WHAT DOES A CONSTRUCTION DO?

Published: May 29, 2025 - The Construction Professional manages construction projects from initial planning to completion with strict adherence to safety regulations and quality standards. This role involves coordinating with architects, engineers, and subcontractors to ensure timely execution and budget compliance. The position also applies technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to resolve on-site challenges and maintain a smooth workflow.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Construction

1. Construction Administrative Assistant Roles

  • Submittal Preparation: Taking responsibility for preparing submittals
  • Contract Management: Preparing and tracking contracts and subcontracts
  • Filing: Filing, including creating labels, matching invoices to packing slips, etc.
  • Data Entry: Accountable for data entry
  • Office Administration: Answering multi-line phones and ordering supplies
  • Report Preparation: Preparation of reports
  • Bookkeeping: Bookkeeping activities/support, including payroll, A/P, A/R, and reconciliation

2. Construction Administrator Duties

  • Construction Documentation: Document construction activities and evaluate progress of projects and participate in various construction progress meetings, and maintain records of construction progress.
  • Project Communication: Manage correspondence with the architect, client, and contractor to ensure project documentation.
  • Progress Monitoring: Monitor projects in construction and prepare progress reports for the same, and develop punch lists and substantial completion/turnover documents for project closeout.
  • Change Order Management: Collaborate with the design team and gather and evaluate all contractor-requested change orders and maintain logs of all shop drawings and submittals, and submit the same for approval and return to the contractor.
  • Cost Tracking: Coordinate with the project manager to review and maintain estimates and track all contractor payment requests.
  • Meeting Coordination: Attend meetings for construction phase projects and issue notices, clarifications, or bulletins to contractors.
  • Contract Review: Coordinate with the Project Manager and the client and recommend changes to contract documents.
  • Safety Compliance: Ensure compliance with all company safety requirements for field services.
  • Quality Control: Take responsibility for quality control, including ensuring that constructability and QA/QC reviews are conducted on design projects, ensuring that the Owner's requirements are being met, and helping ensure the firm’s level of performance meets the Owner’s expectations.

3. Construction Administrator Tasks

  • Progress Reporting: Produce ongoing reporting associated with the project's progress.
  • Stakeholder Coordination: Coordinate with various stakeholders, such as the construction department, leasing department, property management, and external vendors, and keep all stakeholders up to date on the project’s progress.
  • Vendor Training: Train new vendors on the company’s proprietary project management system, including creating offers, obtaining POs, and submitting invoices.
  • System Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot issues with the project management system, gather, organize, and maintain all related project documents.
  • Invoice Follow-up: Follow up with contractors to ensure invoices are sent on time.
  • Billing Support: Respond to any billing inquiries from contractors and suppliers, and update the contractor’s library with new vendors.
  • Cash Projections: Provide monthly project-level cash projections on an ongoing basis.
  • Financial Reporting: Project progress to the property accountants.
  • Custom Reporting: Create custom reports for various meetings.
  • Unit Turnover Coordination: Coordinate the unit from construction to property.
  • Project Closeout: Manage at the end of the project.
  • Project Photography: Coordinate professional photos of projects.

4. Construction Assistant Responsibilities

  • Cost Coordination: Coordinate project cost accounting with the general manager, project manager and service manager, vendors, sub-contractors, and owners
  • Budget Management: Data collection, coding, data management, accurate forecasting, and management of budgets, ensuring all necessary data is being coded properly for the job
  • Vendor Pricing: Obtain pricing from vendors on projects
  • Billing Coordination: Coordinate documents for billings, materials, and subcontractor costs
  • Lien Waiver Management: Ensure that the appropriate lien waivers are included with the invoicing and payments made to subcontractors
  • Plan Interpretation: Read and interpret plans, specifications, and contract documents
  • Material Control: Assist with the method of control for quantity and quality on all incoming material shipments
  • Project Closeout Support: Provide follow-up and assist with the completion of punch lists, the investigations of problems during the guarantee period, and other items periodically required to service the completed project
  • Asset Management: Maintain vehicle, equipment, and tool management in the shop

