Most Important Skills for a Construction Project Manager at HELIX Environmental Planning

For project management, it definitely depends on the kind of role, but for this role in particular, time management and multitasking are really important. We are working on so many projects at once, and it can get a little overwhelming at times.

Being able to stay organized and set priority lists is crucial. With project management, clients, and consulting in general, things can get hectic. We do restoration construction and I also manage multidisciplinary projects.

A multidisciplinary project is one where I'm the project manager, but there's a biology component, a planning or permitting component, and our restoration team. I'm managing staff working on my projects. I recently inherited some permitting projects from other staff, which was new for me to learn.

In general consulting, it's about prioritizing your schedule and task list. Everyone wants their work done immediately and considers it a priority. You want to make clients happy, so you have to figure out how to multitask and delegate effectively.

Utilizing the team's skill sets is really important. I might be quicker with technical reports, while my supervisor might be faster managing the crew's installation tasks. This allows me to focus on my responsibilities without having to do both.

It's about overseeing what needs to be done on your task list for a project and distributing it. Working together as a team is essential to get everything done. There are weeks that are very busy, with everyone needing things at once or multiple reports due.

Time management is essential because we bill all our time to projects. Managing how much time you spend is important to ensure projects don't go over budget and that you are billing all your time. You need to know how much time is budgeted for yourself on a project and how to distribute it if more is needed.

I would also say being able to go with the flow is important because things are always going to change. We might spend two hours on a Tuesday figuring out a schedule, only to get an email an hour later that a client isn't starting for three weeks. It can feel like a waste of time, but it's how construction and consulting work.

Projects ebb and flow, so you have to be able to adapt. It can be hard and irritating when schedules change, but you can't predict everything. You have to keep moving forward, work with the team, and adapt as you go.