What is a Construction Manager? Learn Key Responsibilities, Skills, and Challenges

Are you a young professional exploring a career in construction? Or perhaps you’re keen to expand your knowledge about the industry… The construction sector is becoming increasingly complex and competitive, which makes it both scary and exciting to explore a career in construction. At the same time, the industry is suffering from historical labor shortages, with 67% of firms reporting challenges with labor and talent development, presenting excellent opportunities for construction professionals.

To understand the ins and outs of this massive sector, it pays to be aware of the people who comprise it and the prospective careers available. For that reason, we have put together a series of blog posts that deep-dive into various roles in construction, describing their key responsibilities, skills, educational paths, salaries, and much more. We discussed the role of a construction project manager in a previous blog. This insightful guide will explain all you need to know about the role of a construction manager.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways

• The construction manager (CM) oversees all aspects of a project’s construction phase. They use their industry knowledge, experience, and education to ensure a successful outcome.
• The tasks performed by the CM range from site management and subcontractor hiring to quality inspections and budget reviews, calling on their wide range of problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Safety management, unexpected delays, data overload, and workforce issues are among the greatest challenges CMs face today.
• A modern-day CM contributes to sustainable construction practices by setting appropriate goals, implementing waste reduction plans, and educating project teams on the importance of sustainable building. 
• Experienced construction managers around the world make a very good living, with an average annual salary of £63,223 in the UK and $99,713 in the US.

What Is a Construction Manager?

A construction manager (CM) is an experienced professional with extensive knowledge and experience in construction trades required to oversee all aspects of the construction phase for the overall delivery, leadership, and performance of the project’s on-site operations. They act as the owner’s and contractor’s principal representative on the ground and are ultimately accountable for ensuring that the project is executed safely, efficiently, on schedule, within budget, and to the required quality standards.

A CM is similar to a project manager, except that they focus specifically on the construction phase. They are usually the most senior position on a building site, often working in an office near or on the building site that allows them to collaborate regularly with engineers, architects, contractors, and other relevant stakeholders.

There is a lot of discussion about how to define construction managers with many companies and entities using their own definitions based on their needs and objectives. Some might define them as project managers (PMs), and others as site managers. For this blog, we will review this role based on the definition of CMs as the professionals who manage site operations, also known as site managers.

What Does a Construction Manager Do?

The main responsibility of a CM is to manage day-to-day activities on the construction site. This includes defining and overseeing schedules, implementing safety strategies, and managing personnel, among many other things. Let’s explore the core construction manager responsibilities.

Site management

As a key responsibility of the CM is to ensure efficient and successful site management, they must check that all the materials, equipment, and personnel are on-site as needed, ensure that all health and safety measures and protective equipment are available, deal with any job site issues, emergencies, or delays, secure permits, prove legal compliance, and just make sure that every facet of the operation is running smoothly.

Hiring and managing subcontractors

Another critical responsibility of this role is subcontractor management. This includes hiring subcontractors, negotiating terms and conditions of contracts, and defining work schedules, so the different trades can complete their work smoothly and efficiently. The CM keeps detailed records of subcontractor activities, including progress reports, invoices, and inspections to track and verify task completion.

Collaborate with other project stakeholders

Stakeholder collaboration is something you’ll find in any job description in the construction industry. That is because collaboration in construction projects is critical to success. The CM must collaborate daily with other project stakeholders like architects, engineers, subcontractors, etc. to ensure everyone is on the same page. Their on-site presence makes it easier to collaborate on activities and make timely decisions.

Report on construction progress

Being the main point of contact between the office and site staff, the CM is also responsible for developing construction reports to show progress to the PM. These reports include data about the status of the different activities, potential risks, and improvement opportunities to keep all stakeholders informed. These include recommendations or modifications that drive maximum productivity and efficiency.

Conducting quality inspections

The level of experience and expertise of construction managers qualifies them to carry out regular quality inspections to ensure the completed work meets client project, design, and regulatory requirements. If any quality issues are found, the CM is responsible for negotiating changes with the contractor and mitigating impact in terms of budget and schedule. They develop quality assurance strategies from early on to ensure that issues are spotted and addressed before the impact becomes any more significant.

Complete budget reviews

Construction manager duties include the continuous review of costs against budgeted amounts and the close tracking of project expenses. Their central role in the project team affords them access to expense information related to materials, equipment, and subcontractor labor that must be tracked and analyzed continuously to avoid cost overruns and unnecessary spending. The CM might also help to develop the baseline budget established during the planning phase.

