Senior Construction Manager

As our project portfolio and construction operations continue to develop, we are seeking an experienced Senior Construction Manager to provide senior-level leadership across our construction projects and oversee project delivery, commercial performance, construction quality, resources and site operations.

This is a senior management position with responsibility for overseeing the existing Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Site Managers and subcontractors, ensuring that projects are properly planned, commercially controlled and delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality standards. The position provides senior oversight across multiple concurrent building projects and is accountable for ensuring effective project planning, commercial control, construction quality, programme performance, procurement, resource allocation, risk management and regulatory compliance.

The Construction Manager leads and coordinates the Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Site Managers, consultants, subcontractors and other project resources and reports directly to the Directors on construction performance, project profitability, delivery risks and operational requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Construction Portfolio and Programme Management

• Take overall responsibility for planning and coordinating the delivery of the company's construction projects.
• Establish project delivery strategies, master programmes, construction milestones and resource requirements.
• Coordinate priorities and resources across concurrent projects to avoid labour, subcontractor, material, plant and management-resource conflicts.
• Review project programmes prepared by Project Managers and Site Managers and ensure they remain realistic and commercially achievable.
• Monitor construction progress and identify potential programme delays or critical-path issues.
• Develop and implement recovery plans where projects fall behind programme.
• Ensure effective transition between pre-construction, construction, practical completion and project handover stages.
• Report material programme or delivery risks to the Directors and recommend corrective action.

2. Commercial, Cost and Contract Management

• Maintain senior oversight of project budgets, forecast costs, cash-flow requirements and commercial performance.
• Work closely with the Quantity Surveyor to monitor committed costs, subcontract expenditure, variations and cost-to-complete forecasts.
• Review significant project variations and assess their commercial and programme implications.
• Participate in tendering, contractor selection and major procurement negotiations.
• Review significant subcontractor and supplier quotations and provide commercial recommendations to the Directors.
• Monitor project margins and identify emerging financial risks at an early stage.
• Assist with contract negotiations and commercial resolution of significant construction issues.
• Ensure project-management decisions take account of both construction outcomes and overall project profitability.

3. Technical and Construction Management

• Review architectural, structural, engineering and construction documentation.
• Assess drawings and specifications for constructability, coordination issues, construction sequencing and delivery risks.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers and other consultants to resolve technical issues.
• Review and approve appropriate construction methodologies, sequencing and implementation plans.
• Ensure construction work complies with approved drawings, specifications and relevant technical standards.
• Provide senior technical guidance to Project Managers and Site Managers where complex construction issues arise.
• Coordinate design, procurement and construction activities to minimise delays and rework.
• Ensure defects, non-conformances and technical issues are appropriately recorded, rectified and closed.

4. Project Team and Subcontractor Leadership

• Provide leadership and direction to the Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor and Site Managers.
• Allocate responsibilities and establish clear project reporting and accountability structures.
• Conduct regular construction and project-performance meetings.
• Review the performance of Project Managers, Site Managers, key subcontractors and suppliers.
• Coordinate labour, subcontractor, plant and equipment requirements across multiple sites.
• Oversee subcontractor productivity, quality, programme performance and contractual compliance.
• Resolve escalated disputes, coordination problems and performance issues.
• Mentor project and site personnel and develop consistent project-management practices throughout the company.
• Support workforce planning and identify future project-management and site-resource requirements.

5. Compliance, Quality, Safety and Risk Management

• Ensure construction activities comply with applicable legislation, building consent requirements, construction standards and contractual requirements.
• Maintain oversight of project health and safety performance and ensure appropriate systems are implemented at project level.
• Monitor quality assurance and quality-control systems across projects.
• Ensure inspections, testing, documentation and approvals are completed as required.
• Establish and review project risk registers.
• Identify construction, programme, procurement, technical, commercial and contractual risks.
• Implement appropriate mitigation and corrective-action strategies.
• Escalate material project and business risks to the Directors.

6. Client, Consultant and Director Reporting

• Act as a senior construction representative in meetings with clients, developers, architects, engineers, consultants and key subcontractors.
• Manage significant stakeholder issues affecting project delivery.
• Maintain constructive relationships with project stakeholders and professional advisers.
• Prepare regular management reports for the Directors covering:
  • project progress;
  • programme status;
  • project budgets;
  • forecast completion costs;
  • variations;
  • project margins;
  • construction risks;
  • quality and safety issues;
  • subcontractor performance; and
  • resource requirements.
• Provide construction advice to the Directors when assessing prospective projects and future workload.

Key Performance Indicators

Performance will be assessed against:

• achievement of agreed project completion milestones;
• project cost performance and forecast margin;
• accuracy and timeliness of project forecasting;
• control of variations and cost overruns;
• construction quality and defect levels;
• subcontractor performance;
• effective allocation of project resources;
• health and safety performance;
• compliance with building and contractual requirements;
• client and consultant relationship management;
• effectiveness of Project Manager and Site Manager supervision; and
• timely identification and management of project risks.

Person Specification

Qualifications

A bachelor's degree or higher qualification in one or more of the following areas is preferred:

• Construction Management;
• Civil Engineering;
• Architectural Engineering;
• Building;
• Construction Engineering; or
• another relevant construction-related discipline.

Substantial relevant professional experience may also be considered where appropriate.

Experience

The successful candidate will normally have:

• at least 10 years' relevant experience in construction, building, engineering or project management;
• substantial experience managing construction projects from planning through to completion;
• experience in a senior Project Manager, Construction Manager or comparable construction leadership position;
• experience leading multidisciplinary construction teams;
• experience supervising Project Managers, Site Managers, Quantity Surveyors and subcontractors;
• experience managing construction budgets, programmes, procurement and project risks; and
• demonstrated involvement in contract negotiation, tendering and major commercial decisions.

Technical and Management Competencies

• Advanced construction and project-management capability.
• Strong commercial and financial understanding.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and specifications.
• Advanced project programming and resource-planning skills.
• Strong knowledge of construction procurement and subcontract management.
• Strong understanding of construction risk management.
• High-level problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Effective negotiation and stakeholder-management capability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.