Job profile:
Site manager (m/f/d)
From laying the foundation stone to acceptance: site managers literally wear the hat when it comes to coordinating construction projects. To ensure that buildings are erected quickly and correctly, they make sure that teams are coordinated and employees are instructed correctly. They also check whether external partner companies and suppliers are fulfilling their tasks.
Site managers keep a close eye on the economic, structural and time schedule. They are responsible for ensuring that everything runs as planned on construction sites and that customer requests are implemented correctly. The site manager also carries out the final quality control. Here, they determine whether the building meets the necessary quality standards and whether all tasks have been carried out correctly.
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What is a site manager?
A site manager keeps an eye on all activities on the construction site and takes care of both the client's requirements and the proper execution of all work.
The site manager therefore spends a lot of time on the construction site coordinating suppliers, external companies and employees. They also work in the office, where they carry out preparatory and follow-up work as well as project management. They conduct negotiations with the owner, suppliers and authorities, obtain quotations and carry out calculations. Construction managers are often compared to project managers, as the tasks of these two roles are very similar.
Sometimes the job as a site manager can be very stressful and lead to an unbalanced work-life balance. This is because project plans are sometimes not adhered to, which requires a quick response and often a plan B. This is where site managers need routine and expertise, but also a cool head in order to complete the construction on time.
As a site manager, you will come into contact with different contact persons on the construction site and when working with your sponsor and external companies. That's why this job requires communication skills and a good knowledge of human nature. It is extremely important that you always involve the right people in the individual phases of the construction plan and that you constantly have all the information on the construction site.
Site manager salary in Austria:
A comprehensive overview
The average salary of a site manager in Austria is €57,000 gross per year.
However, the construction manager's salary depends on various factors: The location, professional experience and the size of the company have a strong impact on the salary. As a rule, the monthly salary is between €2,722 and €4,537 gross.
Another important factor that influences the salary of construction managers is the field in which they work. This is because the construction industry is divided into several areas, such as building construction, civil engineering, urban and road construction.
Starting salary as a site manager:
Junior site manager salary in Austria
Senior site manager salary in Austria:
your earnings after many years
Long-serving site managers - in some companies also senior site managers - can expect to earn around €72,000 gross per year.
However, the salary also depends on the employer or client and the complexity of the construction project. Additional training can also have a positive effect on the salary of a senior site manager, for example in the field of electrical engineering.
Site manager tasks and activities:
What do site managers do?
- Monitor and control the construction site
- Observe the specifications in the building permit, plans and other regulations
- Check proper implementation of the construction work
- Complete construction site tours
- Develop workflows and improve processes
- Obtain cost estimates and offers from service providers
- Conducting negotiations and agreements with clients
- Planning staff deployment
- Acceptance of services and deliveries
- Take over cost control and invoice verification
- Participation in official inspections
- Comply with health and safety guidelines
Junior site manager tasks
As a junior site manager, you are at the beginning of your career in site management. You therefore serve as support for the more experienced people in construction management.
The tasks of junior site managers include :
- Quality control of the work carried out
- Administrative tasks, such as checking invoices
- Documentation of the construction
- Contact person for clients and external parties
- Assistant to the senior site manager
Senior site manager tasks
With their expertise, long-serving senior site managers often venture into the role of a manager – often called a senior site manager.
In addition to their management role, their tasks are similar to those of site managers:
- Planning of construction projects
- Organization and coordination of the parties involved
- Consultation with clients
- Cost calculations
- Monitoring compliance with site-specific regulations
- Documentation of the construction progress
- Checking the quality
What is a specialist site manager?
In addition to site managers, there are often specialist site managers on construction sites. A specialist site manager is deployed when the site manager's own specialist knowledge reaches its limits. A specialist site manager is therefore an expert in a specific specialist area that becomes important at a certain point during construction. This could be, for example, timber construction, fire protection or electrical engineering.
The specialist site manager takes care of the organization and compliance with regulations in their area of responsibility. They therefore support the site manager in a certain area, while the site manager remains the main contact person for the construction. As soon as this specialist area is properly completed, the assignment of the specialist site manager is finished.
Site manager training, studies & further training:
How do you become a site manager?
There are various ways to become a construction manager: For many, becoming a site manager was a logical career step after many years in the construction industry. Appropriate further training or studies provide the necessary basis of theoretical knowledge, as there is no classic construction manager apprenticeship.
A degree course usually enables direct entry as a construction manager. This is possible, for example, via a Bachelor's or Master's degree in fields such as civil engineering or architecture in combination with practical experience through various internships.