Key Construction Manager Skills

So, with construction managers tasked to oversee many activities and people, it means that they require some essential construction manager skills, including:

• Construction knowledge: This is arguably the most critical skill a CM should have, which includes understanding the processes and activities related to construction, regulatory compliance, safety and health standards, industry trends and technologies, and more.
• Business skills: Besides industry knowledge, construction managers must also possess business acumen to enable them to plan budgets and schedules, hire and manage staff, and coordinate with different teams.
• Leadership skills: As the most senior position on-site, the CM must have leadership skills to guide, manage, train, and orient site personnel as they complete their work. They must lead by example as respectful management figures.
• Problem-solving skills: Unexpected problems are common on building sites. Construction managers must be equipped with problem-solving skills to react to these situations in a timely manner to minimize impact on the project. This is a skill likely only developed over years of experience dealing with the industry’s complexities.
• Time management skills: CMs need excellent time management skills to build a realistic schedule and coordinate all trades and activities based on priority – these skills are particularly key when dealing with unexpected situations.
• Communication skills: CMs must be able to communicate key information clearly and understandably, orally and in writing. This includes explaining technical terms to non-technical people, reporting status to project leaders, and providing constructive feedback to subcontractors and other team members.
• Analytical skills: Data in construction helps to inform strategies and identify issues or improvements in real time. CMs must have good analytical skills to make sense of project data and use it to their advantage.

What Challenges Do Construction Managers Face?

To put the responsibilities that come with the job into perspective for anyone looking to develop a career as a construction manager, it’s necessary to understand the challenges they face and get a complete picture of the role. It is equally important to understand how the appropriate construction software solutions can help tackle most of these challenges.

• Project delays: Change is inevitable in construction projects. And no matter how prepared the CM is, unforeseen situations and issues can be challenging to manage, especially when following a strict budget and schedule. Relying on professional construction planner software is a great way to manage and learn from these situations.
• Safety management: Construction hazards are one of the main challenges for construction project management. Worker safety is an all-time, top priority but ensuring all aspects are covered can be difficult. Investing in training programs and the right personal protective equipment (PPE) can make a big difference when dealing with safety concerns.
• Data management: The key CM task of progress reporting might sound straightforward but it can be challenging, especially in big projects where so much is happening simultaneously, and critical information can easily be lost or forgotten. Construction business intelligence technology can really help CMs to prevent this by automatically tracking data in real time, presented in a centralized location that anyone can access.
• Workforce management: Another challenge for the CM is managing multiple subcontractor teams simultaneously. To prevent delays, they must ensure the equipment and materials arrive on-site at an exact date and time. Efficient planning strategies are critical to tackling this challenge.

What Kind of Software Do Construction Managers Use for Their Work?

Even the most experienced CM needs technology to support their activities, especially to handle some of the challenges we’ve covered. Now, let’s explore some common software tools CMs use to support daily operations.

Site management software

As the name suggests, site management software is designed to help organize and monitor site activities. Construction managers use these solutions to support project scheduling and planning, safety and health regulation compliance, budget, and cost tracking, and much more.

Contract management software

As the person in charge of hiring and managing site personnel, CMs use professional construction contract management software to keep track of all contract documentation, change orders, and other details to maintain healthy relationships with workers and clients. RIB Candy is a great example of such a solution – it’s an intuitive platform that offers many powerful features to manage all aspects of a contract.

RIB Candy creates a centralized environment for accessing and sharing construction documents, with reporting capabilities to track upcoming deadlines and key milestones, cost management to integrate contract costs with the project budget, and an auditing tool to ensure contracts meet legal and regulatory requirements, among many other advanced features.

Collaboration and document management software

For CMs, daily collaboration and communication with other stakeholders must be seamless to be effective. Documentation, including drawings, construction specifications, schedules, budgets, and more, must be constantly shared and updated to keep everyone on the same page. To avoid version control issues that lead to miscommunications and costly mistakes, CMs rely on professional construction document management and construction collaboration software that manage and keep all their project documentation online and easily accessible. As a prime example, RIB CX’s powerful state-of-the-art document management platform offers a single source of truth where all project information and documentation can be accessed and shared in real time, boosting communication and collaboration.

RIB CX features a Publication Space tool that enables users to upload documents in various file formats and sizes in a secure and accessible way, with important information automatically updated to prevent issues due to misinformation.

Data analysis reporting software

In the past, reports were generated using static PowerPoint presentations or Excel spreadsheets. This is an inefficient relic in the context of modern-day, fast-paced projects that require important decisions to be made quickly. For that reason, CMs now rely on modern construction business intelligence software.

