A Day in the Life: Site Manager
“One of the things I love most about working on site is that you get to meet new people every day. I’m also lucky in that I’m able to experience the full project lifecycle, from entering an empty building through to delivering a fully automated process plant. This is hugely satisfying but something that not many other people get to see.”
John O’Dea, site manager, I.C. Electrical
What does your role involve?
Ultimately, I’m responsible for ensuring that all on-site activities run smoothly, from the initial planning stages of a project right through to its delivery, on time and on budget. What this means can vary from day to day, but often involves ensuring that we have the right workforce and materials in place to deliver a project, whilst helping to ensure that the team remains motivated and productive.
What does your typical day look like?
No two days are the same! We have clients both in the UK and overseas, and I work regularly from places all over the country. Ultimately, my role is to oversee all of the onsite activity taking place on a project. From managing my team and subcontractors, and monitoring progress to setting the day’s objectives, I have to know everything that’s going on.
I’m really close to the nuts and bolts of each project and keeping clients happy and up-to-date is a key part of my role. After all, they want to know that everything’s on track in terms of time and budget!
What education route did you take into electrical contracting?
My education route was a fairly traditional one. On leaving school, I set out on an electrical apprenticeship at NVQ Level 3, before taking my AM2 assessment and a qualification in inspection and testing. After two years, I began my first role as a qualified electrician and started racking up much-needed experience. The rest, as they say, is history!
What initially attracted you to this career?
My father owned his own pipe-fitting business and had a close friend who was an electrician, so I grew up around tradespeople. While the majority of my school friends went on to university, I’ve always been more of a hands-on type of person and much prefer to be on site doing something practical than sat inside an office all day.
What’s the best thing about your job?
One of the things I love most about working on site is that you get to meet new people every day. I’m also lucky in that I’m able to experience the full project lifecycle, from entering an empty building through to delivering a fully automated process plant. This is hugely satisfying but something that not many other people get to see!
What are the main challenges in your job?
In this job, managing customers’ expectations is a daily challenge, so you’ve really got to be a people person. While we always aim to deliver projects in line with agreed timescales, delays inevitably happen, so there’s a need to constantly communicate with clients to warn them of potential overruns. As the ability to meet deadlines is often dependant on contractors completing their own work on time, a good site manager should also regularly liaise with their project manager to flag any potential holdups and discuss appropriate contingency plans.
What are the top 3 things about working for I.C. Electrical?
Flexibility, a great company culture and genuinely interesting work! It’s so important to enjoy what you do each day and belong to an organisation where you feel like you’re a valued member of the team.
What advice would you give to those starting out in their electrical contracting career?
Becoming an electrical apprentice is a big step up from being at school, but a mature attitude to the world of work and a willingness to learn can take you a long way. It’s also worth bearing in mind that in an electrical contracting career, having to work away from home often comes with the territory. However, with a positive, can-do attitude, you’ll meet great people, develop valuable skills and set yourself up for a long and rewarding career.
What you may not know about John…
When he’s not busy working on-site, John takes an interest in Tottenham Hotspur FC, after being invited along to watch a match two years ago by his brother-in-law. Over the past three years, he’s also enjoyed cheering on family members in their gruelling Ironman competitions, which has taken him as far as Lanzarote and Nice.
When it’s time for a tea break, dark chocolate digestives will always be his biscuit of choice. In his view, there’s nothing better for dunking in a cup of tea!
For more information about career opportunities at I.C. Electrical, please contact info@icelectrical.co.uk.
