What Makes the Ideal Civil Engineering Manager?

Project managers in any technical discipline bring a wide range of skills and abilities to the table. Those who work in civil engineering combine these capabilities with others unique to this niche within the engineering world. Needless to say, well-rounded individuals able to see a project from many different perspectives tend to thrive in this role.

So what makes an ideal civil engineering project manager? Let’s take a closer look.

Understanding the Triple Constraint is Vital for Any Project Manager

Most projects — civil engineering and otherwise — rely on something called the triple constraint, which describes the interrelationship between time, cost, and quality within said project. A common refrain regarding this constraint states “you can have any two of those three.” In short, if you want something done quickly and cheaply, the quality will suffer.

Civil engineering project managers must have the ability to successfully balance the three items on the proverbial triple constraint. This takes great technical and analytical skills combined with intuition as well as strong communication abilities, especially when a project is taking too long or goes over budget. Navigating the triple constraint is why project managers are well paid.

Financial Skills are a plus for the Civil Engineering Manager

Most civil engineering projects must be completed on time with superior quality. Thus, being able to understand the financial aspects of a project is vital, considering that a project completed quickly with no defects will usually stress that project’s budget. Understanding costs and finances is an important skill of the project manager.

Don’t Forget Leadership and People Skills

A civil engineering project manager is also a leader with exemplary people skills. The ability to inspire other engineers and team members plays an important role in the success of any project. Ultimately, the best engineering project managers are great leaders who inspire their team members to a high level of performance.

If you are a civil engineer looking to move into a management role, talk to the experts at The Talley Group. As one of the top staffing agencies in Washington State, and a great source of Seattle civil engineering jobs, we can help your career immensely. Make it a point to meet with us today!