The construction industry is of peerless importance to the UK’s economy, being responsible for an astonishing £90 billion annually and nearly three million jobs. It is a lucrative industry in which to work, and a rewarding one to boot – especially as infrastructure is upgraded across the UK, raising standards of living for many.

But working in construction can be a complicated affair, not in the least when it comes to the management of people. Construction sites may all look the same to the untrained eye, but the construction professional sees a network of interrelated tasks and processes, all of which need administrating to a high degree of efficacy.

This administrative role is most commonly filled by the site manager, a managerial construction professional tasked with overseeing the various moving parts in an active construction project. The importance of the role is plain to see, but why is it important that you pick the right site manager for a given project?

The Site Manager Role

Site managers are expected to manage and supervise the completion of work on a given construction site, on a holistic level. They are responsible for drawing up a robust and achievable construction schedule and ensuring that workers adhere to said schedule; they are also responsible for the logistics of the construction, from supply of materials to the creation of a safe working environment.

Site managers will liaise with clients and construction executives all the while, being the main point of contact and an important stopgap between the work underway and the administrative side of the project. Construction site managers earn between £43k and £53k p.a. typically, with the market median sitting at around £47k; the salary reflects the level of trade skill and management experience required to manage effectively.

Challenges in Site Management

The contemporary construction landscape is phenomenally different in comparison to the 20^th century, as technological developments have delivered new approaches to building – both in terms of design and raw materials. The role of site manager is more nebulous than ever before, as work occurs as much in the digital plane as it does the physical one.

Site managers not only need to handle on-site efficiency and health and safety, but also wider project commitments to sustainability. They will also need to liaise with international partners more than ever, making communication a larger challenge than before.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Site Manager

With all the above in mind, it should come as no surprise that your choice in site manager is crucial to the success of a construction project. The site manager you choose should have a skill-set specific to the needs of your project; if you are hiring a diverse team involving designers from one continent and builders from another, your site manager would be best placed to speak two languages – or a common language between teams. This is on top of the various skills required to ensure legal compliance and adherence to schedule.