WHAT DOES A CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATOR DO?

Published: September 26, 2024 – The Construction Administrator schedules service calls and creates new jobs in Foundation and Dropbox, ensuring timely follow-ups with clients regarding job status and billing. This role involves entering SOV, tracking budgets and costs, and managing billing and collections while assisting in contract management and daily administrative tasks. The administrator also interfaces with various stakeholders, oversees the OCIP and CCIP processes, and supports payroll, accounts payable, and employee orientation efforts.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Construction Administrator

1. Construction Administrator Duties

  • Project Management: Manage project budgets and financials in Procore.
  • Contract Management: Prepare and execute subcontract agreements, purchase orders, and change orders using DocuSign.
  • Purchasing Support: Provide purchasing support to project managers and superintendents.
  • Project Support: Support project start-up activities including site signage, mobilization of resources, set-up of field office, etc.
  • Project Close-Out: Support project close-out activities including preparation of Operations and Maintenance Manuals, warranty documents, demobilization from job sites, etc.
  • Subcontractor Management: Manage subcontractor qualification process.
  • Administrative Support: Provide general administrative support to the Construction Director (prepare reports, coordinate meetings, etc.).
  • Training Coordination: Coordinate training for construction team personnel, and maintain training and certification documentation.
  • Liaison: Serve as office liaison to field personnel regarding company policies, company functions, and general office administration.
  • Document Review: Review documents to determine conformance with established Firm practices and standards.
  • On-Site Inspection: Perform on-site inspections of building construction to ensure compliance with current structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical codes.

2. Construction Administrator Details

  • Contract Creation: Creates construction contracts and change order forms for subcontractors.
  • Contract Tracking: Tracks and follows up with contracts outstanding with vendors.
  • Invoice Processing: Processes all invoices and works with the team to achieve timely payment.
  • Lien Management: Receives Lien Waivers and determines if retention payment should be released.
  • Data Entry: Enters contracts and change orders into Yardi and tracks necessary approvals.
  • Insurance Management: Manages and validates subcontractors' insurance.
  • Bid Preparation: Takes responsibility for preparing bid packages.
  • Permit Tracking: Tracks permit and permit documentation.
  • Administrative Support: Provides administrative support to the Project Coordinator and Director of Tenant Improvement.
  • Cross-Department Assistance: Assists other departments with projects.

3. Construction Administrator Responsibilities

  • Contract Interpretation: Interpret construction Contract Documents, track the progress of work, and reconcile any conflicting interests of owners and contractors.
  • Construction Observation: Observe construction for conformity to construction drawings and specifications.
  • Communication Facilitation: Establish open lines of communication between the owner, contractor, and project staff.
  • Payment Review: Review the contractor’s requests for payment.
  • Report Preparation: Prepare field reports and records.
  • Travel Coordination: Coordinate monthly travel schedule to assigned job sites.
  • Relationship Management: Maintain favorable working relationships with clients and contractors.
  • Issue Consultation: Consult with and report on construction-related issues with the architectural project team and consultants.
  • Compliance Verification: Verify construction is according to approved plans.
  • Site Coordination: Coordinate site visits for various disciplines.
  • Progress Communication: Communicate construction progress back to the design team.

4. Construction Administrator Job Summary

  • Project Tracking: Proactively tracks project progress and coordinates schedules for timely completion.
  • Communication Facilitation: Facilitates communication between internal departments and external vendors.
  • Document Control: Document control responsibilities for drawings, plans, submittals, document logs, and specs, both electronically and in hard copies.
  • Filing Management: Manages an accurate and efficient filing system.
  • Material Ordering: Orders materials to ensure timely delivery according to schedule.
  • Quote Management: Checks sub-trade and vendor quotes, files received quotes and manages approvals.
  • Coordination: Coordinates with Site Supers, Project Managers, and Coordinators who oversee works on site, including attending site meetings and preparing meeting minutes.
  • Schedule Review: Reviews and updates project schedules.
  • Data Entry Support: Assists with data entry for invoicing and other project costing when needed.
  • Administrative Support: Performs other ad-hoc administrative duties as required by the construction team.

