WHAT DOES A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER DO?
Published: August 7, 2024 - The Construction Project Manager ensures projects are completed on time and within budget, aligning with contractual plans and specifications. Responsibilities include evaluating contractor suggestions, reviewing progress schedules, and ensuring compliance with operation and maintenance standards. The role demands a thorough understanding of engineering principles to make informed decisions on contract documents, resolve discrepancies, and oversee all project-related administrative duties.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Construction Project Manager
1. Construction Project Manager Duties
- Project Lifecycle Oversight: Oversee all stages of project life cycle and manage project budget.
- Stakeholder Reporting: Provide timely status reports to stakeholders.
- Schedule and Budget Management: Manage and coordinate with the selected Construction Manager/General Contractor to keep the project within the established schedule and budget constraints.
- Leasing Support: Significant interaction and support of the leasing department reviewing LOIs/work letters and creating budgets/schedules that are utilized to underwrite deals.
- Procurement Management: Manage the procurement of design and construction consultant services.
- Schedule Maintenance: Prepare, maintain and monitor design deliverable schedules.
- Insurance Coordination: Define Insurance Requirements in conjunction with Risk Management team for individual projects.
- Claims Resolution: Assist in claims mitigation and dispute resolution.
- Documentation Management: Manage and prepare high quality project documentation including detailed monthly reports, minutes, issues logs, budgets, approvals to assure accurate and quality information.
- Financial Review Contribution: Contribute to the monthly/quarterly financial review processes as it relates to capital projects, construction and renovations activity.
2. Construction Project Manager Details
- Construction Risk Management: Effectively manage construction risk on behalf of the Company.
- Project Planning Assistance: Assist in the planning, development, and execution of capital projects.
- Budget Development: Develop project budgets and negotiate contracts/bids to acquire necessary resources to ensure project completion.
- Cost and Schedule Control: Track and control project costs and schedules.
- Contractor Coordination: Screen, select, and coordinate contractors, subcontractors, vendors, consultants, and suppliers.
- Contract Administration: Responsive management and administration of contractors, subcontractors, vendors, consultants, and suppliers including preparation of scopes, drafting of agreements, preparing budgets, analyzing proposals, negotiating fees, and negotiating change orders.
- Budget Management: Manage the project’s budget through diligent cost control management including budget updates, cash flows, invoice approval, change order tracking, contingency tracking and billing, accounting for contingency resources, and finalizing all monthly financial reports.
- System Improvements Assistance: Assist in identifying and implementing system and/or capital improvements that either ensure superior property conditions or create operational cost savings.
- Asset Strategy Collaboration: Work closely with the asset management team to understand asset strategy and develop capital projects and renovation plans to maximize stated objectives.
3. Construction Project Manager Responsibilities
- Opportunity Identification: Manages industry contacts, Data Mining, and Sales Team to locate bid opportunities.
- Project Supervision: Assists Supervisors in the supervision and responsibility of the total construction effort in accordance with design, budget, quality, and schedule.
- Project Direction: Directs Supervisors and Foremen to achieve completion of the project on schedule, within budget, with quality workmanship that conforms to original plans and specifications.
- Contract Familiarity: Become familiar with Prime Contractors Subcontract documents, and understand the process for reporting Change Orders and progress delays.
- Report Preparation: Prepare and/or review project Daily Reports to document weather and field conditions, manpower and equipment, progress and conditions impacting the project, as well as Accident Reports, Quality Reports, etc.
- Schedule Management: Maintains construction schedule, identifies and solves problems.
- Specification Understanding: Understands the project plans and specifications.
- Relationship Maintenance: Maintain positive relationships with customers, contractors, suppliers, and other employees.
- Inspection Coordination: Coordinate site testing and other inspection services.
- Punch List Supervision: Prepares, schedules, and supervises completion of a final punch list.
4. Construction Project Manager Accountabilities
- Design Oversight: Oversee design and office services during construction, monitor contractor progress, activities, use of approved materials, equipment, and scheduling materials testing.
- Submittal Review: Review and respond to contractor submittals, RFIs, letters.
- Contract Adaptation: Evaluate contractor suggestions for minor changes to contract requirements.
- Schedule and Document Review: Review contractor progress schedules, certificates, and operations and maintenance manuals.
- Recommendation Provision: Review NOPCs and provide recommendations.
- Project Management: Ensure the project is constructed on time and within budget per contract plans and specifications.
- Contract Interpretation: Understand, interpret, and make sound engineering determinations regarding the contract documents, including Contract Change Orders, project specifications, and claims.
- Discrepancy Resolution: Resolve or facilitate the resolution of all discrepancies or problems with the contract documents and issues arising from field operations.
- Contract Decision Making: Determine all significant and final decisions regarding contract administration.
- Supervisory Leadership: Supervise all subordinates and sub-consultants.
5. Construction Project Manager Functions
- Promotes job site safety, encourages safe work practices and rectifies site hazards immediately.
- Ensures that daily safety meetings and “Toolbox Talks” are conducted and that all company employees and contractors are adhering to the company safety policy.
- Helps to maintain an organized job site, including the construction office.
- Maintain constructive working relationships with the contractor and client
- Monitor the contractor's safety program
- Assist in claims mitigation and dispute resolution
- Manage and prepare high quality project documentation including detailed monthly reports, minutes, issues logs, budgets, approvals to assure accurate and quality information
- Contribute to the monthly/quarterly financial review processes as it relates to capital projects, construction and renovations activity
- Evaluate physical condition of assets and recommend value-add renovation scope(s) to enhance form and function of physical space