Building project manager: Job description and activities

Building project managers have overall responsibility for the planning, management, coordination and financial control of a construction project. It is their responsibility to see that the clients' wishes are adhered to and that the project is completed on time within the budget agreed. The project manager may be involved from the initial conception and design of the project, through its construction, to its completion. Building project managers are likely to work on more than one project at a time.

Typical tasks include:

representing the interest of the client;
providing independent professional advice;
liaising with and supervising the work of the other professionals involved in the project;
making sure the aims of the project are met;
ensuring that quality standards are adhered to;
keeping track of progress and ensuring that the project is on time and on budget;
maintaining records of expenditure, accounting, costing and billing.

Traditionally, this was a role that graduates might move on to after a few years' experience in another position, such as site engineer or construction manager. However, the industry is changing, in particular in its approach to the construction process (formerly more adversarial, but now increasingly based around the concept of partnership). This means that the future of this role is as a graduate entry position.

For more information see Site engineer.

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