Within many companies, there is the need for someone to oversee individual projects. This is usually true of companies who perform work on a customer's site such as in the engineering, commercial plumbing, and building fields. The work is sometimes not even on the customer's site, but on a new construction project, so it's pertinent to have someone on site that can make sure the work is being performed per the original specifications of the customer.

In many cases, the project manager will be the one who first specs the job, places the bid, and determines what supplies and work force is needed in order to complete the job. The project manager may remain on the jobsite in the beginning but appoint a site manager as the project gets underway and he does feel the need to be there all the time, especially since the project manager will likely be following more than one project at any given rime.

In some companies, the project manager will approve and order all parts for the job and approve any additional workers who may be needed. Even when the site manager is appointed, he will customarily communicate with the project manager the needs for the project, especially if they differ from those in the initial proposal. The project manager will be the main liaison between the customer and his company, thus being the main contact person for the customer.

In engineering projects, the project manager may be more of a hands on person, seeing that the project is completely precisely as the proposal states. This may also hold true of architecture where the job is so precise that exacting is of utmost importance for quality completion. The project manager is responsible for the complete project including quality, production, supplies, dependable workers, and assuring that the project meets specifications including timely completion.

Whether the project manager stays right on the site with the project or not, he will at the very least follow the project on a routine basis or receive reports daily from the site manager. In many companies, the project manager will fill in when the site manager is unavailable to do so. Both the site manager and the project manager will work together to assure that the project is completed, and the site manager is responsible to report any problems that develop to the project manager so that a workable solution can be developed.