Site Manager Job Description: Skills and Qualifications

Site Manager Job Description: Skills and Qualifications

 

Site managers are important members of staff who are responsible for the daily operations that occur on a construction site. From start to finish, construction site managers must remain on hand while ensuring projects both big and small are on track to be completed by the set deadline, and within budget.

It’s also their job to ensure health and safety standards are being met by team members, allowing for a safe and streamlined project completion.

Site managers are key individuals on construction sites – as of the first quarter of 2024, roughly 87,000 site managers were working in the UK – understanding the importance of this role and how to find the right candidates for your projects is essential.

 

What Does a Site Manager Do?

What does a site manager do? Site managers have several tasks to complete throughout their day, acting as a point of contact for other construction workers on site. The key tasks of a site manager typically include:

  • Planning and managing a project
  • Supervising a team of construction workers
  • Ensuring safety and compliance
  • Organising the team
  • Assessing and minimising risk
  • Preventing problems from occurring
  • Solving problems and dealing with any issues
  • Keeping track of project progress
  • Liaising with clients

A key responsibility of a site manager is to liaise with clients and keep them up to date on the project. Clients need to be kept in the loop and stay informed. For talent acquisition managers and HR professionals who are looking for site managers, a key attribute for this role is having great communication skills.

Construction can be both dangerous and demanding, so it’s important to have site managers there to ensure nothing goes wrong and that everything can run smoothly. Without site managers, there would be no efficient planning, and project deliveries wouldn’t likely be on time.

Gaining health and safety qualifications, such as NEBOSH, is beneficial for site managers, especially as they have to manage a full team of workers on potentially dangerous construction sites. If you’re hiring a site manager, we advise you to keep these types of qualifications in mind whilst on the lookout for candidates for this role.

 

Different Types of Site Managers

Typically, the type of site manager required depends on the construction project they’ll be working on. There are generally two main types of site managers:

  1. Residential site managers – they must supervise the overall construction of residential buildings. They’ll need to have excellent planning skills, with the ability to hire the right workers while taking on other key tasks, such as purchasing materials, and monitoring costs and the progress of the project
  2. Commercial site managers – Operations that are categorised as commercial refer to construction projects related to retail, office space, industrial buildings or any other commercially relevant spaces. It’s the Commercial Site Manager’s role to ensure client needs are being met by the team. Commercial projects are usually done on a larger scale, so it’s key for commercial site managers to have great planning skills and experience liaising with clients

There are several other types of construction management, from infrastructure to environmental. As mentioned, the type of site manager required will vary depending on the project at hand and specific requirements.

 

Skills

Being skilled in their profession is a requirement for most individuals who work in the construction industry. Undoubtedly, working in construction requires some skill and tactical thinking.

Finding a talented site manager to hire doesn’t have to be difficult. Knowing the key skills to look out for is helpful, allowing you to find the most suitable professional to hire. Experienced site managers often showcase skills such as:

  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Technical
  • Problem-solving
  • Management
  • Organisation
  • Financial

A recent study by Teamwork Statistics revealed how important communication is. It shows that great communication generates 4.5 times higher talent retention – this proves how important it is for leaders (like site managers) to have effective communication skills.

 

Qualifications

One of the key factors to consider while hiring a site manager is their qualifications and experience. In the UK, site managers would typically have completed secondary education, gained qualifications, and had experience working in construction-based managerial roles.

While looking for the ideal site manager to hire, it’s essential to factor in their qualifications. The route your potential candidates would have taken to become a site manager will differ. We advise looking out for these key qualifications while hiring an experienced site manager:

  • Apprenticeship
  • Foundation degree
  • Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • Higher National Certificate (HNC)
  • Degree in a relevant subject (such as construction management)
  • Health and Safety

More experienced site managers in the UK may have received their L6 NVQ – a qualification designed for site managers who already have experience in the field (typically over five years). Once completed, site managers with an L6 NVQ can go ahead and apply for a black CSCS manager card.