5. Construction Administrator Accountabilities

  • Administrative Support: Perform work in a variety of management and administrative tasks and provide executive support primarily to the Vice President of Construction and Maintenance.
  • Collaboration: Work closely and effectively with the Vice President to keep him well-informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities.
  • Prioritization: Prioritize conflicting matters, work proactively, and follow through on projects to successful completion.
  • Document Drafting: Draft and distribute agreements, contracts, and correspondence.
  • Document Collection: Collect insurance certificates, W9s, signed contracts, and other contract documents.
  • Material Purchasing: Purchase materials for property maintenance and construction projects.
  • Vendor Negotiation: Review and negotiate vendor pricing and contracts.
  • List Management: Maintain contact lists, material lists, and task lists.
  • Workflow Management: Manage workflow and assist with process and technology improvements.
  • Correspondence Management: Respond to routine correspondence and questions.
  • Project Tracking: Assist in the tracking of projects across the portfolio, obtaining bids, and ensuring work is completed.

6. Construction Administrator Functions

  • Construction Management Software: Use cloud-based construction management information systems such as PROCORE, e-Builder, Unifier, etc.
  • Meeting Preparation: Prepare meeting agendas and meeting minutes using construction software.
  • Document Coordination: Assist in the distribution and coordination of RFIs and shop drawings prepared by the Contractor in addition to other project documentation.
  • Dashboard Assistance: Assist the field staff with updating dashboards in SharePoint, and taking progress photos to update reports.
  • Invoice and Report Preparation: Assist in preparing and submitting the Engineer’s invoices, progress reports, and the review of the Contractor’s pay applications.
  • Office Support: Support the field staff with all office needs, including holiday PTO calendar coordination, ordering supplies, coordinating IT needs, scheduling, and ordering lunches, etc.
  • Log Maintenance: Maintain logs for materials testing, change management, samples, and shutdown requests using Excel spreadsheets.
  • Invoicing Support: Assist in monthly invoicing preparation and other construction management activities.
  • Contract Administration: Ensure that the contract document requirements are met throughout the construction experience by overseeing the construction contract administration and submittal log processes.
  • Bid Package Management: Manage the subcontractor, vendor, and supplier process by assembling bid packages that include the scope of work, bidding process, and necessary construction documents.
  • Closeout Package Compilation: Compile the closeout package including warranties, maintenance agreements, equipment information, and contractor contact information.
  • Quality Control Standardization: Standardize quality control process measures to ensure contracts, building, and code regulations are complied with.

7. Construction Administrator Job Description

  • Construction Administration Support: Provide construction administration support to clients, the pre-site and on-site construction team, and the wider business.
  • Client Communication: Deal directly with potential clients over the phone, by email, and in virtual meetings when required.
  • Client Experience Management: Proactively manage clients' experience from pre-site to handover.
  • Supplier Liaison: Liaise with suppliers and, when necessary, trades, to ensure jobs are proactively and efficiently moved to commencement on-site and through construction.
  • Client Engagement: Ensure clients are informed at all stages of engagement with them throughout their build process.
  • Issue Resolution: Identify, escalate, and resolve issues that arise to minimize disruption to construction and/or the client experience.
  • Problem-Solving: Proactively problem-solve issues that may arise before or during construction without affecting attitude toward work.
  • Collaboration: Work collaboratively with key business partners to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Team Support: Be flexible in your approach to helping and supporting other team members outside of the role.
  • Policy Adherence: Adhere to business policies and procedures, suggesting valuable improvements when identified.

