Construction Project Manager Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

What Does a Construction Project Manager Do?

A construction project manager oversees and coordinates all aspects of a construction project from start to finish. The professional must be well-versed in construction methodologies and processes, possess strong leadership skills, and be able to think creatively. As well as coordinating the work of architects, engineers, and contractors, a construction project manager develops project plans, schedules, and budgets. The project manager must obtain necessary permits and licenses, oversee the procurement and sourcing of materials and equipment, and monitor the progress of the project.

Construction project managers must ensure that all regulations and procedures are followed to ensure a safe working environment. Cost control is also important, and the manager must manage the budget effectively. Communication is key in this role, and the construction project manager must maintain regular communication with stakeholders, including the client, project team, and regulatory agencies, and provide project status reports and updates as needed.

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National Average Salary

Construction project manager salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

The average U.S. salary for a Construction Project Manager is:

$98,346

Construction Project Manager Job Descriptions

The first step when hiring a great construction project manager is a well-crafted job description. Below are real-world examples to help give you the best chance of success on your recruiting journey.

Example 1

If you are an expert at resource allocation and love guiding a project to success from start to finish, then you could be the perfect fit for our construction project manager at [Your Company Name]. Construction project managers oversee the entire spectrum of the building process. They work closely with the architects, engineers, employees, sub-contractors, and clients to build plans, establish costs and timelines, and gather permits. They also distribute resources, manpower, handle risk and time management, and maintain relationships with clients during the project’s lifespan.

Typical duties and responsibilities

  • Prepare estimates for clients
  • Meet with clients during the project
  • Schedule workers for projects
  • Meet with architect and construction workers at the job site
  • Negotiate with vendors and subcontractors
  • Monitor progress on projects
  • Meet deadlines
  • Process change orders

Education and experience

  • Construction project managers need a high school diploma or equivalent. Students should go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in a field such as civil engineering or construction management. Internships help a lot, as they provide valuable on-the-job training. A master’s degree, although not required, improves graduates’ career opportunities. Certifications also are available.

Required skills and qualifications

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
  • Time-management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
  • Technical and computer skills for scheduling and budgeting
  • Ability to manage risks and deal with change
  • Outstanding decision-making skills
  • Calm, professional demeanor
  • Keen attention to detail

Preferred qualifications

  • 5+ years managing a team of constructions workers or general contractors
  • Ability to manage multiple ongoing large projects
  • Bachelor’s degree in construction management, business, or related field
  • Bilingual/Spanish-speaking

Example 2

The ideal Construction Project Manager for this position is an experienced construction professional who is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the building process through completion.

Description

  • Provide overall leadership to entire project team
  • Manage and develop assigned staff toward maximum job performance and career potential
  • Build and maintain rapport with architects, subcontractors, and vendors
  • Understand and administer contract and subcontract agreements
  • Establish, communicate, and implement the Project Schedule
  • Manage budget and financial reporting * Interpret and analyze reports to ensure adherence to project budget
  • Manage the Quality Assurance/Quality Control program
  • Provide leadership in risk evaluation, contract negotiations, and fee and pricing decisions

Profile

  • 3+ years’ experience in Commercial Construction Project Management
  • Degree in Construction Management or related field strongly preferred
  • OSHA certification preferred
  • Proficient in project management software
  • Effective communication skills, both written and verbal

Example 3

This manager will become an integral part of the construction team and under the management of our Directors of Construction. As an experienced Construction Project Manager, you will work with our in-house project Design Team and other licensed Professional Engineers, Governing Authorities, Subcontractors and Clients to manage construction projects in the food, beverage, and Life Science manufacturing sectors. Our Construction Manager will interface with our fortune 500 clients, who are industry leaders, to provide quality project execution and will require travel to our various client facilities.

Some traits and skills wanted for this position are Experience on the contract administration side of construction projects, negotiating contracts, develop schedules, budgets and estimating. Putting bids together for buyouts and final presentation, Familiar with one or more SW packages such as Procore, Bluebeam, MS Project, Office, Outlook, Timberline, AutoCAD, Revit.

Responsibilities:

Responsible for effective (safe, quality, timely, cost effective) execution of industrial construction project work on site, through planning, coordination and control of construction resources, and activities from inception to project closeout.