The card proves a manager’s experience and ability to hold management safely while working on-site. Although obtaining a black SCSC card isn’t a requirement, it’s certainly something to look out for while hiring a site manager.

 

Progression Opportunities

Many site managers in the UK progress in their careers and typically go on to become:

  • Contract managers
  • Project consultants
  • Construction managers

For site managers to progress in their careers, they’ll need to show advancement in the industry and prove their dedication and experience. With relevant experience, site managers have a great chance of successfully stepping up to more challenging roles. To fulfil such advanced roles, site managers should show:

  • Leadership
  • Great communication
  • Experience helping manage projects or more difficult site work
  • A clear understanding of the industry
  • Dedication to gain new qualifications or certificates
  • The ability to ensure a project is completed on time

 

Average Salary of a Site Manager

As of 2024, the average site manager’s salary in the UK is around £47,670 (£24.45 per hour). However, this can differ depending on location. Salaries also change on experience, for example:

  • Entry-level salary – £39,000
  • Highly experienced salary – £65,000- £75,000

Similar to most other industries, salaries can be affected by region. It’s no secret that places like London will offer increased salaries – which is typically due to a higher cost of living in the area.

The salary for a site manager in London will likely be higher than that of someone working in Northern England. In 2023, London had the highest median annual earnings for full-time employees compared to other regions, which you can see here.

How Much Does a Construction Site Manager Cost?

As a hiring manager, it’s vital to understand the costs surrounding site manager roles. How much it costs to pay site managers a salary will differ drastically, depending on experience, location, and how complex the projects they’re managing will be.

Salaries will be less for those just kickstarting their career as a site manager. Let’s take a look at the prices to be aware of while hiring site managers:

  • Salary – if you’re looking to hire an experienced site manager, be expected to pay an average amount of £47,670 as discussed above
  • Daily rate – the median daily rate for a site manager in the UK is about £374 – but again, this varies on location, experience, and project type

 

Day-to-Day of a Site Manager

The day-to-day life of a site manager can vary. Typically, the working hours for a site manager are between 41 and 43 hours per week. However, this can change depending on whether they’re working on a full-time basis or short-term contract.

Site managers are required to spend the entire day on the construction site until each crew member leaves. Site managers will be responsible for organising their team, and tracking project progress, to name a few – meaning their days could consist of various tasks. Each day for a site manager is likely to change, but it could look something like this:

  • Checking the site is ready for workers
  • Ensuring safety measures are in place
  • Supervising their team
  • Overseeing deliveries and checking the right materials have been delivered
  • Monitoring progress on-site throughout the day
  • Resolving any issues that may occur
  • Dealing with clients and keeping them up to date on project progress

 

Do You Need a Construction Site Manager?

Are you looking for a new construction site manager? If so, we can help. At Strategic Resourcing, we provide an innovative and easy-to-use platform to clients who are in search of new employees.

Our software saves you valuable time and reduces your workload. We work with experienced construction recruitment professionals, who find the most suitable candidates to fit your open vacancies.

You can then connect with each candidate through the recruitment agency using our portal. The Strategic Resourcing platform both simplifies your recruitment journey and eliminates the process of having to go through hundreds of CV’s.

You’ll have access to top talent, connecting with only the most suitable candidates. Each of our recruiters are an expert in their role and a specialist in the built environment sector.

To discuss how we can help find your next site manager, please get in touch today. We look forward to speaking with you soon!

 

Site Manager FAQs

How many hours does a site manager work?

Site managers work between 41 and 43 hours per week. They usually spend most of their time on-site but do tend to spend time in the office for administrative tasks, too.

Do you need a degree to be a site manager?

No, as discussed, you do not need a degree to become a site manager. However, it’s extremely useful to have a degree alongside other key qualifications.

Is there a difference between a site manager and a project manager?

Yes, there is a difference between a site manager and a project manager. Site managers focus on one particular construction site, whereas project managers oversee several projects at once, which could be in numerous locations.

Site managers are heavily involved in day-to-day operations, but project managers are less involved in this aspect, and tend to focus on the actual project.

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