Commercial general contractor field supervisor job description
A commercial general contractor field supervisor runs the job site day to day on office fit-outs, retail spaces and small new buildings. They check subcontractors' work and safety, keep the trades in order, and write the daily record the project manager and owner rely on.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, commercial building contractors · BLS, May 2025
General Contractor - Commercial - Field Supervisor
Company Name:
[INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE]
Department:
Operations
Reports to:
[Operations Manager]
Location:
[INSERT LOCATION HERE]
1. Position Summary
The Field Supervisor plays a critical role in ensuring that all on-site activities are executed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with quality standards, contributing to the overall success of our commercial construction projects.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Enforce and monitor adherence to safety protocols and regulatory requirements on all job sites.
Inspect workmanship and quality of completed work by subcontractors to ensure compliance with project specifications and company standards.
Identify, document, and resolve on-site issues swiftly to maintain project schedules.
Collaborate with project managers and subcontractors to plan, coordinate, and optimize daily field operations.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct thorough daily site inspections to assess safety and quality compliance.
Communicate effectively with subcontractors to clarify project requirements and resolve issues.
Maintain and update field reports, documenting observations and corrective actions.
Participate in pre-construction meetings and safety briefings to align on project expectations and daily tasks.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Safety Incident Rate: Maintain under 2% per month.
Quality Inspection Score: Achieve a minimum of 95% compliance on all inspections.
On-Time Issue Resolution: Resolve 90% or more of site issues within 24 hours.
Subcontractor Compliance Rate: Ensure 98% adherence to company and regulatory standards.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field.
3+ years of experience in field supervision or construction project management.
Strong knowledge of commercial construction practices, safety regulations, and quality control standards.
Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience working within commercial general contracting environments.
Proven record in managing multiple subcontractors and coordinating large-scale projects.
Familiarity with construction management software and project scheduling tools.
Demonstrated ability to work in fast-paced, high-pressure environments while maintaining attention to detail.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and perform physical tasks required on a construction site.
Capacity to stand, walk, and work outdoors for extended periods during various weather conditions.
Good manual dexterity and the physical ability to conduct site inspections and climb ladders/scaffolds.
Vision and hearing acuity to observe safety hazards and communicate effectively on the job site.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard work hours are Monday through Friday, from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with occasional extended hours during peak project phases.
Regularly work in outdoor and sometimes unpredictable weather conditions.
Occasional travel between different project locations may be required.
On-call duties may be expected in the event of urgent site issues or emergencies.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary range: $65,000 - $85,000 USD, commensurate with experience.
Performance-based bonuses available based on project outcomes and KPIs.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans provided.
401(k) plan with company match.
Additional fringe benefits such as paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
Our company is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented environment where every team member is valued. We believe in continuous learning, innovation, and community involvement. By joining our team, you will be empowered to contribute to exciting projects, develop your skills, and grow your career in an industry that values safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
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What changes for a field supervisor at a commercial GC
Field supervisors everywhere walk the site and fix problems. At a commercial GC, most of the people on site work for subcontractors, and many jobs sit inside buildings that stay open.
Defense jobs bring the Army Corps safety manual
On a Department of Defense construction job, such as work on a base, the accident prevention clause FAR 52.236-13 requires the contractor to follow the Army Corps of Engineers safety manual, EM 385-1-1, on top of OSHA. On long or hazardous jobs, the clause's Alternate I adds a written plan, due before work starts, that analyzes the job's significant hazards and how to control them. The field supervisor runs that plan every day, so ask candidates whether they've worked under it. Source: eCFR: FAR 52.236-13, accident prevention.
In Hawaii, a state agency inspects most jobs
Hawaii runs its own OSHA-approved state plan, so HIOSH covers most private job sites there, along with state and local government work. Some sites are exceptions, such as private work inside the secured border of a military base or on land under exclusive federal control. Before each Hawaii job starts, the supervisor should know which agency covers that site. Source: OSHA: Hawaii State Plan coverage.
Extinguishers go in as the walls go up
A fit-out floor fills with cardboard, sawdust and packing foam. Under OSHA's construction rule, each 3,000 square feet of building area needs a 2A-rated or larger extinguisher, with no more than 100 feet of travel to the nearest one, plus at least one on each floor, with one by a stairway in multistory buildings (29 CFR 1926.150). New walls stretch those travel paths, so recheck the layout as framing goes up. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.150, fire protection.
Approve the first install before it repeats
Commercial work repeats: the same door frame, ceiling bay or tile pattern across a whole floor. Have each trade finish one first, then check it against the specs and the approved submittal before they go on. A mistake caught on the first opening is cheap to fix. The same mistake found at the owner's walk means redoing every room.
Check above the ceiling before it closes
Ductwork, sprinkler lines, cable trays and hangers all end up above the ceiling grid. Walk each room with the trades before the tile goes in, check the work against the drawings, and take photos. A missing support or loose cable found after the tenant moves in means lifting tiles over desks and working around their staff.
