General contractor field supervisor job description
A general contractor field supervisor moves between the company's open job sites, checking each lead carpenter's progress, safety and quality against the schedule. They sort out problems with subs and homeowners on the spot, so a remodel or new home doesn't stall while someone waits for the office to call back.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, residential builders and remodelers · BLS, May 2025
Oversee and manage on-site construction teams to ensure work quality and safety standards are consistently met. Act as the primary liaison between project management and field teams to drive efficient project completion. Contribute to the overall success of projects by enforcing safety protocols and ensuring timely delivery.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Supervise multiple site teams, providing clear instructions and performance feedback.
Enforce company and industry-specific safety standards on all job sites.
Monitor project progress and ensure on-time completion of tasks.
Coordinate with project managers and subcontractors to resolve any on-site issues promptly.
Maintain accurate documentation of inspections, incidents, and task completions.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct daily site inspections to identify potential safety hazards and ensure adherence to quality standards.
Organize team meetings to communicate daily goals and review project progress.
Liaise with clients and subcontractors to address questions and ensure client satisfaction.
Manage and update project schedules and daily reports.
Provide on-the-ground training and guidance to team members as needed.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
On-time Project Completion Rate: ≥ 95%.
Safety Incident Rate: < 2 incidents per 1,000 work hours.
Team Efficiency Rate: ≥ 90% capacity utilization.
Client Satisfaction Rating: > 4.8 stars.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or GED; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in construction management preferred.
Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in construction supervision or field management.
Strong leadership and effective communication skills.
Proficiency in reading blueprints, project documentation, and compliance regulations.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience as a field supervisor or site manager within the construction or home services industry.
Background in general contracting and hands-on construction work.
Proven track record of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
Experience with modern construction management software and mobile applications.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
Capable of standing, walking, and climbing for extended periods.
Work in variable outdoor conditions including exposure to hot, cold, and inclement weather.
Comfortable navigating uneven terrain and confined spaces as required by the job site.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.
Occasional extended hours or weekend work may be required to meet project deadlines.
Frequent on-site travel and outdoor work is expected.
On-call duties may be necessary during critical project phases.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary range: $55,000 - $75,000 per year based on qualifications and experience.
Eligibility for performance-based bonuses.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance packages provided.
Access to a 401(k) plan with company matching contributions.
Additional fringe benefits such as paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment that prioritizes continuous improvement and employee growth.
Our team values transparency, integrity, and a dedication to excellence in every project.
As a forward-thinking company, we invest in the latest technologies and offer robust training programs to support career advancement.
Join us to be part of a dynamic team that empowers you to thrive and build a successful career.
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].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What changes for a field supervisor at a residential builder
Most of the day is spent driving between houses, each with its own lead carpenter, crew and family. Four things shape that loop.
A lead on every site, the supervisor between them
Each remodel or new home has a lead carpenter running it day to day. The field supervisor doesn't take over. They visit on a loop, check the work against the plans, and back up the lead when a sub is late or a homeowner pushes for a change. The real skill is knowing which site needs them most this morning.
Tie-in day on an addition
The day a crew opens the existing roof or wall to join an addition, the family's house is exposed. The field supervisor picks that day from the forecast, has tarps and sheathing on site, and makes sure the opening is closed before the crew leaves. A spring snow in Colorado or a nor'easter in Connecticut can turn one missed step into a ceiling repair.
Tools plugged into the house need protection
Remodel crews often plug saws into the homeowner's outlets, and older houses may not have ground-fault outlets at all. OSHA's construction rule says the employer must use either ground-fault circuit interrupters or an assured equipment grounding conductor program to protect workers on site. A portable GFCI on every cord is the simple fix, and the supervisor looks for it on each visit. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.404, wiring design and protection.
Scaffolds get a check before each shift
Siding, trim and paint on a two-story house often go up from scaffolds or pump jacks. Under OSHA's scaffold rule, a competent person must look the scaffold over for visible defects at the start of every shift, and again after anything, such as a windstorm, that could affect its strength. The field supervisor is often that person, so say so in the job ad, and have the daily report show each check. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.451, scaffold general requirements.
How much general contractor field supervisors make
The closest BLS group for 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 residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $36.53 an hour ($75,980 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $79,920 median for First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in all industries. About 71,930 of the 812,210 First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in that survey work for residential builders and remodelers.
