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Construction Managers

SOC 11-9021.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers construction management practice from entry-level field compliance and scheduling support through executive-level portfolio governance, workforce leadership, and enterprise contract strategy across commercial, residential, and large-scale infrastructure project environments.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Building and safety codes — identify and reference applicable regulations during site walkthroughs under the direction of a senior construction manager.
  2. Project schedules and calendar software — enter task durations and dependencies under supervision to support deadline tracking on active construction sites.
  3. Budget estimate worksheets — compile labor and material cost data into draft estimates using spreadsheet tools under close managerial review.
  4. Quality control checklists — apply pre-established inspection protocols at designated milestones on residential or light commercial projects.
  5. Construction workers and crew leads — relay daily task assignments and safety instructions under the guidance of a project superintendent.
  6. Labor requirement logs — calculate basic crew sizes needed for routine trade activities using standard staffing formulas provided by supervisors.
  7. Project management software — input progress updates, milestone completions, and resource allocations as directed on assigned project modules.
  8. Subcontractor documentation — review contracts and scope-of-work documents for completeness and flag discrepancies to senior staff for resolution.
  9. Technical drawings and specifications — read and interpret standard construction documents to verify field conditions align with design intent.
  10. Verbal and written communications — prepare meeting notes and progress summaries for distribution to project team members under managerial direction.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Building code compliance inspections — conduct routine site reviews across multiple trade disciplines, documenting deficiencies and initiating corrective actions with limited oversight.
  2. Quality control programs — implement established QC procedures, track non-conformances, and verify closure of corrective actions on mid-scale commercial projects.
  3. Construction activity schedules — develop and maintain CPM-based project schedules using scheduling software, adjusting sequences to address emerging delays in familiar site conditions.
  4. Progress and cost tracking reports — prepare and submit periodic budget variance and earned-value reports to owners and stakeholders using project management software.
  5. Subcontractor and craft crews — supervise daily field operations, resolve work-sequence conflicts, and enforce safety requirements across multiple trades on site.
  6. Labor dispatch plans — analyze trade workflow demands and issue crew deployment schedules aligned with project phase requirements and available workforce capacity.
  7. Owner and design-team meetings — participate in project coordination meetings, raise construction concerns, and document agreed resolutions for distribution to field teams.
  8. Subcontract agreements — review subcontractor proposals, negotiate scope and schedule terms, and process contract amendments within delegated authority limits.
  9. CAD and document management software — retrieve, mark up, and distribute revised drawings and submittals to ensure field teams work from current design documents.
  10. Risk identification logs — recognize and escalate common project risks related to schedule, cost, and safety to the project manager with supporting data.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Regulatory compliance programs — autonomously oversee inspection regimens across all project phases, resolving code interpretation issues directly with inspectors and authorities having jurisdiction.
  2. Project-wide quality management plans — design, deploy, and continuously improve QC systems covering materials testing, inspection hold points, and subcontractor quality requirements on large commercial builds.
  3. Integrated master schedules — develop multi-phase, resource-loaded project schedules, identify and mitigate critical-path risks, and resequence work to recover schedule on complex construction projects.
  4. Cost control and budget reporting — independently prepare detailed budget estimates, manage contingency reserves, and deliver cost-to-complete forecasts to ownership groups on projects exceeding several million dollars.
  5. Full project workforce — direct and evaluate the performance of superintendents, field engineers, and subcontractor foremen, applying progressive discipline and recognition practices across the full project team.
  6. Workforce planning analyses — model labor demand curves against subcontractor capacity and market availability, negotiating procurement strategies to maintain optimal site staffing throughout the project lifecycle.
  7. Multi-party dispute resolution — lead negotiations among owners, architects, consultants, and contractors to resolve design conflicts, change orders, and claims, documenting outcomes in formal correspondence.
  8. Prime and subcontract negotiations — draft, negotiate, and execute contract amendments, bond requirements, and insurance provisions with consultants, suppliers, and subcontractors within full project authority.
  9. Systems analysis for constructability — evaluate design documents, specifications, and sequencing logic to identify constructability issues before work begins, recommending value-engineered solutions to design teams.
  10. Analytical and compliance software — leverage integrated project controls platforms to perform trend analyses, forecast schedule and cost outcomes, and generate executive-ready reports for owner presentations.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational safety and compliance strategy — establish company-wide building-code compliance frameworks and safety management systems, ensuring consistent regulatory adherence across an entire portfolio of concurrent projects.
  2. Enterprise quality management systems — design and institutionalize QC standards, audit protocols, and continuous-improvement processes that elevate quality performance across all divisions and project types.
  3. Portfolio-level master planning — direct the integrated scheduling and resource-allocation strategy for multiple simultaneous large-scale construction programs, setting organizational capacity thresholds and delivery priorities.
  4. Capital budget governance — set financial performance targets, approve project budgets at the program level, and lead executive reporting on cost performance, profitability, and risk exposure to boards or ownership groups.
  5. Construction workforce leadership — recruit, mentor, and retain senior project managers and superintendents, creating career development pathways and succession plans that sustain organizational talent pipelines.
  6. Strategic labor and contractor relations — negotiate enterprise-level agreements with trade unions, major subcontractors, and staffing agencies, shaping workforce availability and cost structures across multi-year project pipelines.
  7. Executive stakeholder engagement — represent the organization in high-stakes negotiations and dispute proceedings with clients, government agencies, and joint-venture partners, safeguarding company interests and relationships.
  8. Contractual risk and procurement leadership — establish standard contract templates, bonding strategies, and procurement policies that protect organizational interests across diverse project delivery methods including CM-at-risk and design-build.
  9. Technology and innovation adoption — evaluate and mandate deployment of emerging construction technologies — including BIM, cloud-based collaboration platforms, and data analytics tools — to drive productivity and competitive advantage.
  10. Organizational culture and ethics — model leadership behaviors aligned with integrity, dependability, and stress resilience, embedding these work styles into performance expectations and professional development programs across the firm.

