There are a wide range of career options available in the construction industry and for those who wish to pursue a managerial path, becoming a Site Manager or Project Manager can be great options.
What is the difference between a Site Manager and Project Manager?
While both jobs are geared around delivering a construction project against a set criteria, they do have slightly different responsibilities. A Project Manager will get involved from the very start and remain engaged throughout the whole process, where as a Site Manager will only come onboard once the construction phase begins. The Site Manager’s main responsibility is to make sure that the project is technically sound and that the build meets strict construction guidelines. The Project Manager, on the other hand, would be responsible for a much broader range of tasks from even before the construction phase begins.
What is the role of a Site Manager?
A Site Manager role can also have the job titles of Construction Manager, Building Manager or Site Foreman. Typically, a Site Manager is responsible for overseeing operations of the whole site on a day-to-day basis and that a project finishes on time and in budget. It’s a wide-ranging role involving different tasks everyday - you will be liaising with a variety of people to get the job done such as architects, surveyors and builders to ensure a project is on track and there are enough staff, machinery and materials for the project. Site Managers can also responsible for taking on labour and preparing the site, including installing temporary offices and facilities before construction work starts.
With larger projects, a Site Manager may report into a Project Manager.
What does a construction Project Manager do?
A Project Manager will be involved in all the various streams of a project which will involve overseeing all phases such as site selection, planning, design, procurement, marketing, financial, compliance and be involved from start to finish. This job role is much broader than purely focusing on the construction build as they are responsible for the overall success of the project. The main construction project manager responsibilities are overall project planning, distributing resources, time management, risk management, creating benchmarks, managing the budget, managing staff, and managing relationships with key stakeholders.
If you’re interested in applying for a Site Manager or Project Manager role see our latest vacancies.
