What It Takes to Be a Construction Project Manager

What is a Construction Project Manager and What do they do? 

Behind every successful project is a Construction Project Manager who is organized, able to identify and solve problems, works well with others, and possesses excellent communication skills. Project Managers are essential to ensure the project stays on schedule, within budget, and to Chesapeake’s standards while delivering a client experience that is defined by quality, integrity, and trust. 

Construction Project Managers are the main point of contact for our clients, trade partners, and stakeholders. They act as the primary leader for the business side of the construction project by coordinating, implementing, and managing various facets necessary to construct a project. Project Managers are strong in their ability to problem solve as each project brings its own unique set of challenges. They also act as a leader and advocate for their team, mitigating risks, delegating work, and empowering their internal and external team-members. Every day is different in the world of Project Management, which is why this role is both challenging and exciting. Many of our Project Managers say their favorite aspect of the role is working as a team to overcome the challenges they face – their most rewarding projects are typically not the easiest but rather the most complex. 

How to become a Construction Project Manager

There are many paths one can take to becoming a Construction Project Manager. Many professionals enter the field through construction management or civil engineering programs, building the foundation needed for a career in construction project management. Likewise, gaining real world experience; whether through a part time job or an internship also provides relevant industry knowledge. 

At Chesapeake, we offer the EDGE internship program to help students develop their skills and gain invaluable experience in the construction industry. If you are a rising sophomore or above and currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, click here to learn more about what we have to offer: https://www.ccgmd.com/careers/internships/

Top 10 Skills to be a successful Construction Project Manager

1. Effective leadership skills
2. Adaptability
3. Excellent communication Skills
4. Sound relationship skills
5. Strong construction knowledge
6. Excellent time management 
7. Ability to identify and mitigate risk  
8. Good problem solving skills
9. Strong organization skills
10. Ability to delegate and coach 

Inside look at the department at Chesapeake Contracting Group

At Chesapeake, Project Managers work side by side with our Superintendents – much like business partners, to ensure project success. While Superintendents are on site every day, Project Managers typically work in the office and visit their job sites once or twice per week. They manage the construction process to make sure the project is done on time, within budget, and to the quality specified. This partnership between Superintendents and Project Managers is essential to strong construction project leadership.

If you are looking for a job fresh out of college, consider joining Chesapeake as a Project Engineer. In this role you will get to see what it’s like working in both the field and in the office setting. This experience builds on your foundational knowledge and provides the proper training to ensure your progression up to Project Manager path. 

At Chesapeake, we are all about teamwork. Typically, the size of the project depicts the amount of support needed. However, every project at Chesapeake is staffed with a Project Coordinator for the administrative tasks, a Project Manager for technical expertise and a Project Executive for oversight. Larger and more complex projects may require additional support from Assistant Project Managers and Project Engineers. 

To help ensure your success, we employ state-of-the-art technology. At Chesapeake, Project Managers use Procore, Bluebeam, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Project, P6, and Timberscan. These tools help streamline scheduling, communication, and document control across all construction management projects.

Learn more About Chesapeake and Apply Today

At Chesapeake, we build across a broad range of markets and industries including multi-family, healthcare, automotive, self-storage, retail, and senior living. Check out some of our work here: https://www.ccgmd.com/portfolio/

Whether you’re exploring construction careers, preparing for a project management role, or looking for growth opportunities, Chesapeake provides the training and support to help you advance in construction project management. Click here to apply today: https://www.ccgmd.com/careers/