A Day in The Life of a Construction Project Manager

One of the best parts about working in construction is the many opportunities available for advancement. There are many different jobs in the construction industry and many key leadership positions. 

People are often familiar with the construction Superintendent, which is the person leading the charge on the field. 

However, another excellent option for a leadership role is a construction project manager. Unlike the Superintendent, the Project Manager spends most of their day in the office, making periodic visits to job sites. 

Let’s take a closer look at a project manager’s day in the life. 

What Does a Construction Project Manager Do?

Project managers have a wide range of responsibilities, but put simply their job is to oversee the entire building process. They must collaborate with the architects and engineers to establish timetables and determine costs. Ultimately, they ensure the project stays on schedule and under budget. 

The best way to understand more about PM responsibilities is to examine a day in the life of one. 

The Morning 

While managers in other industries may be at their desk by 9, construction project managers can expect a much earlier start. Construction begins much earlier, and it’s common for PMs to be out the door before the sun rises. 

The beginning of the day often starts with evaluations and revisions for a PM. Some tasks they tend to focus on right away include:

  • Budget balancing
  • Supply tracking
  • Estimate material costs
  • Schedule interviews
  • Evaluate the different aspects of the construction project
  • Quality control
  • Catch up on documentation
  • Scheduling
  • Planning 

After Lunch 

After completing the most urgent tasks, it may be time for a lunch break. Following lunch, the PM turns his attention to revisions and technical details. They must focus on organizing information to assess their team for any challenges and next steps. This process includes:

  • Updating database
  • Noting project progress
  • Financial processes
  • Corporate processes 
  • Organizing data 

The late morning or early afternoon is often a time that PMs will visit construction sites as well. There are many benefits to visiting construction sites. For one, management presence helps build rapport. It demonstrates interest and commitment to the other construction workers, which helps foster a better relationship. On-site workers may feel more comfortable expressing concerns or challenges to a PM they trust. 

Beyond building rapport, on-site visits may adobe used to investigate project delays or to handle other tasks. Seeing the sites in person gives the PM the clearest, accurate picture of what is going on. 

End of the Day 

Near the end of the day, PMs focus on evaluating the current day and planning for the next day. They typically focus here on gathering more data, scheduling workers, and planning for the next day. They may also work on planning future projects and partnerships as well. 

The end of the day is an ideal time to create summaries and more general analyses. They’re able to focus on revisions with most of the day behind them. 

Each Day is Different 

The outline above gives a general overview of a day in the life of a construction project manager, but the truth is that no two days are exactly the same! The responsibilities of a PM encompass many different aspects of the industry. 

Some days, PMs must meet with stakeholders. Other days, their schedule may have to shift as they jump to investigate issues on-site. The schedule of a PM must adjust based on the key tasks of the day. 

Qualities of a Successful PM

What does it take to become a successful PM? Here are some of the top qualities and traits:

  • Excellent communication skills 
  • Construction expertise
  • Time management to ensure accurate project delivery 
  • Budget development and management 
  • Resource allocation 
  • Goal setting and goal measurement. Must be able to establish benchmarks. 
  • Adaptable and flexible, able to respond quickly to unexpected situations
  • Risk management, prevent and resolve issues along the way 

Progress Your Construction Project Manager Career with Diamond Peak Recruiting

Does the project manager position sound like a good fit for you? Now is the time to advance your construction career. 

Whether you’re looking for a construction project manager job right now, or another step to advance your construction career, Diamond Peak Recruiting is here to help. 

Our nationwide staffing firm helps connect qualified prospects with excellent job opportunities in the MEP and AEC industries. 

Find and apply to a wide array of construction opportunities, including project manager jobs today. Search our open job listings now or contact us with any questions you may have.