The Boss

Site managers organise work on building sites, making sure it’s completed safely, on time and within budget. As a site manager, no two days will ever be the same. You’ll liaise with architects, surveyors and builders to ensure a project is on track and there are enough staff, machinery and materials to get the job done.

Construction team leaders work in supervisory roles and are generally in charge of a team working on a construction project. As a construction team leader, you may specialise in overseeing a particular area of construction, relating to your previous skills and experience, such as bricklaying, roofing or another trade.

Commercial managers are responsible for the budget and keep on top of all the costs involved in large-scale construction projects. They source the services and resources needed, negotiating costs with other suppliers. They oversee projects and monitor plans to ensure deadlines are met, projects stay within budget and work is up to standard.

Compliance managers ensure that a business, its employees and its projects comply with all relevant regulations and specifications. This could include health and safety, environmental, legal or quality standards, as well as any ethical policies the company may have.

Construction directors are responsible for monitoring work on building projects. They ensure jobs are completed on time and within budget, to the standard expected of your company. Construction directors manage schedules of work and delegate tasks to senior colleagues and their teams, to ensure that each phase of the build is completed as planned.

A contracts manager in the construction industry manages contracts relating to building projects. They study the legalities of contracts and help to negotiate terms and conditions with clients and third parties, before drawing up legal documents to outline terms of service and project deliverables.

A crane supervisor is responsible for overseeing the movement of all lifting operations on a construction site to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the team.

A depot manager in the construction industry is responsible for managing building supplies and materials. This includes managing goods coming in and out of depots, warehouses and factories, overseeing depot staff and monitoring stock levels to ensure all requirements and orders can be met.

Electrical project managers oversee the installation of electrical systems and supply of electricity to homes, businesses and infrastructure, such as roads or power stations.  

Energy managers ensure organisations meet their energy, carbon and water reduction responsibilities.

Nuclear process engineers are responsible for designing and managing the safe and productive running of nuclear power stations. They develop the processes and instruments used to produce energy, for distribution to homes and businesses.

Project directors have overall responsibility for the successful conclusion of construction projects. They oversee project managers, who coordinate teams to ensure that work is completed on time and within budget, to a high standard. Project directors provider leadership to strategically manage risk, monitor finances and ensure each phase of work is started or completed on time. 

A rail engineering manager is responsible for leading and implementing engineering design work for rail projects. They assess the skills and specifications required, and then oversee business operations to ensure that project briefs are followed and implemented accurately.

Risk managers identify and assess possible threats to construction projects. They take into account financial, legal, environmental and reputational risks, plus risks to the workforce and organisation they work for. They work closely with project managers, health and safety teams, human resources and legal teams. Risk managers create policies to protect assets and minimise accidents, mistakes, budget loss or public liability.

A self-employed contractor works for themselves, either sourcing and undertaking their own projects or finding work through an agency. As a self-employed contractor, you may work on your own or as part of a team with construction workers, you may even employ other people within your own company. It’s possible to become self-employed in many lines of work, whether you have a skilled trade, such as carpentry or painting and decorating, or can offer your services as a consultant engineer or architect.

Senior material engineers are responsible for sourcing & testing all materials used in construction, ensuring compliance with specifications. A senior material engineer will research materials to support the wider construction industry. 

Site inspectors monitor all work carried out on a construction site to ensure safety and quality standards are upheld. They make sure that building plans and specifications are being followed correctly and manage staff and subcontractors on building sites. They also attend site management meetings and help project managers to plan work.

A town planner is responsible for the design and development of urban areas, such as towns and cities. As a town planner, you would ensure there is balance between demands on the land being developed and the needs of the community. This can be on a national, regional, or local level and requires an awareness of the environmental and economic impacts of a proposed development.