5. Assistant Construction Project Manager Details

  • Stakeholder Coordination: Cultivate strong relationships and coordinate with project managers, superintendents, foremen, engineers, inspectors, and subcontractors.
  • Issue Resolution: Resolve issues, direct work, and report project.
  • Purchase Order Management: Write purchase orders using company boilerplate language to document all ordered work.
  • Project Review: Review with project manager, schedules, projected costs, change orders, and technical specifications.
  • Progress Meeting Participation: Participate in progress meetings to discuss coordination issues, labor concerns, scheduling matters, and material delivery schedules.
  • Contract Review: Review contracts, scopes of work, project-related correspondence, etc.
  • Project Oversight: Ensure project progresses on schedule, on budget, in conformance with specifications, and within the contracted scope of work.
  • Bid Management: Manage the project components for the estimating and bidding processes.
  • Document Review: Review, comment, and request clarification on project drawings, specifications, submittals, change orders, subcontractor insurance policies, and other documents.
  • Field Support: Provide field support to construction superintendents and foremen to help ensure compliance with contract documents, OSHA regulations, and specifications.

6. Construction Consultant Job Summary

  • Client Interface: Interface with clients and project representatives
  • Site Assessment: Perform project assessments and necessary site visits
  • Project Evaluation: Project evaluation and assistance with cost-to-complete estimates
  • Client Liaison: Serve as liaison for clients with owners, contractors, and other professionals
  • Meeting Participation: Participate in meetings with project owners, contractors, and other professionals
  • Client Communication: Provide requested work product and communication with clients and the team
  • Document Review: Review change orders, contracts, and other construction documents
  • Documentation Management: Maintain required file work, quality standards, project documentation, and deliverables
  • Professional Representation: Represent JS Held and its clients in a professional manner

7. Construction Coordinator Accountabilities

  • Project Management: Manage construction project orders and ensure the timely execution of projects by evaluating project timing and resource management, including construction project setup and directing employees.
  • Budget Oversight: Evaluate and maintain project standards by overseeing project budget requirements.
  • Purchase Order Authorization: Create and sign off on purchase orders of $100,000.
  • Contract Negotiation: Write and negotiate AIA contracts, including reviewing negotiated conditions and processing to subcontractors.
  • Budget Forecasting: Prepare pro forma project budgets by conducting project requirement analysis and forecasting costs.
  • Bid Management: Oversee the project bidding process by utilizing systems and formulas to recruit bidders, create bid packages, and make recommendations for a pool of contractors.
  • Cost Auditing: Analyze and audit lines of cost to ensure financial accuracy.
  • System Management: Manage the Procor project management system and department inventory system.
  • Remodel Oversight: Run and oversee PDS remodel processes and systems, including working with Regional Partners and controllers on the budgeting process.
  • Equipment Planning: Evaluate equipment requirements and work with Regional Partners to ensure equipment orders and all lead time materials for the project are prepared within budget.
  • Meeting Facilitation: Facilitate project commitments and represent the department in weekly meetings with Real Estate, De Novo, and Construction Project Managers by tracking project status.
  • Issue Resolution: Identify key project issues and act as a liaison with vendors, prime contractors, real estate brokers, landlords, and Regional Partners in developing solutions to ensure timely project execution.