RIB BI+ with its intuitive construction analytics and reporting software is a prime example. It offers powerful business intelligence functionalities that help teams visualize data in real time and extract powerful insights for success. With just a few clicks, users can generate interactive reports in the form of visually appealing dashboards that make exploring data faster and easier. Plus, reports can be shared online and accessed from anywhere, meaning the CM can access the latest project data from their phone directly on-site.

How Do Construction Managers Contribute to Sustainable Construction?

The construction industry is responsible for 37% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it the largest contributor of any industry worldwide. Sustainable construction practices are intended to reverse this trend by building in a more environmentally responsible and efficient way. These practices include the selection of greener building materials as well as decisions that improve energy efficiency and reduce waste during both the construction and operational phases of a building.

As clients and occupants recognize the value of sustainable construction and the demand increases for green buildings, construction manager responsibilities have expanded to include the understanding and application of green principles throughout the project lifespan. The CM is expected to use their skills, knowledge and influence to implement and monitor sustainable construction practices that include:

Setting sustainability goals

Green building certifications like REACH and BREEAM utilize standardized metrics to review elements like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reusable and locally sourced materials, and clean energy use. The CM works with the client, contractor, and designers to set achievable goals early on, then tracks the progress of individual tasks to ensure these goals are achieved.   

Waste reduction practices

The CM can directly influence sustainable objectives by reducing material, energy, and water waste during construction. Waste management plans, waste audits, and sorting processes can be implemented to place more focus on waste reduction, while strategic logistics planning can minimize fossil fuel waste and emissions related to equipment and transportation.   

Team education

Construction manager skills combine technical acumen and team communication to educate contractors, foremen, and other stakeholders on sustainable practices. They can implement formal, interactive training programs, informal toolbox talks, and use the integration of construction management software tools to make it easier to track embodied carbon, fuel consumption, material waste, and other key metrics in real time.

A project-wide commitment and education is needed to keep sustainability goals from being overshadowed by cost or schedule priorities. Advanced practices like lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA) help to point out how higher initial costs for sustainable materials and practices are offset by long-term cost savings.

People Also Ask: Construction Manager FAQs

The CM role is nearly as old as the industry itself, with such key responsibilities and a role so integral to the successful delivery of a construction project, it’s easy to see why it has such a high profile. Let’s connect the final dots of interest on frequently asked questions on the job requirements, salary expectations, responsibilities, and prospects for CMs around the world.

How to become a construction manager

The construction manager role requires a high degree of technical and soft skills. Formal education and on-the-job experience can prepare you for this insightful profession.

Education

Given the complexity of the role, a CM’s career requires a high level of education. Their educational path usually starts with an undergraduate degree, which can be in construction, engineering, business, or related fields, where they learn about project control, design, cost estimation, materials, and more. These degrees also allow them to develop other essential skills like business management and communication.

Additional licenses and certifications, while not mandatory, can demonstrate a superior level of knowledge. In the US, CMs usually pursue a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) credential after passing an exam. The American Institute of Constructors (AIC) also awards the Certificate Associate Constructor (CAC) and the Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) credentials to applicants who meet specific requirements.

UK professionals working on a construction site must obtain a mandatory Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. Some employers also require a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and a Higher National Diploma (HND), which some universities offer as part of their degree programs. CMs can also become chartered by The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) to get additional professional recognition and increase their salary expectations.

Experience

CMs need plenty of experience before attempting to manage all aspects of the construction site, probably more than any other role. Many professionals start with lower level roles or apprenticeships to gain experience in specialty trades, construction processes, and common tools.

How much do construction managers earn?

As with any role in any industry, a CM’s salary varies depending on the type of company, its size, the type of project, the experience level, the country, and other contributing factors. However, there is always an average you can expect to earn. To date, the annual average amount is £63,100 in the UK, while in the US, it is around $99,935. Naturally, this amount can go up or down depending on the CM’s experience level, the nature of the job, and the current demand.

The outlook for this job is quite positive. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for construction managers will grow 9% through 2030. This is higher than other occupations as more construction job openings are being created due to economic growth and older professionals in similar roles retiring. 

Can a construction manager be a project manager?

These two roles are often confused or used interchangeably. They are similar in nature, but require different skills and oversee different things. On one hand, the PM oversees the entire project from start to finish and is the point of contact with the client. Conversely, the CM is focused on managing the construction phase and ensuring that day-to-day activities on-site go as expected. However, in small projects, a construction manager can also take on the PM role. At the end of the day, what is most important for this role is to have a lot of experience in the industry and make wise decisions that move the project forward.

