The project manager is responsible and accountable for the delivery of the project. As the individual responsible for delivery, they must have an excellent business mindset and be highly skilled in project management.
There are eight fundamental project manager roles and responsibilities:
1. Planning of Activities and Resources
Most projects fail because of poor time management. Proper planning is necessary for completing any project on-time. The first thing a project manager needs to do is define the project and prepare available resources.
The project manager should create a clear document to use as a guide for project execution and control. Because projects can be unpredictable, the project manager should be prepared for potential setbacks and be able to adjust the plan accordingly.
2. Organize and Motivate the Project Team
A good project manager focuses the efforts of their teams. They are in charge of developing a plan that will support the team in reaching their individual goals and ultimately achieve the project goals. They guide the team members, monitor their progress, motivate and coach them.
3. Strong Time Management Skills
Whether a project has succeeded or failed depends largely on whether it was delivered on time. On-time completion of the project is essential to success. A project manager should be able to estimate achievable deadlines based on resources and effectively communicate schedules to their team.
4. Estimate Cost and Budget Plan
A project manager’s goal is to ensure that the project is closed within budget. A good project manager will regularly review the budget plan and estimate to avoid budget overruns. A project that has gone over-budget is often considered a failure.
5. Ensure Client Satisfaction
A project’s success relies a great deal on client satisfaction. Every project manager sets out to minimize any setbacks and will want to avoid involving their client unless absolutely necessary. However, it is still essential to maintain regularly scheduled communication to keep the client in the loop.
6. Identify and Manage Potential Risks
The more complex a project is, the more likely the project manager is to face complications and threats that don’t fit into the initial plan. The project manager should recognize and evaluate the potential risks and develop suitable strategies on how to either minimize their impact on the entire project or avoid the risks entirely.
Related to:
4 Key Project Leadership Responsibilities Part 1
4 Key Project Leadership Responsibilities Pat 2
7. Monitor Progress
The goal for every team is that the project will go smoothly and without incident. However, if things don’t go according to the plan, the project manager needs to manage and analyze the team as individuals and as a whole and take necessary corrective measures.
8. Manage and Document Reports
An experienced project manager should keep good documentation of the project. Project development relies on project documentation so there is a record of the project, those involved, development, budget, timeline and any corrective measures that may have taken place.
Because planning, organizing, leading, and controlling are crucial aspects of project management, the most successful project managers rely on project management software. With solutions like TeamHeadquarters, project managers can, for the first time, see a full picture of resource availability across all work (not just projects) and trends before they assign them to tasks.
The results are better projects, more productive teams, and happier customers.
If your organization is looking for the best project management software to complement the efforts of your project managers, click here for your free demo.