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Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Construction Manager · Bridges and Buildings Supervisor · Commercial Construction Project Manager · Commercial Construction Superintendent · Commercial Superintendent · Concrete Foreman · Construction Area Manager · Construction Coordinator · Construction Director · Construction Foreman · Construction Management Supervisor · Construction Project Manager
RAPIDS apprenticeships
0238 · Construction Manager
O*NET skills
Judgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesCritical ThinkingCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningTime ManagementActive LearningMonitoringNegotiationReading ComprehensionSpeakingWritingSystems AnalysisManagement of Financial ResourcesSystems EvaluationSocial PerceptivenessMathematicsManagement of Material ResourcesQuality Control AnalysisLearning StrategiesPersuasionInstructingService OrientationOperations Analysis
Knowledge domains
Building and ConstructionAdministration and ManagementMathematicsEngineering and TechnologyCustomer and Personal ServiceMechanicalProduction and ProcessingEconomics and AccountingPublic Safety and SecurityDesignPersonnel and Human ResourcesEnglish LanguageAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingLaw and GovernmentSales and Marketing
Abilities
Problem SensitivityInformation OrderingDeductive ReasoningWritten ComprehensionOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionVisualizationWritten ExpressionNear VisionSpeech Clarity
Work styles
Leadership OrientationDependabilityIntegrityAttention to DetailPerseveranceStress Tolerance
Technology
Word processing softwareDocument management softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareData base user interface and query softwareProject management softwareCompliance softwareCloud-based data access and sharing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
  2. Develop or implement quality control programs.
  3. Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
  4. Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
  5. Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
  6. Determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites.
  7. Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems.
  8. Prepare contracts or negotiate revisions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers, or subcontractors.
CIP education codes
15.100144.040252.010152.020152.020552.200152.200252.2099

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.