Construction Managers

Description

Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.

Tasks

Schedule the project in logical steps and budget time required to meet deadlines.
Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems.
Prepare contracts and negotiate revisions, changes and additions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers and subcontractors.
Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
Interpret and explain plans and contract terms to administrative staff, workers, and clients, representing the owner or developer.
Plan, organize, or direct activities concerned with the construction or maintenance of structures, facilities, or systems.
Take actions to deal with the results of delays, bad weather, or emergencies at construction site.
Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes, or other regulations.
Study job specifications to determine appropriate construction methods.
Select, contract, and oversee workers who complete specific pieces of the project, such as painting or plumbing.
Obtain all necessary permits and licenses.
Direct and supervise workers.
Develop or implement quality control programs.
Investigate damage, accidents, or delays at construction sites, to ensure that proper procedures are being carried out.
Determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites.
Evaluate construction methods and determine cost-effectiveness of plans, using computers.
Requisition supplies or materials to complete construction projects.
Direct acquisition of land for construction projects.
Apply green building strategies to reduce energy costs or minimize carbon output or other sources of harm to the environment.
Develop construction budgets that compare green and non-green construction alternatives in terms of short-term costs, long-term costs, or environmental impacts.
Develop or implement environmental protection programs.
Implement training programs on environmentally responsible building topics to update employee skills and knowledge.
Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with environmental regulations.
Perform or contract others to perform prebuilding assessments, such as conceptual cost estimating, rough order of magnitude estimating, feasibility, or energy efficiency, environmental, and sustainability assessments.
Procure Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) or other environmentally certified professionals to ensure responsible design and building activities or to achieve favorable LEED ratings for building projects.

Knowledge

Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Engineering and Technology: Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Management of Financial Resources: Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Work Activities

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Work Context

Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Letters and Memos: How often does the job require written letters and memos?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment: How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets: How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Freedom to Make Decisions: How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Interests

Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Work Style

Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Leadership: Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence: Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Analytical Thinking: Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values

Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Related Occupations

Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers

Cost Estimators

Appraisers, Real Estate

Range Managers

Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers

Construction and Building Inspectors

Lay Titles

Brickmason Contractor

Bridges and Buildings Supervisor

Building Construction Contractor

Cement Contractor

Concrete Foreman

Construction Area Manager

Construction Consultant

Construction Contractor

Construction Coordinator

Construction Foreman

Construction Manager

Construction Project Manager

Construction Superintendent

Construction Trades Contractor

Constructor

Contractor

Developer

Drilling and Production Superintendent

Drywall Contractor

Electrical Contractor

Estimator

Excavating Contractor

General Contractor

Home Improvement Contractor

House Wrecker

Job Superintendent

Land Developer

Landscape Contractor

Maintenance of Way Superintendent

Masonry Contractor

Mine Superintendent

Mine Supervisor

Painting Contractor

Paperhanger Contractor

Paving Contractor

Plastering Contractor

Plumbing and Heating Contractor

Plumbing Contractor

Project Manager

Project Superintendent

Property Developer

Railroad Construction Director

Road Contractor

Roofing Contractor

Sewer Contractor

Sheet Metal Contractor

Site Manager

Street Contractor

Street Supervisor

Wrecker

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $39.8 hourly, $82,790 annual.

Employment (2008):: 207,580 employees