How much commercial general contractor field supervisors make
The closest BLS group for commercial general contractor field supervisors is First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers. First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers who work for commercial and industrial builders earned a median of $39.17 an hour ($81,480 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $79,920 median for First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in all industries. About 106,330 of the 812,210 First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in that survey work for commercial building contractors.
Usually paid a salary plus a job-based bonus. The template's range starts near the bottom of this industry's BLS pay and tops out close to its median.
Commercial building contractors
$81,480$81,480 median Middle half $71,510–$102,970 10th–90th $59,780–$129,520
All industries
$79,920$79,920 median Middle half $63,400–$101,460 10th–90th $53,280–$128,260
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Commercial building contractors
$59,780
$71,510
$81,480
$102,970
$129,520
All industries
$53,280
$63,400
$79,920
$101,460
$128,260
BLS doesn’t publish pay for commercial general contractors on their own. These figures cover nonresidential building construction, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Reads commercial drawings and specs, including reflected ceiling plans and life safety sheets
Has run a site where subcontractors did most of the work
Writes clear daily reports with dates, names and photos
Stops unsafe work and explains why without a shouting match
Orders the trades so they aren't stacked in the same room
Teach these on the job
Your construction software and report format
Your company's safety program and forms
Each property owner's rules for working in their building
The phase-by-phase quality checklist you use
How your project managers want cost and change issues raised
Commercial field supervisors log daily reports, photos and punch lists in software such as Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud or Fieldwire, and read plan sets on a tablet. A laser distance meter and a moisture meter for drywall and flooring checks ride in the truck; name your software in the ad.
Commercial general contractor field supervisor interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Enforcing safety with subcontractors
A drywall subcontractor's crew is standing on the top steps of ladders and working on scaffolds without guardrails. Their foreman says that's how they always work. What do you do?
A strong answer: Stops the unsafe work, explains site rules and OSHA requirements, has it corrected before work resumes, documents it, and tells the sub's office and the project manager.
Behavioral · Pre-installation meetings
Tell me about a time a pre-construction or pre-installation meeting you ran prevented a problem.
A strong answer: Explains who attended (trades, inspector, manufacturer's rep), what they covered, and the problem it caught before installation.
Commercial general contractor field supervisor KPIs
Start from the template's targets. After the supervisor has run one job start to finish, reset them using your own finished jobs.
Safety Incident Rate
Track recordable injuries and first-aid treatments on site, subs' workers included, against total hours. Pull hours from daily reports and sign-in sheets, and review each incident's cause with the supervisor.
Quality Inspection Score
Use one checklist per phase, such as framing, above-ceiling and finishes, and score each walk the same way. Compare the supervisor's scores with what the architect and owner find on their own walks.
On-Time Issue Resolution
Log each site issue in the daily report with the time it was found and the time it was closed. Review open items weekly and note which ones waited on the architect, the owner or a sub.
Subcontractor Compliance Rate
Track each sub's misses on site rules and safety items, such as missing guardrails, blocked exits or no hazard analysis. Report by sub so you know whom to coach and whom to leave off the next bid list.
Career path
Laborer / helperLearns the site, the trades and the building rules.
Skilled tradespersonBuilds the framing, doors and finishes the company does itself.
Field supervisorRuns one or more commercial sites and the subs working on them.
Operations managerOversees staffing, equipment and field standards for every site.
Other roles in a commercial general contractor business
Commercial general contractor field supervisor FAQ
Is a field supervisor the same as a superintendent at a commercial GC?
Often, yes. Many commercial builders call the person who runs the site the superintendent, while the project manager handles the contract, money and paperwork from the office. Some companies split the roles, with a superintendent on each large job and a field supervisor covering several small fit-outs. Put both titles in your ad so candidates searching either one find it.
How much does a commercial general contractor field supervisor make?
First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers who work for commercial and industrial builders earned a median of $39.17 an hour ($81,480 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $71,510 and $102,970 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Who should run the weekly meeting with subcontractor foremen?
The field supervisor. That meeting sets which trade works where over the next few weeks and lists open safety and quality items. The project manager can join for cost and contract questions but shouldn't run the trade sequence. Send short written notes the same day, since they become the record if a sub later says another trade held them up.
What should a field supervisor get from each subcontractor before its crew starts?
A crew list, the foreman's cell number, the name of the sub's competent person for ladders, lifts or scaffolds, a hazard analysis for its work, plus safety data sheets for any products it brings. Each new worker also gets your site orientation: exits, extinguishers, building rules and where to report an injury. Keep it all in the job file, not the supervisor's truck.
Should the field supervisor attend preconstruction meetings?
Yes, the template lists them. The supervisor is the one who will work under the building's rules, so they should hear them from the owner and building manager directly. Bring their questions about sprinkler and power shutdowns for tie-ins, parking, and which areas stay open to tenants during the work.
Which site tasks match the template's physical and vision lines?
They describe the site walk. The supervisor climbs ladders and scaffolds to look above ceilings and at rooftop units, carries sample panels or boxes of parts, and walks ground-up sites in rain or sun. Spotting hazards and talking with crews over running equipment are part of each walk. Name each of these duties in your job post, and if a candidate asks about an accommodation, discuss it with them.
