Construction Manager

Purpose of the role

• Lead the physical execution of overhead line construction and outdoor substation works. Convert the approved programme and Project Manager’s priorities into safe, coordinated and productive daily work. Manage supervisors, crews, plant and subcontractors to deliver civil and electrical installation work to approved drawings, methods, quality standards and agreed targets.

Reporting and working relationships:

Reports to: Site Based Project Manager.

• Direct reports: Assigned construction superintendents, discipline supervisors and foremen. Direct subcontractor field activities through their designated supervisors, within the approved scope and site arrangements.

Construction planning and supervision:

• Prepare practical weekly and look-ahead construction plans with the Planner and supervisors. Set daily work fronts, sequences, crew allocations and measurable production targets.
• Lead daily pre-start and field coordination meetings. Spend the majority of working time at the work fronts, checking readiness, supervision, safe execution, progress and workmanship.
• Coordinate interfaces between trades and subcontractors, manage simultaneous activities and adjust field sequencing within approved priorities and methods.
• Assess constructability and site conditions. Raise clashes, access limitations and method or design concerns early for resolution by the responsible technical function.

Work front readiness:

• Verify approved construction information, methods, risk assessments, permits, isolations, access, materials, plant, competent personnel and required supervision before starting work.
• Confirm survey, temporary works, inspection and preceding-work requirements with the responsible specialists. Obtain required releases before proceeding.
• Resolve local execution constraints and give the Project Manager clear required dates for matters needing engineering, procurement, client or management intervention.

Overhead line construction execution:

• Coordinate route access, survey and setting out, excavations, foundations, backfilling and reinstatement within released work areas. Verify inspection releases before subsequent activities start.
• Direct structure assembly and erection, insulator and hardware installation, conductor and earthwire stringing, sagging and clipping, and optical ground wire installation where included in scope.
• Plan crew movements, crane positions, stringing sites, drum handling and equipment allocation to suit terrain, access and approved construction methods. Check component availability for each work front.
• Coordinate approved crossing protection and controls for work near existing services or energised lines with the responsible specialists. Verify permits and required releases before affected work proceeds.
• Arrange inspections and records for foundations, structure alignment and connections, conductor installation and clearances, earthing and reinstatement against approved project requirements.

Outdoor substation construction execution:

• Direct earthworks, drainage, equipment foundations, cable trenches, ducts, earthing installation, fencing and associated civil works within scope. Coordinate embedded items and interfaces before concrete placement.
• Manage erection of steel structures and installation of primary equipment, busbars, conductors and connections. Coordinate transformer offloading, positioning and assembly with approved specialist teams.
• Coordinate cable pulling, identification, termination and protection and control installation with discipline supervisors. Check equipment handling, storage and preservation requirements.
• Manage work fronts within approved operational boundaries at existing substations. Coordinate permits, access and required isolations with authorised operating personnel; prevent unauthorised entry into live areas.
• Prepare completed installations for inspection and testing. Close construction defects and provide crews, access and records to support commissioning and handover.

Site production and resources:

• Direct construction crews and subcontractor field activities within approved scope. Check mobilisation, attendance, competence, equipment suitability and supervision coverage.
• Allocate available labour, plant and materials to agreed priorities. Manage laydown areas, site movements, material handling, storage, housekeeping and efficient use of equipment.
• Measure installed quantities and productivity against targets. Identify causes of lost time and implement practical recovery within approved resources; submit additional needs to the Project Manager.
• Control material use, waste and rework.
• Identify shortages early and provide accurate quantities and required-on-site dates to the project support team.

Safe execution and workmanship:

• Implement approved controls for work at height, lifting, excavations, stringing, induced voltages and proximity to energised equipment. Verify task briefings, permits and specialist releases with SHE and authorised personnel.
• Check weather-related work restrictions, emergency and rescue readiness, and environmental controls for vegetation, erosion, spills and site reinstatement, as applicable to the planned work.
• Stop unsafe activities, make the area safe and escalate incidents and serious risks immediately. Resume work only after required corrective actions and authorised clearance.
• Ensure crews use current approved drawings and methods. Do not improvise design changes; raise technical queries and implement formally approved responses.
• Coordinate inspections with QA/QC and respect hold and witness points. Correct defective work, address causes of rework and retain required inspection and construction records.

Progress records and completion:

• Maintain accurate daily records of manpower, plant, installed quantities, completed work, delays, instructions, inspections and relevant site conditions.
• Give the Project Manager and Planner verified daily progress and weekly forecasts, including constraints, resource needs and recovery actions. Supply factual evidence of potential change events promptly.
• Complete punch-list work, protect completed installations and coordinate construction support for testing and commissioning. Provide as-built mark-ups and construction records for handover.

Authority and role boundaries:

• Direct assigned supervisors and field activities, allocate approved resources, set daily production targets and require subcontractor execution recovery within approved scope.
• Stop unsafe or nonconforming work. Escalate issues affecting milestone dates, budgets, technical approvals or other functions to the Project Manager without delay.
• Focus on site execution. The Project Manager leads client management, integrated programme and cost reporting, procurement escalation, cross-functional decisions and contractual administration.
• Provide field evidence and technical input for commercial assessments, but do not agree rates, variations, extensions of time, additional expenditure or changed scope without written authority.
• Do not approve engineering designs, bypass quality controls or override permits and statutory appointees. Any statutory appointment remains a separate written appointment with its own responsibilities.
• Do not undertake or authorise switching, isolation, removal of operational earths or energisation unless separately appointed and authorised for the specific activity.