Bau- und Projektkaufmann/Bau- und Projektkauffrau

Media related to this profession include Allgemeine Bauzeitung ABZ, Ausbildungs- und Fachkräftereport der Bauwirtschaft, B_I baumagazin, bauen aktuell, Baugewerbe, Bauhandwerk (bhw), Baunetz Wissen, bauprofessor.de, Bericht zur Lage und Perspektive der Bauwirtschaft 2025, BIM im Hochbau - Technisches Positionspapier, Kompetenznetzwerk Bau und Energie e.V., Offensive Gutes Bauen, Projekt Magazin - Fachportal für Projektmanagement, and projektMANAGEMENT aktuell.

The 'new European Bauhaus' initiative, launched by the European Commission in September 2020, develops new, sustainable, and climate-neutral construction methods and design forms. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data increase resource efficiency. The goal is to improve the quality of life and transition to a sustainable circular economy. The existing building stock is also to be made more climate-neutral and energy-efficient. The EU aims to at least double the renovation rate by 2030, which is expected to create up to 160,000 additional green jobs in the construction sector. Specialists and managers from relevant disciplines will address the resulting opportunities and fields of activity.

Construction and project managers usually work in offices. They may also work in the field with clients or in a home office/mobile setting.

Core competencies generally required in this profession include: billing, tendering, awarding, performance specification, construction and architectural law, controlling, purchasing, procurement, calculation, cost and performance accounting, and project management. Other competencies that may be significant for practicing this profession include: construction operations, construction financing, building renovation, building materials science and technology, reporting, information, bookkeeping, accounting, office organization, office management, office and administrative tasks, customer consulting, customer support, feasibility analysis, dunning and litigation, resource management, human resources, and organizing/controlling conversion measures. Further relevant skills and knowledge include the competency groups 'Construction Processing Software (Tendering, Awarding)' and 'Business Administration, Finance, and Controlling Software'.

Construction and project managers possess sound knowledge in purchasing as well as in offer and contract management. They are typically subordinate to the management and integrated into a project team, where they collaborate with colleagues and other specialists. Since they frequently have contact with clients, communication skills are an important prerequisite. In their work, they must comply with legal regulations, such as construction, contract, or procurement law. They primarily work in the office, where they create offers or order building materials on the computer, and routinely use specialized software, information, and communication media. However, they also work in the field, for example, when attending external client appointments and negotiating contracts.

Example of a collective bargaining gross basic salary (monthly): €4,830 to €5,340. Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis), Tarifdatenbank. This information is for orientation purposes only. No claims can be derived from it.

Construction and Project Managers work in sectors such as building construction, concrete and reinforced concrete construction, furnace and chimney construction, building construction (excluding prefabricated buildings), chimney, furnace and industrial oven construction, erection of prefabricated buildings, other specialized building construction activities n.e.c. (e.g., asbestos removal), civil engineering, road construction, hydraulic engineering, construction of roads and railway lines, pipeline civil engineering, well construction and sewage treatment plant construction, other civil engineering (e.g., hydraulic engineering), finishing work, other building installation (e.g., thermal, cold, and sound insulation), other finishing work (e.g., carpentry, plastering, painting, glazing), roofing and carpentry, demolition, construction site preparation, scaffolding, scaffolding construction, demolition work, real estate, property management, land development; property developers (e.g., construction planning for property developers), engineering services, engineering offices for overall structural engineering planning of engineering structures and traffic systems, supply, installation, gas, water, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installation.

Employers often expect commercial further training in the construction or real estate industry or a corresponding Studium (university degree).

Access requires a Studium (university degree) in fields such as Baubetriebswirtschaft, Baumanagement (undergraduate), Baubetriebswirtschaft, Baumanagement (postgraduate), Business Administration (undergraduate), Business Administration (postgraduate).

Construction and Project Managers find employment in construction companies (e.g., in building and civil engineering), with property developers, and in engineering offices for overall structural engineering planning.

They are referred to as Bau- und Projektkaufmann/-frau (Construction and Project Manager). Other common job titles/synonyms include Baukaufmann/-frau (Construction Manager) and Baustellenkaufmann/-frau (Construction Site Manager).

Construction and Project Managers take on the commercial supervision and controlling of construction projects.

Job and applicant exchanges: archinoah.de, Bau.de, bauen aktuell, bauingenieur24.de, Baujobs.ch, BauNetz, bau-stellen.de, Die Möglichmacher - Facility Management (GEFMA German Facility Management Association), Fish4Jobs | Construction, Le Moniteur Emploi.

Associations and organizations: BG BAU - Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft (Construction Industry Professional Association), DVP Deutscher Verband der Projektmanager in der Bau- und Immobilienwirtschaft e.V. (German Association of Project Managers in the Construction and Real Estate Industry), Industriegewerkschaft Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt (IG BAU) (Construction-Agriculture-Environment Industrial Union), ver.di - Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (United Services Union).

Working conditions: Customer contact (e.g., conducting negotiations with customers), screen work (e.g., calculating offers and drafting contracts on the PC using common and industry-specific software), adherence to various regulations and legal requirements (e.g., construction, contract, or procurement law), office work (e.g., in construction companies, installation firms, or engineering offices).

Work objects/tools: Documents (e.g., offer documents and comparisons, construction contracts, invoices, project status reports, post and final calculations, final reports, service specifications, legal regulations - construction, contract, and procurement law), office equipment (e.g., PC, internet access, telephone).

Tasks and activities: Construction and project managers calculate offers for contractors and draft contracts for construction projects. In purchasing and disposition, they process service specifications, obtain and compare offers. They prepare invoices, monitor payment receipts, and create dunning letters. They also write commercial project status reports. After project completion, construction and project managers prepare post or final calculations and reports.

Access professions/activities: Business Administrator (Fachschule - vocational college) for Real Estate / Bachelor Professional in Business, Construction Business Administrator, Certified Real Estate Specialist.

Continuing vocational training helps to keep professional knowledge up-to-date and adapt it to new developments (e.g., in construction project management, accounting, costing, or controlling). Furthermore, the trend towards sustainable and climate-neutral construction methods, combined with new design forms and digital technologies, can become an important further training topic for construction and project managers.

Further professional and career opportunities arise – depending on prior professional education – through a bachelor's or master's degree (e.g., in construction business administration or construction management). Under certain conditions, a Studium (university study) is possible even without a general higher education entrance qualification. For more information: Access to higher education in the individual Bundesländer (federal states) of Germany.

Preparing construction projects, creating performance specifications, obtaining and comparing cost estimates and offers, preparing construction contracts and assisting in their creation, participating in contract negotiations if necessary. Calculating construction costs for individual trades, tendering services, commissioning construction companies, planning deadlines. Supervising order processing, purchasing and scheduling construction services and materials. Monitoring completion dates and construction budgets. Concluding construction projects, creating and checking invoices, handling dunning processes. Preparing commercial project status reports, post- and final cost calculations, and final reports. Defining and evaluating project metrics, writing internal experience reports.

The following lists professions or activities that show similarities to the initial profession. These professions represent a possible alternative for applicants. Furthermore, employers can consider individuals from these professions as alternatives for filling a position in the initial profession. Some alternative professions only cover partial activities of the initial profession, while others require an induction period, which can vary in length depending on the individual case. The following immediate employment and staffing alternatives are available for the profession of Construction and Project Manager: Job and staffing alternatives for the overall activity (usually short induction period): Business Administrator (university degree) for Construction Industry, Construction Specialist. In related professions: Construction Accountant, Construction Estimator. A list of all possible degrees of relatedness can be found here: Explanations of the individual degrees of relatedness.