Salaried, with a performance bonus on top in the template. Its figures land in the lower half of what BLS shows for first-line supervisors of construction crews at home builders, so someone leaving a larger builder may want more.
Residential builders and remodelers
$75,980$75,980 median Middle half $60,510–$93,660 10th–90th $50,130–$112,940
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
Residential builders and remodelers
$50,130
$60,510
$75,980
$93,660
$112,940
All industries
$53,280
$63,400
$79,920
$101,460
$128,260
BLS doesn’t publish pay for general contractors on their own. These figures cover residential 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 plans and catches layout or framing errors before they're built
Tells a lead carpenter the work is wrong without losing the crew
Plans a day across several sites and redoes it by noon
Writes clear daily reports from a phone
Knows when to stop work over a safety problem
Teach these on the job
Your project app, daily logs and photo records
Your quality checklist for each phase of a house
Which subs need watching and which don't
Your scaffold, ladder and electrical checks
How your project managers want problems reported
Most builders run the field from an app such as Buildertrend or JobTread, with daily logs, photos and schedules on the supervisor's phone. Name your app in the ad. Mention it too if a company truck, a laser level and a moisture meter come with the job.
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 · Sub safety on your site
A roofing subcontractor's crew is working without fall protection on your job. What do you do?
A strong answer: Stops the work until they comply, notifies the sub's owner and the PM, documents it, and makes clear the rules apply to everyone on site.
Behavioral · Giving tough feedback
Tell me about a time you told an experienced carpenter their trim or framing work wasn't up to standard.
A strong answer: Was specific and respectful, showed the problem, set the standard, and followed up.
The template's targets are a sketch. Swap in your own from a year of job dates, injury logs and homeowner surveys, and revisit them each quarter.
On-time Project Completion Rate
Compare when each finished job was handed over with the signed schedule's date, moved only by approved change orders. Review the late ones for causes the supervisor could control.
Safety Incident Rate
Divide recordable injuries on this supervisor's jobs by total crew hours from payroll. Track near misses too, because they point to the next likely injury.
Team Efficiency Rate
Compare the hours crews were scheduled with the hours spent on job work, from timecards coded by job. Time lost waiting on inspections, materials or subs shows up here.
Client Satisfaction Rating
Send a short survey at handover and read the comments about the site itself: tidiness, noise, start times, and how questions on site were answered.
Career path
Lead carpenterRuns one house and its crew from start to finish.
Field supervisorOversees several houses and the leads who run them.
Production managerDecides crew assignments and quality standards for every job.
Operations managerRuns field operations, from the schedule to the safety program.
Do we need a field supervisor if every job has a lead carpenter?
Once you have more jobs open than the owner or project managers can visit each week, usually yes. Leads are busy building and can't see what's happening across the company, such as two jobs counting on the same drywall sub. A supervisor also gives leads a second look before an inspection, and someone to call when a homeowner asks for extra work. At smaller builders, a senior lead often does this part time.
How much does a general contractor field supervisor make?
First-Line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $36.53 an hour ($75,980 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $60,510 and $93,660 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
How many job sites can one field supervisor cover?
That turns on the type of work and the drive between houses. A kitchen remodel with a strong lead might need one short visit a day, while a new home in framing or a job with a new lead needs more. List your open jobs, count the visits each one needs in a week, and add the drive time. If the supervisor can't reach each site at its key stages, hire a second one or shrink the area.
How much should a builder's field supervisor deal with homeowners?
Enough to answer questions about the site and spot trouble early, but not so much that promises get made outside the contract. Agree on a rule: the supervisor explains what the crew is doing and when, and any request for new work or a price is sent to the project manager in writing. A supervisor who shows up when expected and leaves the site tidy earns homeowners' trust.
What should a field supervisor's daily report include?
Who was on each site, subs included, what got done, what's blocked and why, inspections passed or failed, the safety checks made, and photos of any problem. Keep it short enough to finish on a phone in the truck. The project manager uses it to update the homeowner, and it becomes your record if a dispute comes up months later.
What do the template's lifting, climbing, weather and confined space lines mean?
They describe the work, not a fitness test. On a normal day the supervisor carries a ladder or a box of fasteners, climbs to a roof or scaffold to look at a tie-in, walks muddy or rocky lots on new homes in rain, snow or summer sun, and squeezes through attic hatches and crawl space openings to see framing, ducts or insulation. List these tasks in the job ad. If a candidate asks, be ready to talk about reasonable accommodation.