8. Director of Construction Functions

  • Project Oversight: Oversee all new store construction projects from inception to completion
  • Team Supervision: Supervise and direct the Construction Managers
  • Project Management: Manage new store projects, plan reviews, and field requests (keeping appropriate individuals, including internal and external partners, advised of current status and critical issues) to ensure customers' needs are met
  • Site Survey: Conduct site surveys before project inception and inform the department head of any extenuating circumstances that would affect timing, budget, or operations of the facility
  • Budget Creation: With the assistance of Construction Managers, create all project budgets
  • Budget Management: Manage all construction project budgets, tracking current spend versus approved and informing the department head of any issues that would cause the project to exceed the approved budget
  • Architect Coordination: Manage architects to ensure project plans incorporate the company’s current design criteria
  • Design Review: Conduct periodic meetings with key intra-department staff to ensure current design criteria satisfy each department’s requirements
  • Schedule Management: Ensure each construction project maintains the required schedule by organizing, planning, and monitoring the work progress of the construction project managers
  • Regulatory Compliance: Maintain and enforce global safety regulations and building code requirements
  • Meeting Facilitation: Organize and run progress, quality control, and safety meetings with Construction Project Managers, in-house trade staff, general contractors, and subcontractors
  • Communication Management: Conduct weekly update conference calls with cross-functional partners and field personnel

9. Construction Engineer Job Description

  • Client Prioritization: Prioritize potential clients - identify, develop, and pursue project opportunities
  • Sales Strategy Development: Develop sales goals and strategies for regional business development, including analysis of current and future sales targets
  • Client Data Gathering: Assertive in pursuing client information and data, and gathering data for pre-qualification packages
  • CRM Management: Work within the Plant’s enterprise Salesforce client and opportunity database
  • Marketing Support: Assist the Marketing department in the production of promotional literature, brochures, media, and proposals
  • Proposal Preparation: Prepare and submit project proposals and lead the project team for presentations
  • Negotiated Work Focus: Focus on negotiated work versus bid work
  • Preconstruction Supervision: Participate in and supervise preconstruction activities, particularly contract negotiation, budgeting, and scheduling
  • Project Planning: Conceptualize jobsite conditions for sequencing, scheduling, staffing, and general conditions assessments
  • GMP Establishment: Establish a project’s Guaranteed Maximum Price with the help of the Estimating department
  • Pre-Bid Job Walks: Host or accompany pre-bid job walks
  • Preconstruction Consulting: Preconstruction consulting on costs, materials, trade divisions, means and methods, etc.
  • Material Identification: Help identify critical materials and long-lead items

10. Construction Estimator Overview

  • Site Meeting Participation: Attend site visits and pre-bid meetings
  • Estimate Qualification: Compare and qualify subcontractor estimates
  • Report Preparation: Prepare and submit budgets, estimates, weekly progress reports, and cost tracking reports as well as project schedule
  • Blueprint Analysis: Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates
  • Stakeholder Communication: Effectively communicate with clients, architects, subcontractors, and/or suppliers to prepare estimates for all jobs, review quotes for accuracy and scope
  • Proposal Submission: Discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues, submit proposals and bid packages within the provided due dates
  • Bid Solicitation: Obtain bids from vendors and subcontractors by specifying materials, identifying qualified subcontractors, and negotiating prices
  • Change Order Review: Review change orders and inform office staff immediately of any issues and discrepancies
  • Cost Discrepancy Resolution: Resolve cost discrepancies by collecting and analyzing information

11. Construction Inspector Details and Accountabilities

  • Construction Observation: Observe and inspect work-in-progress to ensure construction processes are consistent with plans and follow generally accepted construction standards
  • Compliance Assurance: Assure the project is constructed following the approved construction plans, good construction practices, and applicable local, state, and federal permits and approvals
  • Contractor Coordination: Coordinate with contractor representatives on work scheduling, interpretation of plans and specifications, and acceptable materials and workmanship to ensure compliance with plan requirements
  • Material Inspection: Inspect materials on construction sites to ensure compliance with specifications and drawings
  • Deficiency Discussion: Discuss rejections of materials and deficiencies in construction methods with contractor representatives
  • Rejection Documentation: Document (with written words, pictures, product labels, etc.) rejected materials and workmanship that do not meet requirements
  • Inspection Reporting: Gather information and compile written inspection reports, and perform related duties
  • Site Photography: Photograph inspected construction site, attend meetings, and prepare daily inspection reports and related correspondence
  • Issue Resolution: Advise management of problems and prepare recommendations for solutions using best practices
  • Record Maintenance: Prepare correspondence, complete forms, and maintain records and files related to work activities