  • Responsible for ensuring that all materials of construction and methods of construction conform to company, industry, and regulatory standards, specifications, and requirements
  • Responsible for managing the entire contractor bidding process from assembly of bid packages, conducting job walks, evaluating bids, and coordinating contractor mobilization activities
  • Will work as an extension of the client’s project team including Project Manager, Site Engineer, and Plant Manager

Requirements:

  • Ideal applicant will have some experience in various construction roles, such as; (Project Engineer, Site Superintendent, Construction Project Manager)
  • Minimum 8+ years experience as a construction manager (Industrial structures experience needed) with overall project responsibility ideally gained from an A&E design build firm
  • Highly desired is any experience as a construction manager in industrial structures aimed at the food, beverage, and consumer products, pharmaceutical, or related industries
  • Successfully completed industrial projects with values ranging from $50K to $50M
  • Project experience and working knowledge of process systems and ability to read P&IDs
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and MS Project is desired
  • Manufacturing site experience is preferred
  • Relocation for this position is not required. This is intended as a permanent career position. We are looking for highly qualified applicants either local to one of our 45 offices or established airport and transportation services
  • Travel – Flexibility for travel to jobsites. Most of this travel will be regional to construction jobsites or for assignments at client facilities to provide supervision oversight of construction activities

Education:

  • BS Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related technical degree field
  • Equivalent years of experience in Construction Management for manufacturing facilities can be substituted for degree

Licenses and certifications:

  • Completion of OSHA 10- or 30-hour training required
  • Construction Project Management accreditation/certification (or equivalent experience)

Example 4

Our continued growth has created an immediate need for Construction Project Managers for high profile building/infrastructure projects throughout the Metropolitan NY area.

Responsibilities

  • Coordinate construction efforts on multiple projects in design
  • Manage project team
  • Provide administrative oversight for all phases of work
  • Oversee/Inspect the work of contractors, provide progress reports, contract correspondences, manage the submittals, requisitions, and change order processes
  • Communicate directly with the client
  • Provide technical evaluations, advice, and guidance
  • Manage multi-contractor projects as well as contractor compliance with project documents

Qualifications

  • Candidate must have a degree from an accredited college in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field
  • Ability to manage multiple projects
  • Minimum of 8 years of experience in construction involving multiple phases of large-scale building/rehabilitation projects
  • A minimum of 4 years experience in a role of Project Manager responsible for large-scale projects valued above $10 million, with an extensive knowledge of all facets of construction and construction documents
  • Ability to manage various projects using established controls and procedures
  • Provide job site leadership in all areas of scheduling, safety and quality
  • Experienced coordinating with designers handling any critical issues pertinent to the project or the client/facility
  • Full knowledge of the change order and cost review process and the review/approval of contractor’s payment application

Candidate Certifications to Look For

  • Project Management Professional. The PMP is one of the best certifications candidates can obtain if they’re interested in moving into a position as a construction project manager. This widely recognized certification will demonstrate candidates possess the fundamental skills to produce tangible results, lead teams, and finish projects.
  • Certified Construction Manager. The CCM, provided by the Construction Management Association of America, offers two separate and distinct certifications depending on where candidates are at in their journey. This is typically referred to as the gold standard, and should be highly considered if not already obtained.
  • Certified Professional Constructor. The American Institute of Constructors offers two levels of certification. Candidates can become associate constructors, and then the CPC. The certification course takes a comprehensive look at effective and efficient practices for construction and requires the holder to adhere to the AIC Code of Ethics, serving as a show of a candidate’s character.

Sample Interview Questions

  • Could you briefly describe your management style?
  • What was the largest project you’ve ever been a part of?
  • What do you consider the most enjoyable aspects of a project manager’s job?
  • Do you have your PMP? If not, are you considering getting it?
  • In your mind, what are the core aspects of a project manager?
  • Tell me about a time you had a project go over budget. What did you do?
  • What would you consider to be the primary daily duties of a construction project manager?
  • What would you consider to be the major hurdles and obstacles of a construction project manager? How do you go about avoiding or resolving these?
  • How do you go about prioritizing tasks on the worksite?
  • What kinds of projects have you worked on in the past?
  • Can you describe a time you resolved a major issue on a project? What were the problems and the resolution?
  • Have you ever run into communication issues on the worksite? What happened?

About Ashley Mapelli

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