Project Manager Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a project manager. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a project manager.
Who is a Project Manager?
A project is a temporary endeavor designed to produce a unique product, service, or result with a well-defined beginning and end undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives; to bring about beneficial change or added value. The temporary nature of projects contrasts with business as usual which are repetitive, permanent, or semi-permanent functional activities to produce products or services. In practice, the management of such distinct production approaches requires the development of distinct technical skills and management strategies.
Project management involves the initiation, execution, and completion of projects. Project management is common in every organization, department, or unit; arguably, every endeavor in life involves project management. It is the process of leading the work of a team to achieve all the project goals within the given constraint. The aim and objectives of project management are to produce a complete project which conforms to the customer’s objectives. In many cases, project management helps to shape or reform the client’s brief to feasibly address the client’s objectives. Some professionals are highly skilled and well-equipped to handle and manage projects; they belong to the field of project management. These professionals are known as project managers.
A project manager is the lead or head of individuals in a project; the project team is vital for the success of any project. A project cannot be successful without the right personnel in the right unit and time. A project manager is an individual that plans, executes, monitors, controls, and closes any project. Projects can be in different ventures or sectors including architecture, humanitarian services, community development, engineering, construction, telecommunication, or computing. As a project manager, you are expected to comprehend how each project is executed; this will enable you to schedule and accomplish the activities, tasks, and timeline appropriately. The project managers are accountable and responsible for completing and achieving the goals and objectives of the client. In addition to supervising the project team and workers, a project manager must know the project in detail.
Typically, project managers are mandated to create attainable and clear objectives, build the project requirements, and manage the associated project constraints which include time, quality, cost, and scope. Project managers should ensure that the project teamwork is within the limits of the budget and make provisions for the training of the project team as well. When the project is completed, the project manager normally reports directly to a superior or the client giving a breakdown of all the activities, challenges encountered, and the success of the project. The Project managers act as representatives of the client or project initiator; they must determine and implement what the client wants and needs basing on the knowledge of the enterprise they represent. To be a complete project manager, an individual must embrace and be vast in multiple disciplines such as negotiation, influence, social change, politics, conflict management, and leadership. This expertise enables the project manager to be more efficient and accomplish consistently, optimized, and premium results.
A project manager is held accountable for the failure of a project and vice versa; they take the glory and bear the wrath of the client or organization if something goes wrong in the project. They control all project resources, the project budget, and are accountable for the scope of the project. The project manager must keep the stakeholders informed the entire way whilst constantly monitoring the project. To be successful in project management, an individual must be a good communicator, be detail-oriented, be a voracious worker, and have proficient analytical abilities. They must be decisive, and ensure that every project team member is doing their job properly. Project managers need to be excellent motivators; also, a project manager should have the ability to facilitate and enhance commitment from workers, cope with the expectations of the investors or sponsors, and communicate every project milestone to shareholders. The project manager is responsible for developing the action plan and strategies for the implementation of project goals and targets. They also set up the project team and assign responsibilities to each member. The leadership duties of the project manager entail making sure every team member feels supported and empowered whilst ensuring that they execute their roles accordingly.
Project Manager Job Description
The specific responsibility of the project manager varies depending on the industry, sector, or organization size, the firm’s culture, and the company’s maturity. However, some responsibilities are common and inherent in project management. These responsibilities span the five phases or stages of a project which include initiation, planning, execution or implementation, monitoring, and closing. In relation, these stages of project management work in intersection with the ten knowledge areas which are quality, scope, integration, time, communication, cost, stakeholder management, human resources, risk, and procurement.
Below are the project manager job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a project manager job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Develop and come up with the project plan.
- Manage the project delivery.
- Develop a project charter that suits the project.
- Identify all the necessary stakeholders for the project.
- Develop a project management plan.
- Develop project scopes and objectives involving all the relevant stakeholders and ensure technical feasibility.
- Create a work breakdown structure and gather the requirements.
- Plan, define and develop the project schedules and activities.
- Estimate resources and the duration of each project activity.
- Determine budgets, plan, and estimate the costs of the project.
- Identify and plan quality requirements and recommendations.
- Plan and identify all the needed human resources.
- Draft a communication plan.
- Plan for and identify potential risks.
- Perform quantitative and qualitative risk analysis for the project.
- Develop risk mitigation and management strategies.
- Identify and plan for all the necessary procurements.
- Take action and secure all the essential procurements.
- Plan for and meet the stakeholder’s expectations.
- Provide project updates consistently to various stakeholders about strategy, progress, and adjustments.
- Ensure that the project is of the utmost quality.
- Direct and manage the work and activities of the project.
- Recruit, develop, and train the project delivery team.
- Communicate the roles and duties of each project team member.
- Monitor and control the project work and delivery team.
- Manage and effect necessary changes to the project.
- Validate and implement the scope of the project.
- Manage the costs of the project and control the quality of the project deliverables.
- Manage and improve professional business relationships.
- Track and organize different projects through the entire span or lifecycle.
- Supervise, motivate, and mentor the project delivery team.
- Ensure the continuous updating and documentation of a project.
- Create accurate forecasts for resource and revenue requirements.
- Work in tandem with all units to get work done based on demands.
- Keep daily timesheets and ensure project tasks are executed and reviewed within the predefined scope.
- When necessary, escalate and report issues to higher management.
- Carry out retrospective meetings, project status meetings, and daily stand-ups.
