So you are interested in pursuing a career as a construction site manager? This is a very important role on a job site, as you will be responsible for making sure that the work is done safely, within budget and on time – while upholding standards of quality.
When you are a site manager, you might be responsible for the entire site or perhaps part of a project – reporting to a more senior manager. You will also have the role of taking on staff, carefully planning the work, preparing the site and installing temporary offices for your site staff.
While the job is being carried out, you will be overseeing deliveries of materials, monitoring the progress of the work, addressing problems as they arise and carrying out safety checks. Also, being a site manager might mean that you need to keep in contact with members of your team at all times, as well as communicating with the engineers, planners and architects. It will also be your job to comply with building regulations, health and safety regulations in construction as well as many other legal requirements.
As the site manager, you will also be the communication link between the client and the sub-contractors. You will need to keep the client updated on the progress of the work, as well as answer any questions that they might have.
Hours and Working Environment
For most construction site managers, the standard 40 hour work week is the norm. However, sometimes you might need to work overtime in the evenings and weekends to meet a deadline. Also, construction work tends to have an earlier start and finish than most jobs that are office based.
You will be working on a construction site, which means that you will be outside in all types of weather. It is necessary to wear the right clothing and personal protective equipment while you are on the job. Also, the position might require working at height, such as if you need to inspect a roof. Also, the job can require travel between different construction sites, so that you can meet a range of different sub-contractors and clients.
If this role sounds like the right fit for you, how do you go about getting a job as a construction manager? Here are some important tips that you should keep in mind:
Get Some Construction Experience
In order to get into this job, you will need to have a foundation degree that is relevant or a HNC/HND degree. A relevant degree might include construction engineering, surveying and civil engineering and construction management. It is also possible to enter into this field from a background as an estimator, site supervisor and building technician.
It is recommended that you have some experience working on a construction site before you start studying to become a site manager. Having worked in this environment before will give you a deeper understanding of construction and how it works, as well as how each role in the workplace fits together. When you are applying for construction site manager jobs, the employer will want to see that you have experience in a building site workplace and that you are aware of what goes on there.
Also, this will give you a chance to understand whether or not working in construction is a good fit for you.
Make Sure That You Have The Right Safety Training
In order to be a successful construction site manager, it is also important to have the appropriate safety training for the job. When you are in a role of responsibility in the construction industry, you will need to have a thorough understanding of health and safety training, so that you can make sure your workplace is adhering to the current legal guidelines. It is actually a legal duty of site managers to ensure that their workers and the public are kept safe, as well as a moral duty to prevent accidents, injuries and death.
The training that is appropriate to this position is CITB SMSTS, which stands for Site Management Safety Training Scheme. This training is necessary and will teach site managers all that they need to know in order to complete with the laws and manage their site safely. The course includes CDM, creating method statements, site set up, conducting risk assessments and the safety risks of scaffolding, demolition, working in confined spaces and much more. In order to be awarded the qualification, it is necessary to attend a five day training course and pass the final examination at the end of the training. Once you pass the exam, your CITB certificate will be valid for five years.
What Skills and Traits Do You Need?
One of the most important traits of a site manager is organisation. You will need to be able to keep many details organised and stay on top of all the paperwork that comes along with the job. Also, you will need to have strong decision making skills because you will be in charge of making important choices about how the work is carried out.
Also, you will need to have the ability to understand the health and safety regulations of the industry in depth, so that you can apply these regulations to the workplace in order to keep your employees safe. A site manager must also have strong people skills, because they must be able to motivate and communicate with employees on all levels of the business. In this job it is necessary to be a “people person” as well as a confident and creative problem solver.
What is the Typical Salary?
On average, a site manager at a construction site can earn anywhere between £27,000 to over £45,000 per year – depending on the experience they have and where they are working. If you eventually become a senior manager, you could earn more than £70,000.
A construction site manager role can be an interesting and challenging career, so if this type of work appeals to you there are a lot of opportunities available out there.