This is a good question because a limited number of people study project management at school and it tends to be a discipline that you ‘fall into’ or discover later on in life as you progress in your career.
The short answer is that it really depends lol…I know that classic response, but in this instance it really does depend on the industry that the project manager works in, their level of seniority and the stage of the project. However, there are some key duties and responsibilities that I can highlight to help you get a better understanding of what the role involves.
In general, project managers are trying to facilitate a transformation from a current state to a desirable new state. For example, transforming an unused plot of land and raw materials into a new house. Alternatively, they could be implementing new processes to help a start up to improve their financial results. To do this, they effectively define and control three things; the scope of work (what needs to be done to achieve the goal), the budget (what is it going to cost) and the schedule (how fast can we do it).
These three focus areas generate several additional tasks for the PM, for instance:
Managing changes to the scope, budget and timeline
Mitigating project risks
Identifying all of the stakeholders and effectively communicating with them
Verifying the quality of the deliverables
The current phase of the project also influences the responsibilities of the project manager. At the start of the project, they may be liaising with the end user to identifying the key requirements and success metrics, later down the line, they may be overseeing the design or implementation phase and at the end they may be involved in the handover of the deliverables to the end user.
Project managers are generalists that typically work with and lead teams of subject matter experts to achieve specific goals. This leadership aspect is why it usually tends to not be an entry level role, even though a significant proportion of the fundamental, more tactical skills can be taught to junior members of staff.
As you become more senior, the projects you will be in charge of will be of strategic importance to the organisation, larger (both in terms of the size of the budget and team) and the level of complexity will also increase.
In summary, project management is an exciting, varied, well-paid and challenging role that usually requires good communication skills, commercial awareness, an eye for detail and an affinity for delivering strategic plans.
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Cheers,
Andre