Position: Foreperson
Department: Corporate Office
Reports to: President
Supervises: Carpenter, Carpenter Assistants
Position Summary
Reporting to the President, the Foreperson is a key leadership role supporting the company’s success. The incumbent provides leadership and direction to the crew, sub-contractors; and, at times, interfaces and represents the company with clients and others. Additionally, the Foreperson plays an active and hands-on role as a member of the on-site crew and performs high-level all aspects of Carpenter duties.
Key Result Areas
Safety & Compliance, General Carpentry, Leadership & Supervision, Planning & Scheduling, Employee Relations, Quality Control, Administration
Specific Accountabilities
1. Safety & Compliance
The Foreperson must provide leadership that results in safe work culture, is responsible and accountable for the crew’s safety under their direction and must understand and accept the importance and legal liability of the role.
This includes:
- Knowing and understanding the requirements of the OHSA
- Knowing, understanding, communicating, and ensuring compliance with the OHSA, and company safety policies and procedures
- Facilitate mandatory safety toolbox meetings
- Ensuring completion of initial safety and hazard assessments
- Participating in safety/incident investigations
- Ensuring that vehicle and equipment checks are carried out
2. General Carpentry
The Foreperson is a skilled carpenter with knowledge of various carpentry techniques; and is responsible for layout, installation, repairing, finishing, and maintaining various structures, fixtures, and buildings.
This includes:
- Building foundations
- Installing floor beams, laying sub-flooring
- Installing walls and roofing systems
- Fitting and installing trim, doors, stairs, moulding and hardware
- Measuring, cutting, and joining materials made of wood or wood substitutes
3. Leadership and Supervision
The Foreperson coordinates the crew and must understand and consistently apply the company policies. In addition, the Foreperson is required to be involved and supportive of any day-to-day disciplinary decisions.
This includes:
- Communicating the job to and with the crew
- Assigning crew tasks
- Recognizing, addressing, and resolving issues/problems among/between crew members
- Maintaining work standards and outlining behavioural expectations to ensure crew morale and productivity
- Applying the principles of workplace respect on site
- Ensuring crew compliance with project policies and procedures
- Ensuring crew compliance with company policies and procedure
4. Planning and Scheduling
The Foreperson is accountable for following project plans and schedules and ensuring that crews under their direction perform daily and weekly activities to meet production goals.
This includes:
- Translating general work requirements into a prioritized work plan for the crew
- Working with the crew to overcome work challenges
- Periodically reassessing daily goals to meet forecasted production
5. Employee Relations
The Foreperson must champion an inclusive employee relations culture and is accountable for the crew’s adherence to policies and procedures to ensure a respectful and inclusive work environment.
This includes:
- Recognizing, addressing and resolving issues/problems among/between crew members
- Promoting, supporting and facilitating teamwork and harmony between all crew members by promoting and fostering a positive, visible teamwork attitude among all crew members.
6. Quality Controll
The Foreperson is accountable for ensuring that the completed work meets quality standards.
This includes:
- On-site assessment before commencing work to ensure that the job is ready and addressing any concerns
- Overseeing the execution of the work, including quality and production, ensuring that the crew works to job specifications and follows the plans
- Inspecting and measuring completed work
7. Administration
The Foreperson is accountable for the preparation of reports as required by the employer.
This includes:
- Maintaining site Foreperson’s log & site reports and annotating in CoConstruct
- Preparation of daily/weekly production records
- Reporting on work progress
- Daily timekeeping & reporting
- Worker violation reports
- Recommending personnel actions such as hiring, releasing, promotions and discipline
Minimum Hiring Qualifications and Experience
Has 5-10 years’ experience as a qualified and competent tradesperson, has some experience (1-5 years) leading and directing the efforts of others, and has a valid and clean Nova Scotia driver’s license.
Knowledge, Skills & Attitude
Has 5-10 years’ experience as a qualified and competent tradesperson, has some experience (1-5 years) leading and directing the efforts of others, and has a valid and clean Nova Scotia driver’s license.
Knows – and understands how to:
- Company and project safety programs
- Occupational Health and Safety and environmental issues
- WSIB and insurance provisions
- Employment standards and company policies
- How to read plans
Skills – has the ability to:
- Lead the crew
- Effectively communicate orally and in writing, with good comprehension
- Coach and teach crew members
- Apply good problem solving and conflict resolution skills
- Manage differences and diversity at the worksite
- Organize and delegate work
- Handle the administrative duties of the position, including completion of required documents
Attitude – shows that they:
- Are ready to take on new challenges and is willing to learn
- Has good work ethic
- Can adjust to change
- Can be a role model and one who leads by example
- Are willing to motivate and mentor crew members
- Are a team player
- Takes responsibility
- Are honest and acts with integrity
Working Conditions
- Multiple site locations
- Multi-tasking environment with deadlines
- Self-direct and self-motivate
- Ability to occasionally travel to other locations for meetings and events