What does a typical day look like for a construction manager?

If there is one certainty when describing construction manager duties, it is that no two days are exactly alike. As a project and team leader, the CM is likely to be involved with every key decision and obstacle impacting the project, while interacting with multiple stakeholders and specialists each day. This makes the role both challenging and rewarding for the right individuals.

As an example, Steven began his career as a PM for a software company, after earning a degree in Engineering, then worked in this industry for several years. Direct exposure to the construction industry led him to realize that the organizational and problem-solving skills he was developing were also being sought out by some of the top construction companies in the UK and the USA. After earning his CIOB charter, Steven made a successful transition to a CM role with a large employer.

After almost ten years on the job, a typical day still begins with morning briefings on-site to discuss progress, obstacles, and safety concerns with construction superintendents, subcontractors, foremen, and other team members. On most days, this is followed by a complete site walk to verify progress, address quality concerns, and ensure all aspects of the projects are progressing smoothly. Following these fact-finding tasks, it is not uncommon for Steven to conclude the morning hours sending and answering emails or calling other stakeholders to share information.

With Steven’s unique technical and software background, he likes to spend time each afternoon reviewing progress using tools like construction cost management software and building information modeling (BIM) platforms. These tools, along with contract management and document management software, allow him to compare the reality he sees on the jobsite each day with the information found in the digital realm. These tools also allow him to automate report generation and other tasks that were previously  performed manually and consumed too much time.

A typical day often concludes the same way it began: with site walks and face-to-face meetings to review progress over the course of the day and gather information that is not always available from the confines of the office. 

Can you become a construction manager without a degree?

Yes. While most CMs have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, it is possible to find a large percentage doing the job with a high school diploma, or even without having completed their college education. These statistics point to the value of hands-on experience and skills above all else, which opens the field up to those who have not earned a 4-year degree. In this case, apprenticeship programs and mentorships can provide a useful foundation to help you gain the necessary experience and make connections that will help you find new opportunities.

At the same time, the value of a college degree for CMs should not be overlooked, since most companies value this accomplishment – some will only accept candidates with college degrees in a related field. Having a bachelor’s or master’s degree also allows construction professionals to progress in their careers more quickly once they enter the industry. Regardless of the path chosen, professional certifications and licenses continue to be another great way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills.   

How do construction managers ensure projects stay on budget?

Cost and budget control are essential construction manager requirements, and they utilize a combination of upfront planning, accurate estimation, and continuous monitoring to keep projects within their established budgets. Using a work breakdown structure (WBS) helps to organize the scope of work into smaller elements that are easier to manage and track. Additional construction budget management responsibilities of the CM include:

• Participating in risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential budget risks like material price increases, weather delays, and scope changes.
• Implementing cost control practices to minimize spending on materials, equipment, and transportation while reducing the environmental impact.
• Reviewing invoices from subcontractors to prevent overcharges or mistakes from impacting the budget.

Reviewing financial reports and audit results regularly allows the CM to detect any trends in productivity or spending that need to be addressed with specific subcontractors, suppliers, or support staff. In this way, construction managers leverage their on-site presence to verify each dollar spent contributes to completed, high quality work.

What KPIs should construction managers track to measure success?

Measuring and monitoring success are critical construction manager responsibilities with a cross-section of key performance indicators (KPIs) available to CMs, including schedule metrics like completion percentage and schedule variance, and common financial KPIs like cost performance index (CPI) that reflect how well the project is performing vs. financial goals, using just a single number. A well-rounded approach will lead them to monitor safety incidents, training compliance, and defect rates that point to where focus is needed to ensure a successful result.

With so much information available, and so little time to waste, CMs must decide which construction KPIs to monitor and how to report on them. The digital tools and data available to construction managers make it easier than ever to monitor project and performance metrics to ensure that the budget, quality, safety, and schedule objectives of the project are tracking according to plan.

Final Thoughts

Construction managers are crucial to the successful completion of construction projects. They are the most senior position you’ll find on a construction site, bringing the necessary knowledge and experience to ensure all activities on-site are performed according to recognized quality and safety standards.

As our industry becomes increasingly complex, construction managers must keep up with the latest trends and innovations and support themselves with professional software to overcome common challenges and gain advantage over their competitors.

At RIB Software, we have decades of experience developing solutions tailored specifically for construction industry professionals. If you are ready to benefit from a complete toolkit of state-of-the-art construction solutions, get your free RIB Software demo today!

Book a Demo for RIB Software