12. Construction Manager Additional Details

  • Project Reporting: Reporting directly to the project construction director
  • Technical Coordination: Taking responsibility for the technical coordination reviews to support the overall planning process
  • Review Scheduling: Ensuring technical coordination reviews are undertaken following the timeframes agreed with the design and project team
  • Scope Definition: Defining the work scope to be delivered within the contract or package of work and the interfaces to the other elements of the programme
  • Team Coordination: Liaising and coordinating with the wider project engineering team and the design team members
  • Solution Evaluation: Challenging pre-construction planning on the proposed solutions
  • CDM Review Management: Organising CDM review meetings and liaising with the relevant project principal designer and CDM-A concerning design development
  • Site Integration: Liaising with the project temporary works controller and the fellow construction managers to ensure integration and compliance with the ongoing site works
  • Interface Management: Managing the relevant technical interfaces with other interfacing projects/programmes and other associated design packages

13. Construction Project Engineer Essential Functions

  • Material Coordination: Coordinate the delivery of materials and equipment to job sites
  • Procurement Management: Procure materials for projects and monitor/manage inventory levels in the shop
  • Field Data Analysis: Collect data in the field and analyze productivity rates
  • Quantity Takeoffs: Conduct quantity takeoffs to support project estimates
  • Field Support: Support the superintendent with time card submittals, expenses, onboarding new field employees, and safety training and audits
  • Cost Forecasting: Work with project and field teams to prepare job cost forecasts
  • Document Control: Document control, including RFI’s, submittals, and change orders for projects
  • Project Coordination: Assist the project manager with daily project coordination and attend pre-planning and post-mortem meetings
  • Schedule Monitoring: Coordinate project schedule and monitor overall construction progress

14. Construction Project Manager Role Purpose

  • Equipment Oversight: Provide oversight of equipment specification, pricing, and procurement
  • Project Management: Provide daily management of all aspects of engineering design and construction
  • Team Management: Manage the design and construction team to ensure that all owner objectives are met, including those relating to quality, schedule, and budget
  • Owner Representation: Act as Owner’s Representative, as primary liaison with project team for construction documents, submittals, requests-for-information, change orders, and meeting minutes
  • Meeting Representation: Represent the owner at engineering design and construction project-related meetings
  • Testing Management: Manage all aspects of independent testing and reporting throughout the project
  • Utility Coordination: Coordinate all utility shutdowns, building penetrations, and security impacts
  • Project Reporting: Provide the Client with regular project reporting
  • Project Updates: Provide engineering design and construction updates to the Client
  • Cost Control: Provide engineering design and construction-related cost and budget control
  • Record Maintenance: Maintain records of all project-related communications

15. Construction Supervisor General Responsibilities

  • Opportunity Representation: Represent the company on-site walk for project opportunities
  • Field Representation: Represent the company on-site and in the field as the single point of contact for projects assigned
  • Crew Management: Manage in-house crews and subcontractors performing work on projects assigned
  • Material Management: Manage material orders and deliveries in alignment with schedules
  • Cost Reduction: Work to reduce costs through good planning and timely execution of the work
  • Documentation Management: Manage all required documentation and deliverables required by customers
  • Profit and Loss Responsibility: Responsible for Profit and Loss for projects assigned, and coordination with the Operations Manager
  • Budget Management: Responsible for developing and adhering to project budgets
  • Safety Oversight: Responsible for safety on all projects
  • Field Reporting: Responsible for accurate and timely field reporting and invoicing
  • Quality Control: Maintain the quality control
Relevant Information
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