What Does A Field Operations Manager Do?

What Does a Field Operations Manager Do?

In this blog, we’ll explore the key responsibilities of a Field Operations Manager and more importantly, an awesome leadership approach that works in the field. I’ve served as a Field Director and a Field Operations Manager, and I’ve seen both good and great examples in action. This blog is a chance for us to combine your experience, my research, and the lessons I’ve learned firsthand.

The Best Leadership Approach: It Starts with People

Let’s kick this off with a story about a phenomenal General Superintendent who later became a Field Director. His approach? Relationships, relationships, relationships.

If I had to step back into a Field Operations role tomorrow, the very first thing I’d do is get to know everyone, the jobsite team, the corporate office, the estimating team, and all the departments I’d interact with. I’d make it my goal to become their biggest fan. That’s exactly what this individual did. Every time I interacted with him, I felt like I was his number one priority. And that belief in people? It makes you want to give 10x more than what’s expected.

He didn’t push instructions, he inspired excitement. He would ask, “Can you imagine how clean this jobsite could be?” or “Can we get ahead of schedule together?” This approach brought out the best in others, including me. It’s this kind of empowering leadership we need in this role.

The Core Responsibilities of a Field Operations Manager:

1. Scaling Excellence Across Projects:

A Field Operations Manager isn’t just focused on one site; they scale systems and excellence across multiple projects. That starts with a solid business structure and visual standards, not boring manuals. Think: Takt planning books, visual SOPs, and construction layout guides.

Then comes training. Lots of it. Everyone in the company should be trained on the operating system. Like Paul Akers says in 2 Second Lean: “It’s all about people.” A great Field Operations Manager develops people constantly, training, mentoring, and elevating them to own the process.

2. Monthly Field Walks for Support and Improvement:

Each month, the Field Operations Manager should conduct field walks not to critique, but to support. These walks are meant to provide feedback, identify improvement areas, and remove roadblocks. You’re grading teams based on what they were trained to do, while also helping them get better every month.

3. Managing the Superintendent Team:

Superintendents are a brilliant (and sometimes opinionated) group. Managing them means leading with influence, not authority. You need to create a Superintendent’s group that works together not in silos and help them solve real problems, roll out standards, and elevate company-wide practices.

This means coaching, mentoring, and facilitating solutions through the team not around them.

4. Ensuring Safety and Cleanliness:

One thing has to be clear: safety and cleanliness are non-negotiable. You can have a friendly relationship, but you’ve also got to hold the line. Every job should have weekly safety walks, and issues must be resolved within 24 hours. The culture must reflect that you mean business when it comes to safety.

5. Strategic Project Check-Ins:

If you’re using macro-level Takt plans, check in with your superintendents at the strategic level. Look at upcoming phases, suggest prefabrication ideas, evaluate zones, and monitor progress toward substantial completion. This is how you stay ahead of schedule, something CPM struggles with but Takt planning handles well.

6. Coordinating Labor and Staff:

You’ll also coordinate labor both staff and craft. Ensuring each site is properly resourced is critical. You need to spot shortages and adjust quickly so projects stay on track.

7. Resolving High-Level Field Issues:

Foremen and field engineers will solve issues at their level. Supers take care of the next layer. But when major roadblocks hit like underperforming trade partners or gaps in corporate support you step in. You’re the roadblock remover. Your response time builds (or breaks) trust.

8. Ensuring Quality Handoffs from Preconstruction:

You can’t expect supers to respect leadership if they’re handed chaos. It’s your job to ensure that what comes out of precon is high-quality, organized, and buildable. When you queue up solid projects, the field respects you and the results follow.

The Heart of the Role:

Ultimately, a Field Operations Manager helps execute the company’s vision with real influence not force. You’re the biggest fan of your people, and because of that, they’re willing to implement the vision with you.