations on site: ensure subcontractors comply with their scope, manage contract documentation, process payment applications, review subcontract claims and escalate commercial issues.
  • Prepare and maintain comprehensive site records and reports including site diaries, progress photographs, quality records, incident reports, test certificates and as-built documentation for handover packages.
  • Lead practical completion and handover activities: coordinate commissioning, testing, snagging, client walkthroughs, punch lists and ensure delivery of complete as-built documentation and O&M manuals.
  • Conduct regular site audits and inspections for compliance with environmental management plans, erosion control, waste management, noise and dust mitigation and permit conditions.
  • Manage plant, equipment and temporary works on site: ensure maintenance schedules, operator competency, and safe systems for lifting, scaffolding and temporary works design and approval.
  • Review and coordinate shop drawings, construction drawings and design changes with the design team, provide timely site instructions and manage the impact of changes on cost and schedule.
  • Assess and manage site risks: perform method statements, Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), maintain risk registers, implement mitigation measures and escalate high-risk issues to the project director.
  • Resolve on-site conflicts and disputes between trades, subcontractors and stakeholders; apply commercial judgement to change requests and work collaboratively to avoid programme impacts.
  • Implement lean construction and productivity-improvement initiatives such as just-in-time deliveries, prefabrication coordination and workflow optimization to drive efficiency and reduce cost.
  • Ensure statutory compliance including building permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy, utility connections and local authority liaison throughout construction.
  • Coordinate commissioning and handover with commissioning engineers, MEP contractors and facilities teams to verify system performance, complete balances and site acceptance testing.
  • Drive continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned on site, contributing to post-project reviews and updating standard operating procedures and site templates.
  • Implement social and community engagement practices where projects impact neighbours, including managing complaints, site access and public safety measures.
  • Maintain a visible on-site leadership presence, attend pre-construction and coordination meetings, and represent the contractor at client and stakeholder meetings.
  • Perform scope verification and pre-construction reviews to validate buildability, site access, logistics and temporary works requirements before works commence.
  • Manage site security, welfare, and temporary facilities for workforces, ensuring compliance with labour regulations and contractor obligations.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the project team with accurate weekly and monthly progress reports, earned value updates and input to forecasted programme scenarios for senior management.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of the project’s quality and environmental management plans, and support internal audits.
  • Assist the commercial team with preparation of variation reports, substantiation of claims and supporting documentation for contract negotiations.
  • Participate in recruitment and onboarding for site-based personnel and promote cross-functional training opportunities to build bench strength on site.
  • Advise procurement on preferred suppliers and evaluate material performance based on on-site experience to improve future specifications.
  • Provide input to safety campaigns, toolbox topics, and competency requirements to drive site safety culture and reduce incidents.
  • Support post-occupation support during the defects liability period and manage the resolution of outstanding defects efficiently.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proven site management and construction delivery experience on buildings/infrastructure projects; deep knowledge of on-site construction methods, sequencing and temporary works.
  • Contract administration and commercial management experience (experience with NEC, FIDIC, JCT or equivalent contracts preferred).
  • Schedule management proficiency using MS Project, Primavera P6 or equivalent scheduling tools; critical path analysis and schedule recovery planning.
  • Cost control / budget management and proficiency in site-level forecasting, progress measurement and variations management.
  • Health, Safety & Environmental management knowledge including permit-to-work systems, incident investigation and statutory compliance (CDM, OSHA or applicable local regs).
  • Quality assurance and control processes including developing and enforcing hold points, inspection plans and as-built documentation.
  • Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, specifications, shop drawings and MEP layouts; experience with AutoCAD, BIM processes or Revit workflows a plus.
  • Experience managing subcontractor packages, procurement logistics, material certifications and supply chain coordination.
  • Competency in commissioning strategies and testing regimes for mechanical, electrical and building services.
  • Proficiency with construction site reporting tools and digital site management platforms (Procore, Aconex, PlanGrid or similar).
  • Practical knowledge of plant and lifting operations, scaffolding oversight and temporary works coordination.
  • Familiarity with sustainability and environmental compliance measures — waste management, erosion control and energy-efficient construction practices.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people management skills with ability to lead multi-disciplinary crews and subcontractor teams.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication; able to represent the contractor in client and consultant meetings and produce clear site reports.
  • Decisive problem-solving and conflict resolution under pressure with pragmatic commercial judgement.
  • Time management and organisational skills to prioritise competing on-site activities and enforce schedule discipline.
  • Stakeholder management and interpersonal skills to maintain productive client, consultant and community relationships.
  • Attention to detail and a quality-focused mindset to ensure deliverables meet contract and regulatory standards.
  • Resilience, adaptability and calm under pressure in fast-moving site environments.
  • Coaching and mentoring ability to develop junior staff and improve team capability.
  • Negotiation skills for managing subcontractor claims, variations and commercial disputes.
  • Continuous improvement mindset to identify productivity gains and implement safer, more efficient methods.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Building Services, Quantity Surveying or equivalent technical qualification.

Preferred Education:

  • Degree with professional accreditation (e.g., Chartered Builder, Chartered Construction Manager, MSc Construction Management) and/or certifications such as NEBOSH, IOSH, PMP or SMSTS/SSSTS.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Quantity Surveying
  • Architecture
  • Building Services / Mechanical & Electrical Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–15 years in construction roles with at least 3–5 years in a formal Site Manager or Deputy Site Manager capacity.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years of on-site management experience delivering medium to large scale projects (e.g., £5M+ / $5M+), with demonstrable track record in delivering projects on time and on budget.
  • Experience with contract administration (NEC, FIDIC or JCT), managing subcontractor packages and resolving commercial claims.
  • Demonstrated experience with HSE leadership, QA/QC systems and digital site management tools (BIM, Procore, Primavera or MS Project).
  • Experience working with multi-disciplinary teams, MEP coordination and complex commissioning/handover processes.
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