What is a Site Manager in Construction?
A Site Manager in Construction is the person on site that has the responsibility and oversight of the construction site on a day-to-day basis. This job role oversees the work to ensure that the project comes in on-budget and on-time. They often report to the Project Manager, and on larger projects, there may be multiple ones taking care of different packages.
They will also be responsible for the staff on-site, including the hiring of them. This role can often be called Construction Site Manager, Construction Manager or Site Agent.
What does a Site Manager do?
Daily duties vary dependent on the size of, the type of and the stage of the project. Their seniority level also reflects the responsibilities, as a Junior may only manage smaller ‘packages’ of the project, Seniors can have responsibility for larger, more advanced works.
A typical day’s duties for a Site Manager may contain:
- Setting up (pre-construction) of a site, including installing temporary offices, welfare and facilities.
- Ensuring the construction works are performed correctly, to plan.
- Hiring and managing staff.
- Reporting on the progress of a project, both budgetarily and in the stages of the work.
- Solving issues that arise on-site.
- Managing the site’s health and safety.
- Sourcing and arranging the materials.
How Much Can I Earn as a Construction Manager
The going rate for a Site Manager depends on many factors, including the type and size of the construction site that they are working on, the location and the experience required by the employer. Additionally, different industries (such as Rail, Highways and Utilities) have different levels of entry requirements and additional responsibilities.
As an overview, we’ve listed some average salaries for this role in regions across the UK:
- London — £51,522pa
- Birmingham — £43,079pa
- Edinburgh — £44,404pa
- Belfast — £34,884pa
Source: Adzuna Salary Data
A Construction Site Manager will often work 40-50 hour weeks and be paid on a day or hourly contract rate basis.
Site Manager Required Skills and Qualifications
There are two main routes to becoming a Site Agent on a Construction Site. Either through Higher Education (University Degree) or by working your way up and gaining the required experience in the industry.
If you are looking to becoming a Site Manager and wish to take the Higher Education route, then a Civil, Construction or Structural Engineering degree would be strong qualifications to achieve. A Project Management degree would also be a likely entry.
If you do not have a degree, then having strong experience on-site, across a variety of roles, could also be an option to becoming one. To take this route, you’ll need to gain your Construction Site Management NVQ Level 6 Diploma as a minimum. Employers will look for a history of site experience across a variety of roles, which should include supervisory experience.
No matter what route you choose into Construction Site Management, most sites in the UK will require that you have a CSCS Manager (Black) Card and a have a Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) qualification. These qualifications have their pre-requisites, so ensure that you have read them before applying.
How to Become a Construction Manager
There are various ways to get notified of and discover new Site Manager jobs available. One of which includes being recognized on the sites that you are working on. By demonstrating a high level of skill, reliability, and willingness to take on additional responsibilities, your employer (or recruitment agency). Do not be afraid of putting yourself forward for development opportunities as you progress your career and have a conversation with your employer about your ambition to become a site manager.
Site Manager Jobs
If you have the required skills and qualifications, you can proactively search and apply for Site Manager jobs on construction-related job boards. Some of the most popular include:
We often have these jobs available, you can browse and apply for our available ones at the link below.
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