Back to Engineering

Construction Management

A rewarding career path which favours leadership and management skills, concentrating on design, development and maintenance of high-value construction projects.

What Construction Managers Do

Construction Management professionals plan, direct and coordinate the construction of ​civil engineering​ projects.

Construction Managers ensure that the project is running efficiently and within time-constraints. Additionally, they oversee and coordinate contractors, workers and other employees involved in the project, as well as consulting with the relevant architects and engineers.

Furthermore, Construction Management professionals typically disperse and track finances according to a budget, negotiate with clients, owners and subcontractors to ensure deadlines are kept to, and ensure adherence to legislative, safety and quality standards.

See all Engineering pathways
Relevant Jobs

​General Building Contractors are responsible for hiring subcontractors, preparing cost schedules, managing work timetables and doing whatever else is required to complete the project on time and within budget. Additionally, they assess the work to be done, and assign different specific crews to complete each task.

Building Surveyors are responsible for interpreting and enforcing the laws and regulations that control building and construction. The Building Surveyor typically serves as an agent for a governmental entity or the company that owns the building being constructed. During construction, they may also occasionally visit the site to track progress and receive updates.

Furthermore, a Building Surveyor might serve as a project manager and oversee the entire construction project. After Construction, the building surveyor performs periodic inspections of buildings to ensure proper maintenance is performed. The Building Surveyor may also be responsible for overseeing repairs, as well as beginning the renovation process.

Contract Administrators oversee the specific obligations and directives in a contract. Furthermore, they make sure that all parties involved are aware of their obligations, and fulfil them. A Contract Administrator must know all the fine details of a contract to ensure all sides adhere to its specific terms and conditions.

Any changes that occur to a contractual agreement must be mediated by the Contract Administrator to ensure all involved parties agree with the changes. Lastly, when the project is finished, they are responsible for a ‘closeout’ process, ensuring that all criteria of the contract has been fulfilled appropriately.

An Estimator conducts cost analyses for a project based on project plans and discussions with clients and engineers. This mainly includes creating estimates of the required processes, personnel, and materials. Furthermore, part of their goal is to find the best way to reduce costs without forgoing quality. Lastly, Estimators work with Quantity Surveyors, clients, engineers and contractors to perform this task.

Facilities Managers are concerned with providing effective support services for a project. Their number one priority is keeping everyone on the project safe and alive. Facilities Managers are also responsible for helping clients understand the impact of their designs/decisions on the provision of space, services and cost.

They also ensure a cost-effective and safe environment for workers to function. Services they manage include: Occupational health and safety, fire safety, security, maintenance and inspections, cleaning, continuity and contingency plans, and space allocation and changes.

Engineering Project managers are responsible for leading and directing specialised engineers and workers to ensure the best possible completion of a project. The responsibilities of a Project Manager in the field of engineering further include maintaining safety regulation standards, preparing budget proposals, and maintaining financial records for a project.

Additionally, they supervise product development and testing, to ensure effective completion of projects. They are also required to work alongside their team to interpret and implement clients’ specific requirements. Lastly, Project Managers must be familiar with all industry practices, procedures, and concepts to ensure completion of engineering projects to a high standard and in a timely manner.

Also known as Commercial Managers or Cost Consultants, Quantity Surveyors are financial managers for engineering projects, tasked with maximizing the value of a project for their client, by calculating the best possible balance of cost to quality.

Skills

Construction Management provides you with the following valuable skills

Compliance with Codes and Standards 100%
Understanding of Construction Techniques and Materials 60%
Cost and Quality Management 70%
Infrastructure Planning and Management 100%
Data Analysis & Interpretation 85%
Construction Process Strategies 70%
Formulating Project Cashflows and Budgets 90%
Communication 75%
Construction Supervision 85%

Did you find this information valuable?

Visualise your career pathway and get personalised career guidance, opportunities and insights.