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What does a site/project manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
What does a site/project manager do

Site/project managers are professionals who are responsible for managing construction projects and ensuring that these projects are completed on time and within budget. These managers must make sure that the projects are following the specifications and requirements of their clients while liaising with quantity surveyors to monitor costs. They must supervise construction as well as select tools and materials to be used in completing construction projects. Site/project managers must also conduct safety inspections to ensure that construction sites are following health and safety protocols.

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Site/project manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real site/project manager resumes:

  • Supervise employees to achieve maximum quality control and customer satisfaction.Employee HR management, inventory control, payroll and expense management.
  • Verify compliance with plans (prints), specifications, and all OSHA requirements.
  • Execute many hands-on carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and site preparation aspects of projects.
  • Communicate and/or partner with other engineering disciplines (electrical, HVAC, structural and mechanical) to complete design or installation.
  • Develop and introduce a comprehensive safety program per OSHA standards.
  • Direct oversight of construction, commissioning, turnover and transition to operation of each facility.
  • Provide oversight and documentation during the removal of gasoline UST systems involving several potential responsible parties.
  • Create reports and dashboards for upper management base on enterprise CRM data to identify business opportunities and make strategic decisions.
  • Review RFDS and request and changes to RFDS from the RF engineer.
  • Conduct individual team productivity and QA evaluations for monthly competencies used for quarterly bonus awards.

Site/project manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 22% of Site/Project Managers are proficient in Project Management, Infrastructure, and Oversight. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Business skills, and Customer-service skills.

We break down the percentage of Site/Project Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Project Management, 22%

    Provided project management, coordination and support for client implementations Additional work history available upon request Certifications & Education

  • Infrastructure, 10%

    Supervised a cabling infrastructure installation team of 5-10 employees on numerous cable infrastructure installation projects.

  • Oversight, 7%

    Provided oversight and documentation during the removal of gasoline UST systems involving several potential responsible parties.

  • General Contractors, 6%

    Facilitated Construction calls with multiple Turf Vendors/General Contractors to take sites from construction into integration.

  • Construction Management, 5%

    Provided construction management for major renovations to large executive buildings.

  • Construction Projects, 5%

    Possessed total responsibility for commercial and residential construction projects.

Most site/project managers use their skills in "project management," "infrastructure," and "oversight" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential site/project manager responsibilities here:

Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a site/project manager to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "construction managers must be able to plan strategies, investigate project cost variances, and solve problems over the course of a project." Site/project managers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "analyzed site specific documentation such as construction drawings, bp applications, zoning drawings, finished ordinance reviews, etc. "

Business skills. Another essential skill to perform site/project manager duties is business skills. Site/project managers responsibilities require that "construction managers need to prepare and follow project budgets, hire and manage staff, and coordinate with other workers and managers." Site/project managers also use business skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "generated over $2m in new business development construction management projects. "

Leadership skills. A commonly-found skill in site/project manager job descriptions, "leadership skills" is essential to what site/project managers do. Site/project manager responsibilities rely on this skill because "construction managers must effectively delegate tasks to construction workers, subcontractors, and other lower level managers to ensure that projects are completed accurately and on time." You can also see how site/project manager duties rely on leadership skills in this resume example: "promoted to project manager based on proven leadership, communication, and project management skills. "

See the full list of site/project manager skills

The three companies that hire the most site/project managers are:

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Compare different site/project managers

Site/project manager vs. Construction superintendent

A construction superintendent's role is to oversee all construction plans and operations, ensuring quality completion within a specified timeframe. Some of their responsibilities are to inspect all sites, coordinate with contractors and engineers, manage the budget and expenditure, purchase necessary materials and equipment, and make schedules. Aside from producing daily progress reports, a construction superintendent also addresses issues and concerns should there be any. Furthermore, they must implement all safety regulations and policies to maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

If we compare the average site/project manager annual salary with that of a construction superintendent, we find that construction superintendents typically earn a $1,785 higher salary than site/project managers make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both site/project manager and construction superintendent positions are skilled in project management, general contractors, and construction management.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between site/project managers and construction superintendent. For instance, site/project manager responsibilities require skills such as "infrastructure," "oversight," "construction projects," and "real estate." Whereas a construction superintendent is skilled in "construction sites," "safety program," "punch list," and "customer service." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Construction superintendents earn the highest salaries when working in the energy industry, with an average yearly salary of $99,237. On the other hand, site/project managers are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $96,864.construction superintendents tend to reach lower levels of education than site/project managers. In fact, construction superintendents are 7.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Site/project manager vs. General contractor

The job of general contractors is to oversee the day-to-day operations of projects in the organization. General contractors are considered seasoned experts when it comes to home improvement. They provide the material, equipment, labor, and services for a construction project. Often, they hire specialized subcontractors who will be working on some part of the construction work. They should have attained a bachelor's or associate's degree in construction management. Their experience in the industry is highly coveted.

General contractor positions earn lower pay than site/project manager roles. They earn a $19,099 lower salary than site/project managers per year.A few skills overlap for site/project managers and general contractors. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "construction management," "construction projects," and "real estate. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real site/project manager resumes. While site/project manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "project management," "infrastructure," "oversight," and "general contractors," general contractors use skills like "plumbing," "safety regulations," "drywall installation," and "payroll."

General contractors earn lower levels of education than site/project managers in general. They're 7.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Site/project manager vs. Construction coordinator

A construction coordinator is in charge of overseeing the workforce and the workflow on a construction site, ensuring that all operations adhere to the standards, deadlines, budgets, and goals. Typically, it is their responsibility to liaise with clients and other professionals, organize work schedules, delegate tasks, and conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work. Furthermore, as a construction coordinator, it is essential to implement the safety rules and regulations to maintain a healthy and safe work environment for everyone.

On average scale, construction coordinators bring in lower salaries than site/project managers. In fact, they earn a $25,541 lower salary per year.site/project managers and construction coordinators both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "project management," "oversight," and "general contractors," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, site/project managers are more likely to have skills like "infrastructure," "logistics," "project scope," and "site acquisition." But a construction coordinator is more likely to have skills like "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "customer service," and "construction contracts."

Construction coordinators earn the best pay in the energy industry, where they command an average salary of $65,498. Site/project managers earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $96,864.Most construction coordinators achieve a similar degree level compared to site/project managers. For example, they're 4.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Site/project manager vs. Project superintendent

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.

Project superintendents typically earn higher pay than site/project managers. On average, project superintendents earn a $11,816 higher salary per year.While their salaries may vary, site/project managers and project superintendents both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "project management," "oversight," and "general contractors. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "infrastructure," "customer satisfaction," "real estate," and "logistics" are skills that commonly show up on site/project manager resumes. On the other hand, project superintendents use skills like safety program, cleanliness, punch list, and ladders on their resumes.project superintendents enjoy the best pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $95,092. For comparison, site/project managers earn the highest salary in the finance industry.project superintendents reach lower levels of education compared to site/project managers, in general. The difference is that they're 5.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of site/project manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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