On large construction projects, the superintendent's job is to run the day-to-day operations on the

construction site and control the short-term schedule. The role of the superintendent also includes
important quality control and subcontractor coordination responsibilities. It is common for most finance-
related tasks (especially labor and material cost control) and long-term scheduling to be handled by
a project manager. The project manager and superintendent need to cooperate and share control
effectively. Superintendents are almost universally stationed on the construction site, while project
managers are usually based in the contractor's office with part-time on site responsibilities.
On anything other than small projects, he or she is often assisted by a project engineer also employed by
the construction company.
On very large projects, those generally in excess of $100m, there are multiple tiers of superintendents.
These tiers are generally broken down into the following: Program superintendent, super-structure
superintendents, MEPF (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection) superintendents, interior
superintendents, craft/trade superintendents and assistant superintendents. There is a similar tier for
the project management side.
Program superintendents are responsible for the overall coordination and completion of the project
through the direction of the second and third tiers of superintendents. Program superintendents
commonly have very little hands on construction interaction due to delegation to other tier
superintendents. The number of hours worked may reflect the tier of the superintendent, with program
superintendents generally having a normal Monday thru Friday (8:00am to 5:00pm work schedule). The
compensation package is also related to the tier level of the superintendent.
In Australia, the common building contracts in use also have a "Superintendent". This is a person who
represents the owner or principal and administers the contract terms and conditions. The responsibilities
include: assessing and certifying claims for payment, extensions of time and variations to the contract.
The Superintendent is also responsible for confirming the builder's compliance with the requirements of
the building contract and for answering queries in relation to contract matters or other matters related
to the construction. The Superintendent in a building contract usually comes from an architectural,
quantity surveying or engineering background. As a particular note, in Australia in building projects, the
Superintendent is not the party responsible for co-ordination and scheduling of the trades & work of the
contract, this is the responsibility of the head contractor who will usually employ a site manager,
overseen by a project manager, overseen by a construction manager / director.

A school superintendent is the chief executive officer of a school district. A superintendent is usually
hired by the school board of the district. As the CEO, superintendents have general management
responsibilities, including hiring of senior staff. They typically oversee education standards and student
achievement, plan budgets and allocate resources, and also act as the point person for interactions with
government agencies.
Education

A master's degree is the minimum education requirement for most school superintendent positions, and
a significant number of superintendents have earned Ph.D.s. Many superintendents have their master's
and doctoral degrees in education, education administration or public administration, but a few have
graduate backgrounds in the subject areas they taught.
Certification or Licensing

Nearly all states require school superintendents to be certified or licensed. States such as Washington
and Wisconsin require school superintendents to become certified before they can become licensed.
Superintendent certification is typically a two-year program with a master's degree prerequisite, often
including a field-based element where you work with practicing district superintendents for some
months. Students working on a doctoral degree may complete course requirements for superintendent
certification as part of their doctoral program.
Administrative Responsibilities

School superintendents have a broad set of administrative and supervisory responsibilities that vary
based on the size of the school district. Hiring and firing of senior staff, handling teacher and staff
disciplinary matters, and managing the budget are the primary administrative responsibilities of most
superintendents. In most districts, superintendents are also responsible for overseeing the
implementation and enforcement of all state and federal statutes and programs relating to schools.
Educational Standards and Student Achievement

School superintendents have the difficult task of helping to set educational standards and measure
student achievement in their districts. Superintendents typically have general authority over school
curricula, within state guidelines. They often work together with the school board to develop and
implement short- and long-range plans for curriculum, as well as instructional evaluation and
improvement. School boards in some districts, however, sometimes clash with superintendents when
they want to take a more active role in designing school curriculum or deciding how student
achievement is measured.