- Measure project performance using appropriate tools, techniques, and systems.
- Manage contracts with vendors and suppliers by assigning tasks.
- Utilize industry best standards, practices, and techniques throughout the entire project execution.
- Ensure that all projects are delivered on time, within budget, and within scope.
Qualifications
The qualifications for a project manager include education, training, experience, and professional certification.
Education: Preferably, an individual should obtain a degree or diploma in project management or business administration. Not having a degree in project management is however not a disadvantage; this is because project management is not restricted to one industry alone. Some companies or employers may prefer you to hold a degree or related degrees in a particular field to have a better understanding of the role. For example, a design agency might prefer candidates with associated degrees in Arts or Design to manage their projects since it is believed that they would have a better understanding of the field. Additionally, having a computer science certification or diploma is an added advantage. Since the academic world teaches individuals how to study and acquire knowledge, any university degree with adequate training and experience in project management can suffice as well.
Training: Training can be formal or informal; most organizations prefer highly trained and equipped project managers. However, some organizations and firms have internal programs on project management that individuals must undertake to become project managers. Also, you can job shadow or embark on mentorship to get the necessary training for project management. Relatively, some courses or modules in project management come with formal training in the form of focus group discussions and sensitizations to mention but a few.
Valuable experience: Most employers prefer project managers with several years of experience in the relevant line of work with increasing responsibility. There are four convenient areas to get relevant experience in project management.
Apply for internships that can or may not lead to full-time employment.
Register and participate in co-op programs.
Volunteer in firms and businesses to update and upgrade your skills.
Apply for entry-level or advanced-level positions.
Professional certification: professional certification in project management or any related field is relevant for project managers. A project management professional certification is a good example of such certifications. To obtain a project management professional (PMP) certificate, the individual must possess a bachelor’s or associate degree; have a certain number of hours as a project lead, complete a specified number of hours on project management education, pass an examination, and participate in ongoing professional development. The PMP certificate is recognized and acknowledged internationally, and is provided by the Project Management Institute.
Essential skills
A project manager needs some core abilities that are necessary to start and end a project successfully. These skills include
Delegation skills: A project manager must be able to oversee and assign project tasks to team members. To effectively delegate responsibilities, a project manager needs to assess the skills of each team member and assign duties based on these skills. Also, they must trust the project team’s ability to complete the assigned tasks and not micromanage them.
Organizational skills: Effective project management requires the ability to prioritize tasks, compartmentalize projects, and document all the procedures for future reference and easy access. Therefore, the project manager must have strong organizational skills along with the aptitude to multitask.
Risk management: While they are not generally apparent, risks are inevitable during a project; which is why a project manager must have the experience and ability to pinpoint what could go wrong and implement a risk mitigation strategy. They should know how to use professional risk management tools that allow them to analyze potential risks and take necessary actions to combat them.
Budget management: A project manager needs the experience to draft or create a viable budget for a particular project. They should have the ability to identify where the cost is high and the various measures to override the cost. Also, project managers need to have expertise in allocating costs to each activity or item on the project plan.
Adaptability skills: The project manager must have the ability to adapt and adjust to new product or service trends, changes in user demographics, and new technologies in the industry. Remember, the project manager is expected to lead the project team in the right direction at all times; thus, adaptability skills are one of the most important skills in this regard.
Policy knowledge: To keep a project running smoothly, project managers must have an adequate grasp of policy knowledge including health, safety, environmental, and business best practices.
Leadership and communication skills: Excellent leadership skills enable project managers to oversee and direct the activities and tasks of the project. Similarly, proficiency in communication allows the project manager to pass relevant information about the project and activities to team members and stakeholders respectively. These skills are also relevant during presentations and report writing.
Team management skills: A good project manager should be able to assemble a team and move them in one direction; they must ensure that team members align their individual goals to that of the firm. Managing a team successfully entails delegating responsibilities, handling and resolving conflicts, evaluating performances, and coaching team members to develop their skills.
Other important skills necessary for project management include negotiation skills, problem-solving skills, motivational skills, technical writing skills, technologically savvy, reporting skills, active listening skills, research skills, interpersonal skills, conflict management skills, integrity, team-building skills, competence, enthusiasm, time management skills, and knowledge of project management methodologies.
How to Become a Project Manager
Enumerated below are tips on how to become a project manager;
- Take stock of your experiences.
- Determine the knowledge and skills you need.
- Utilize learning opportunities.
- Enroll for and obtain a bachelor’s degree in project management or any other relevant field.
- Research, decide and pursue professional certification in project management.
- Prepare for and take your certification examination.
- Maintain your certification.
- Initiate your job search and apply for project managers openings.
Where to work
Project managers can be found in most organizations across all industries. However, project managers can most commonly be found in;
- Architecture
- Engineering firms and companies
- Public sector organizations
- Technological firms.
- Non-governmental organizations and community service groups.
- Construction and built environment companies.
- Healthcare and utilities
- Retail and manufacturing
- Finance and insurance
- Oil and gas
- Information services and publishing
- Management and professional services.
Project Managers Salary Scale
A person working as a project manager typically earns around 412,000 NGN monthly. Salaries range from 198,000 NGN (lowest) to 647,000NGN (highest). This is the average monthly salary and covers housing, transport, health, and other benefits. Project managers’ salary varies drastically based on experience, skills, or location.