Construction Site Manager
Also advertised as: Assistant Site Manager, Construction Site Manager, General Foreman, Project Manager Construction, Site Agent, Site Supervisor
Runs a construction site: programme, safety, subcontractors, quality and cost.
What the job involves
Site managers make sure a build happens safely, in sequence and to standard. You coordinate subcontractors, manage materials and deliveries, run safety briefings, sign off quality and report progress. Many progress from a trade through supervisory roles.
Typical responsibilities
- Plan and sequence the works programme
- Manage subcontractors and site labour
- Own site health and safety
- Check quality and sign off works
- Report progress, cost and delays
Common employers
- Main contractors
- Housebuilders
- Fit-out specialists
- Civil engineering firms
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£35,000 – £45,000 a year
With experience
£50,000 – £75,000 a year
Typical hours
45 to 50 hours with early starts
Working environment
Construction sites
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Programme management
- Site safety
- Subcontractor management
- Quality control
- Cost awareness
Transferable skills you may already have
- Trade experience
- Supervising a gang
- Reading drawings
Requirements employers ask for
- Programme management
- Site safety
- Subcontractor management
- Quality control
- Cost awareness
- SMSTS certificate
- CSCS manager card
- First aid
- CSCS card
- SMSTS
Useful but not essential
- Trade experience
- Supervising a gang
- Reading drawings
- NVQ Level 6 Construction Site Management
- HNC in Construction
Helpful qualifications
- NVQ Level 6 Construction Site Management
- HNC in Construction
Licences and checks
- CSCS card
- SMSTS
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Construction Site Supervisor (Level 4)
- Construction Site Management (Level 6)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Construction management
- Related subject: Civil engineering
- Related subject: Building
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Site Manager
next
Contracts Manager
next
Construction Director
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Excellent pay from a trades background
- Clear promotion ladder
- Visible finished projects
What people find hard
- Long hours and weather
- Accountable for safety incidents
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a construction site manager?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a construction site manager earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £35,000 to £45,000 a year, rising towards £75,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Trade experience, Supervising a gang, Reading drawings.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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