Site manager for construction sites
The site manager is the senior construction company representative on site. The site manager will generally be responsible to an office-based ‘contracts manager’.
The site manager’s role is the supervision and management of all site-based staff employed by the company to ensure that the project is delivered within their contractual obligations. The major responsibilities of the role are to:
- Advise and assist in overall planning.
- Plan and coordinate resources.
- Monitor and control progress and quality.
- Communicate with the consultant team.
- Provide feedback and reports to the client.
- Ensure that all aspects of the project are carried out in accordance with statutory requirements.
- Ensure that all aspects of the project are carried out in accordance with company policy.
- Make safety inspections and ensure construction and site safety.
- Assess and minimise risks.
- Help negotiate contracts and secure permits and licences.
The contractor's other site-based staff will consist of some or all of the following personnel:
- General foreman.
- Trade foreman.
- Ganger.
- Operatives.
- Site engineer.
- Planner.
- Other support staff:
- Bonus surveyor.
- Contractor's cost controller.
- Buyer.
- Clerical staff.
The text in this article is based on an extract from HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION, by David Eaton, Salford 2008. It was developed as part of the Construction Managers’ Library – created within the Leonardo da Vinci (LdV) project No: PL/06/B/F/PP/174014, entitled: “Common Learning Outcomes for European Managers in Construction”. It is reproduced here in a slightly modified form with the kind permission of the Chartered Institute of Building.
NB Roles in construction projects: analysis and terminology, by Hughes, W. and Murdoch, J. R, published in 2001 by the University of Reading, defines the site agent as: ‘The builder’s representative on site’. It defines the site manager as: ‘A builder’s employee responsible for co-ordinating the work on site.’
