🏡 Want to be the hands-on leader behind Sydney’s most stylish homes?

🚀 Is it time your carpentry skills earned the recognition and growth they deserve?

👷‍♀️ Looking for a crew that values quality, innovation, and leadership?

Position Summary

At ING Construction - The Leading Hand is responsible for supervising and working alongside a team of tradespeople and subcontractors to ensure the successful delivery of residential construction projects. This role bridges the gap between site management and the work crew, ensuring that construction tasks are completed safely, on time, and to a high standard of quality. The Leading Hand will coordinate daily site activities, oversee subcontractors, and actively participate in hands-on building work (carpentry) as required. A trade-qualified carpenter with strong leadership skills is ideal for this position, as it requires both technical construction expertise and the ability to manage and motivate a team.

Successful candidates for the Leading Hand role will exemplify the following qualities:

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: When obstacles arise, they don’t just identify the issue but come prepared with recommendations and potential solutions, demonstrating their resourcefulness and ability to think ahead.

A Coachable Mentality: They embrace constructive feedback as an opportunity to refine their skills and grow professionally. With commitment to excellence, they hold themselves to high standards both on-site and in remote settings.

Independence and Initiative: They thrive in a self-directed environment, consistently taking proactive steps to address challenges and drive projects forward with minimal supervision.

Key Responsibilities

Coordination of Daily Work: Plan and assign daily crew tasks based on project deadlines. Review objectives each morning, clarify expectations, monitor progress, and reassign labour as needed to stay on schedule.

Hands-On Work: Work alongside your team in carpentry and construction. Balance direct involvement with supervision, taking the lead on complex work and overseeing routine tasks.

Oversight of Subcontractors: Coordinate subcontractors’ activities with the crew, monitor their progress and quality, and promptly report issues or safety concerns to the Site Manager. Verify completed work meets standards before sign-off.

Quality Assurance: Inspect team output to ensure compliance with drawings and standards. Address any issues immediately and consult the Site Manager or plans if in doubt about requirements.

Problem Solving & Decision Making: Address minor site issues using your experience; escalate significant or unresolved problems to the Site Manager with suggestions for resolution.

Mentoring and Team Development: Provide training and guidance to junior staff, demonstrate correct techniques, answer questions, and foster a supportive learning environment.

Materials Management: Liaise to ensure timely material deliveries, supervise unloading and storage, minimize waste, and keep track of tools and equipment.

Collaboration with Site Management: Maintain communication with management, provide updates, attend meetings, relay changes, and ensure information flows between management and crew.

Deadline Management: Track progress against deadlines, use initiative to resolve delays (e.g., reallocating staff or rescheduling), and strive to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Enforcing Standards and Discipline: Uphold company policies and standards, address underperformance or rule violations fairly, and report serious issues to management.

Acting for Site Manager/Foreman when Required: Step up to oversee broader site operations when needed, coordinate multiple trades, and make decisions within your authority to maintain site continuity.

Qualifications and Experience

Trade Qualification: Certificate III in Carpentry (or equivalent) required. Must be fully qualified with an apprenticeship completed; extensive carpentry experience with another building qualification may be considered, but a carpentry background is strongly preferred.

Experience: Minimum 5 years of post-apprenticeship construction experience, including some team leadership or coordination on residential projects. Leading Hand or senior carpenter experience is ideal. Preference for candidates with 8–10+ years’ experience or backgrounds in high-end residential/light commercial work.

Technical Skills: Advanced carpentry knowledge with proficiency in framing, roofing, and fit-out. Capable of reading plans and using hand/power tools safely. Basic understanding of other trades is beneficial.

Licenses/Certifications:

White Card (mandatory)

Valid Driver’s License (required for travel)

First Aid Certificate (preferred; assistance available)

Other tickets like Working at Heights or Forklift are advantageous

Leadership & Communication: Proven small team leadership, strong English skills, ability to write reports/emails, liaise with clients, and resolve minor conflicts. Experience training junior staff is a plus.

Organisational Skills: Excellent planning, time management, and record-keeping abilities. Detail oriented and reliable in multi-tasking roles.

Safety Knowledge: Strong grasp of WHS regulations, risk assessment, and site safety practices. Safety qualifications and references attesting to a strong safety record are desirable.

Physical Requirements: Fit for manual labor, including lifting, tool use, climbing, and working outdoors; reasonable accommodations provided where possible.

References: Professional references from supervisors verifying quality, reliability, and leadership are required.