8. Construction Administrator Overview

  • Performance Monitoring: Monitor and review the performance of outstanding construction credits and report to the manager on any developing/potential problem loans.
  • Document Review: Review closing loan documents to establish the foundation for ongoing compliance with stated business terms, ongoing communication with participants and investors, and covenant/reporting requirements.
  • Budget Management: Review inspection reports, maintain project budget models, and process construction loan advance requests.
  • Documentation Verification: Ensure draw documentation is complete, accurate, and consistent with the requirements outlined in the loan agreement.
  • Issue Identification: Identify concerns noted by the construction consultant, exercise judgment, independent action, and decision-making to resolve and notify the manager of extraordinary items that cannot otherwise be remedied.
  • Consultant Management: Manage third-party consultants to ensure timely inspections and reporting of work in progress, as well as the processing of pay applications, invoices, and other supporting documents.
  • Funding Preparation: Prepare internal funding notices for approval, as well as timely notifications delivered to participants/agent banks as applicable to ensure the availability of funds and timely funding of requested construction advances.
  • Loan Paydown Processing: Process and track loan paydowns on construction loans when funds are received from unit sales, where applicable.
  • Coordination of Payoffs: Coordinate loan payoffs and satisfactions with legal and loan operations.
  • Contact Management: Prepare and maintain loan contact lists on each account to centralize post-closing account information requirements (i.e., authorized signatories, property contact, project manager, etc.).

9. Construction Administrator Details and Accountabilities

  • Administrative Support: Provide ongoing administrative and organizational support to the office.
  • Organizational Management: Manage the executive office organizational system including filing, record keeping, and maintaining and updating various spreadsheets.
  • Project Documentation Management: Manage all aspects of project documentation and administration.
  • Project Administration: Perform full cycle project administration duties.
  • Interdepartmental Communication: Communicate daily with various departments and clients.
  • Issue Communication: Communicate project issues or questions back to the design team for their assistance in issue resolution.
  • Quality Review Participation: Participate in the in-house quality review process to ensure bidding documents are complete and coordinated, as well as to improve familiarity with the project.
  • Payment Activity Review: Review payment activity in each account to ensure large checks and wires are appropriate for the project, no unusual activity has taken place in the account, and concerns are researched and reported to the team leader.
  • Report Preparation: Prepare quarterly CRE Portfolio and construction progress spreadsheet reports for presentation to Senior Management.
  • Dashboard Analysis: Review dashboard reports to assist in the resolution of upcoming maturities, overdrawn accounts, past due loans, pending/due real estate tax payments, pending insurance issues, and outstanding covenant compliance issues.
  • Special Projects Management: Undertake special projects relating to CRE debt and loan portfolio administration as requested by the manager.

10. Construction Administrator Tasks

  • Site Management Assistance: Assisting with plotting new sites and updating existing sites on the Document Control system.
  • Overhead System Management: Assisting with and managing the Overhead System, delivering invoices, creating purchase orders, and manual payments.
  • Site Registration: Registering new development sites with building control and warranty providers and monitoring payments.
  • Information Tracker Management: Assisting with managing the all-department information trackers.
  • Consultant Agreement Management: Requesting and managing consultant framework agreements, long forms, and short forms.
  • Secretarial Support: Performing general secretarial duties for the department and providing support for other departments, including arranging meetings and CPD seminars.
  • Health and Safety Management: Maintaining the Health and Safety matrix and booking relevant training.
  • Filing System Management: Manage and maintain an effective online filing system.
  • Status Information Maintenance: Maintain status information sheets regarding the progress of various aspects of the Technical Department role, including the bond schedule, plot information schedule, and project directories.
  • Information Issuance: Issue Technical Departmental information to the rest of the Group.
  • Policy Compliance: Ensure familiarity with the Group's Health, Safety, and Environmental policies and comply with employee responsibilities.
  • Company Policy Adherence: At all times, comply with company policies, procedures, and instructions.

11. Construction Administrator Roles

  • Document Management: Order and distribute plans/specs and all other required documentation.
  • Bid Schedule Maintenance: Maintain bid schedule and estimated calendar.
  • Bid Document Handling: Handle pre-bid submissions (bid documents) and post-bid documents (up to contract award).
  • Bond and Insurance Requests: Request bonds and insurance requirements.
  • Team Management: Manage estimating team on bid day, as well as handle all electronic bid submissions.
  • Database Maintenance: Maintain subcontractor database (SmartBidNet).
  • Market Research: Research clients, market trends, upcoming projects, and background information.
  • QA/Application Influence: Influence and impact the direction of the QA/Application Delivery group.
  • Issue Resolution: Solve challenging issues with other talented engineers.
  • Data Entry: Perform data entry on Buildertrend, creating POs, and keeping the bids up-to-date on each job.
  • Vendor Follow-Up: Follow up with the vendors and subcontractors' daily activities.

