What does an assistant project manager do?

The construction or project superintendent's role is to oversee the operations of construction sites, from the planning phase to completion. They have varied duties and responsibilities based on specific projects that include scheduling and budgeting, communicating and negotiating with external partners, and acquiring materials and equipment. A construction superintendent also earns construction permits, resolving on-site emergencies and issues, and supervising staff. This position requires several skills, including a degree in construction management or a similar field, relevant experience, and in-depth knowledge of construction processes and operations.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an assistant project manager are more likely to require skills like "purchase orders," "work ethic," "sub contractors," and "meeting minutes." On the other hand, a job as a project superintendent requires skills like "quality standards," "safety program," "cleanliness," and "oversight." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

A project administrator is an individual who assists the project manager in the preparation, reporting, and analysis of projects. Project administrators are given tasks with administrative responsibilities such as managing the budget for supply orders, coordinating meetings with contractors, and doing site visits. They are involved with hiring staff members for a project and creating employee guidelines based on talents, skills, and abilities. Project administrators are also responsible for providing reports on the project's progress to the top management.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, assistant project manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "construction management," "general contractors," "work ethic," and "sub contractors." Meanwhile, a project administrator has duties that require skills in areas such as "customer service," "data entry," "project administration," and "excellent organizational." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

A project associate (PA) is an individual who ensures that the activities of a project are running smoothly and properly implemented. Project associates are required to provide administrative coordination support to assigned projects and maintain project pending lists and meeting agendas. They must review and process invoices from consultants, subcontractors, and vendors to ensure that they are according to the project's requirements. In collaboration with the senior project officer, project associates should also assist in tracking and documenting project deliverables.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, assistant project managers are more likely to have skills like "construction management," "general contractors," "construction projects," and "purchase orders." But a project associate is more likely to have skills like "data collection," "data analysis," "data entry," and "excellent interpersonal."

Project estimators are professionals who are responsible for calculating the total costs that are associated with a construction project or the development of a new product. These estimators are required to monitor project cost and quality construction development while conducting formal presentations to clients about data findings, material takeoff, and project costs. They are required to work with the project management team to develop project accounting and bill-of-materials process. Project estimators must also attend pre-bid meetings and site walk to determine the scope of work and finalize proposals for review by the client.