A technical degree from a higher technical college (HTL) also provides a good basis for a future in construction management.
Site manager training: practical experience desired
Although there is no classic apprenticeship to become a site manager, the practical path via an apprenticeship still represents the entry into the profession of site manager for many.
In Austria, for example, this works by completing a technical degree at a secondary school, particularly in the field of construction technology. Students learn everything that could be important in construction management later on. Practical units also take place. Nevertheless, it is common to gain a few years of professional experience in construction after graduating in construction technology before you are ready for the role of site manager
Construction manager studies: The academic path towards construction
The academic path also leads to construction management. Although there is no specific construction manager degree program, some fields of study are particularly suitable for becoming a construction manager.
These include Bachelor's or Master's degrees in:
- Civil engineering
- Architecture
- Water and soil management
- Building technology
These courses can be found at many colleges, universities and universities of applied sciences in Austria. These include, for example, the Bachelor in Civil Engineering at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences or at the Vienna University of Technology. The prerequisite for this is a completed Matura.
Many students complete suitable internships on construction sites during their studies in order to gain the necessary experience. After all, if you want to become a construction manager, it is essential to have practical experience.
Further training as a site manager
Experienced civil engineers or architects who want to take the next step can also train to become a certified construction manager. The BAUAkademie training course in Austria, for example, is suitable for this. It is aimed at people who are already working in the construction industry and would like to acquire the extensive know-how of a site manager and complete the corresponding certificate.
In addition, there are many further training courses for site managers who want to specialize further or refresh their knowledge. Exciting training topics are included:
- Climate-friendly building
- (Construction)project management
- Building construction
- Civil engineering
- Acting with legal certainty in construction management
- Specialist engineer modules
- Construction logistics planning
You can find such further training courses at the BFI or WIFI, for example.
The “klimaaktiv” initiative of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action and Environment offers further training on environmentally and climate-friendly construction.
Site manager as a career changer: Is there a career change into site management?
A lateral entry as a site manager without relevant previous experience is not possible. In order to work in construction management, a degree in a relevant field or a technical school-leaving qualification is recommended, as plenty of theoretical knowledge as well as practical experience is required to do this job. After all, the site manager is responsible for the entire construction process and all employees working in it.
The best way for people who already have experience on the construction site to make a lateral entry is to complete a high-quality training course and obtain a certificate in construction management.
Construction manager skills:
Site managers must fulfill these requirements
The most important skills of a site manager include:
- Sound knowledge of mathematics and statistics
- Knowledge of statics, timber construction, CAD planning and construction IT
- Advanced know-how in relevant technologies
- Building informatics
In addition, the site manager should also have a number of soft skills that are important in the day-to-day work of site management:
- Analytical thinking
- Ability to work in a team
- Assertiveness
- Strong negotiation and communication skills
- Sense of responsibility
Construction manager careers:
opportunities on the Austrian job market
Until 2020, the construction industry in Austria was always developing positively, which was unfortunately severely interrupted by the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the order situation in the construction industry has been declining and the construction sector is considered the problem child of the Austrian economy. The industry is also complaining about a severe shortage of skilled specialists, high material costs and supply bottlenecks.
The situation is likely to remain challenging in the coming years. Nevertheless, the opportunities for you as a construction manager are good, as qualified specialists are in demand. The figures look best for renovation, building construction and civil engineering projects.
Top Vacancies: SITE manager Jobs (m/f/d)
FAQ
As a site manager, you are responsible for the entire organization and coordination on the construction site. You take care of the deployment of personnel and the schedule for the construction project and check whether everyone involved in the construction is carrying out their work properly.
As a site manager, you are responsible for the entire organization and coordination on the construction site. You take care of the deployment of personnel and the schedule for the construction project and check whether everyone involved in the construction is carrying out their work properly.
Construction managers usually have a degree in civil engineering or architecture or a technical school education. A classic lateral entry as a site manager is not possible.
In Austria, construction managers earn an average annual gross salary of € 57,000. As a starting salary, they receive between €2,470 and €3,160 per year, while long-term construction managers earn an average of €72,000.
In Austria, anyone who has completed relevant vocational training - e.g. at a technical secondary school - and has several years of experience in construction or a degree in architecture or civil engineering with additional completed internships is qualified to become a site manager.
In Austria, anyone who has completed relevant vocational training - e.g. at a technical secondary school - and has several years of experience in construction or a degree in architecture or civil engineering with additional completed internships is qualified to become a site manager.
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