One of the keys to successful construction project management is having a reliable construction project manager. This pivotal role comes with its own set of challenges, demanding a unique combination of skills and expertise. In this article, we’ll delve into the construction project manager’s roles and responsibilities, and the essential skills they should possess to navigate these challenges successfully.
Whether you’re an aspiring individual who wants to know how to become a construction project manager or a company seeking to hire a competent project manager for construction management, this is a valuable resource to provide you with some insights.
What Is the Role of a Construction Project Manager?
From monitoring the day-to-day activities of colleagues on a construction site to ensuring the project is finished on time and within budget, a construction manager has huge responsibilities critical to a project’s outcome. Beyond managing a project itself, the responsibilities of a construction project manager also include reporting its progress regularly to the client and other stakeholders.
What Makes a Good Construction Project Manager?
The following are 10 key skills and competencies that a successful construction project manager should have.
1. Industry Knowledge
The construction sector is dynamic, with new materials and construction techniques being researched and developed each day. All top construction project managers have a firm foundation in the basics of managing a construction project while also being aware of the innovative strategies and methodologies that they can leverage to reach their goals. In short, construction project manager actively seeks industry knowledge to stay updated and continuously improve their skills.
2. Flexible Planning
Over the course of a construction project, things don’t always go as planned. Small changes can easily snowball into large ones. Therefore, it is important that project managers in the construction industry have the flexibility to adapt to changes and plan adequately to prepare for them. They need to have a firm grasp of the project and the foresight for developments that may affect the timeline and overall plan. A good construction project manager knows that planning never ends in the pre-construction phase and they should continue revising and developing plans until the project ends. That’s why most construction PMs rely on Gantt charts to keep track of all the moving parts of the project.
3. Communication
Any given construction project has several stakeholders, including the client, outsourced suppliers, subcontractors, and others. Being on the same page is of utmost importance. Ensuring that a project is smooth sailing relies on the collaboration of all parties. From the back office functions responsible for securing the appropriate paperwork such as contracts, notices to preserve the right to file mechanics liens if necessary, and change orders, to the day-to-day field operations personnel on the job site, it is the construction project manager’s responsibility to talk to these people, update them about the status of the project, and ensure tasks are dispatched and executed. Miscommunication can lead to construction mishaps. Hence, construction project managers should possess outstanding communication skills and abilities to express themselves clearly in order to manage a construction project effectively.
4. Organization
In the construction industry, project overlaps are inevitable, requiring construction project managers to adeptly transition between assignments. A good construction project manager maintains a high level of organization to be able to keep up and stay on top of things. They have the knack for determining which things matter most and which ones can be pushed back, keeping the project time-efficient and within schedule.
5. Risk Management
Murphy’s Law states that any possible mishap can occur. There is an inherent risk in the potential for changes to occur from the initial plan. Thus, risk management is one of the important construction management skills for project managers. The project manager, along with their team, should be able to determine potential risks and devise a plan to address them even prior to project commencement.
6. Negotiation
Talking with stakeholders involves a lot of negotiation, particularly in matters pertaining to budget allocation, resource planning, change orders, and scope creep. Knowing how to negotiate well is one of the crucial skills that a construction project manager needs to possess. They need to be able to say no to unfeasible client expectations, disagree with suggestions that they think will negatively impact the project, and compromise if needed.
7. Financial Management
A construction project cannot start without a proper budget plan. Managing the finances of a project is one of the biggest responsibilities of a construction project manager as any small change can result in the project going over budget. They need to be able to track project spending and make forecasts, and even explore other opportunities for financing.
8. Micromanagement Avoidance
In an industry where projects are large and complex, micromanagement is a waste of time. The best construction project managers trust that their colleagues and team members have the skills to complete their tasks. By delegating tasks and clearly explaining the job to be done, they avoid getting caught in the project’s minutia and instead focus on the job’s results.
9. Technological Affinity
While the construction industry is still one of the least digitized sectors, it is slowly but surely catching up with the latest technological trends. For this reason, construction project managers need to have an affinity for the latest innovations that can help improve efficiency, collaboration, and success rates.
10. Openness to Feedback
A good project manager may have solid industry knowledge and extensive management experience, but it is still crucial for them to remain receptive to feedback. There are things that experienced field workers notice that even the best construction project managers may not. For this reason, a project manager should be open to feedback not just from clients and bosses but also from colleagues and team members.
Building a Successful Construction Project Management Team
Being a construction project manager requires many skills and competencies as the role entails important responsibilities. As construction projects increase in scale and complexity, it is critical for business owners to choose the best candidates for the role when hiring a project manager for construction and provide them with the necessary training to excel in these skills. Construction project managers should also recognize the importance of ongoing professional development and continue equipping themselves with these essential project management skills to ensure long-term career success.
About the Author: Patrick Hogan is the CEO of Handle.com, where they build software that helps contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers with late payments. Handle.com also provides funding for construction businesses in the form of invoice factoring, material supply trade credit, and mechanics lien purchasing.