12. Construction Administrator Additional Details

  • Spreadsheet Management: Update and maintain multiple spreadsheets and reports.
  • Bid Coordination: Work with General Contractors, subcontractors, and in-house Construction Team to send bid invites, review bids, process approvals, issue contracts, etc.
  • Material Estimation: Perform material take-offs and some estimating.
  • Permit Coordination: Contact local jurisdictions to prepare for permit submittal/approval and then follow up with the jurisdictions once the permit is submitted.
  • Architect Collaboration: Coordinate with architects to complete permit submittals and approvals.
  • Responsibility Adaptation: Adapt and evolve as responsibilities increase to changing conditions of the company’s requirements.
  • Cross-Department Coordination: Coordinate with multiple departments, architects, jurisdictions, and landlords to produce sensitive documents and reports.
  • Team Contribution: Contribute to team effort by fulfilling independent self-driven responsibilities.
  • Project Management: Manage multiple projects at varying stages simultaneously.
  • Project Completion: Complete projects promptly with quality and accuracy.
  • Permit Document Preparation: Prepare documents for the permit package.

13. Construction Administrator Essential Functions

  • Documentation Administration: Administer and complete supporting documentation for scheduling New Construction jobs.
  • Scheduling Management: Manage scheduling of New Construction pre-wires, trims, and activations in MAS.
  • Permit Confirmation: Confirm permits and schedule inspections where needed.
  • Reporting Assistance: Assist New Construction Management with reporting.
  • Coaching Reinforcement: Reinforce coaching and directives assigned by Management when needed in company-scheduled meetings.
  • Schedule Maintenance: Maintain Online Builder website schedules.
  • SOP Update: Update New Construction training SOP and documentation.
  • Vendor Communication: Send out emails to vendors for bidding on new projects.
  • Administrative Duties: Perform general administrative duties such as typing, copying, and scanning.
  • Meeting Scheduling: Take responsibility for scheduling meetings.
  • SharePoint Management: Maintain SharePoint filing systems.
  • Report Production: Produce reports for managers.

14. Construction Administrator Role Purpose

  • Contract Processing: Receive and process project contracts and change orders.
  • Document Management: Ensure that all contract documents are completed, signed, and returned on a timely basis.
  • Insurance Management: Request and maintain insurance certificates as required per contract documents including OCIP/CCIP/Wrap-up projects.
  • Billing Management: Create and maintain a billing spreadsheet for each project.
  • Change Order Processing: Receive and process project change orders.
  • Change Order Tracking: Maintain change order tracking log.
  • File Management: Set up and maintain project/contract files, creating physical and electronic files for each contract.
  • Job List Maintenance: Maintain the Job List spreadsheet.
  • Project Administration: Oversee all administrative aspects of construction projects from planning to implementation.
  • Project File Setup: Set up project files, subcontracts, lien releases, preliminary notices, invoices, and job cost reports.
  • Meeting Documentation: Create meeting minutes, change orders, and track subcontractor insurance certificates.

15. Construction Administrator General Responsibilities

  • Service Call Scheduling: Schedule new service calls.
  • Job Creation: Create new jobs in Foundation and Dropbox.
  • Client Follow-Up: Follow up with clients on job status and billing via email and phone communications.
  • Budget Tracking: Enter SOV, tracking budgets/costs.
  • Billing Management: Create billings and perform collections.
  • Administrative Support: Assist the owner of the company with day-to-day administrative work.
  • Stakeholder Interface: Interface with contractors, architects, engineers, city and county officials, and clients.
  • Insurance Program Management: Manage the OCIP and CCIP process (Owner Controlled Insurance Program and Contractor Control Insurance Project).
  • Contract Support: Assist in contract management and provide support to Branch Managers, Project Managers, and Estimators.
  • Payroll and AP Assistance: Assist in the payroll process and accounts payable.
  • Customer Billing Assistance: Assist in customer billing and collection of past-due accounts.
  • Employee Orientation: Take responsibility for new employee orientation.
  • Insurance Processing Assistance: Assist with insurance and workers' compensation processing.
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