As leaders who use their expertise to inspire a project team, project managers are responsible for managing projects for one or more organizations to establish or improve some aspect of business results.
While their daily duties may depend on the industry in which they are employed, project managers are generally tasked with managing the strategic, technological, operational, and financial aspects of complex projects.
Daily Duties for Project Managers:
- Creating project work plans and revising as appropriate to meet changing needs
- Identifying necessary resources and interviewing candidates to assign individual tasks
- Managing day-to-day operational functions of a project
- Setting up meeting times, running meetings, and distributing meeting minutes
- Ensuring all project documentation is complete, accurate, current, and stored properly
- Preparing status reports and presenting milestones to upper management
- Tracking team hours and expenses on a weekly basis to manage a project budget
- Analyzing project profitability, revenue, margins, and bill rates
- Managing teams to facilitate commitment, remove obstacles, and motivate members for optimal productivity
Project Manager Job Description
What do project managers do? Due to the fact that project managers are vital for playing a strategic role in how organizations succeed and change, they can be found in nearly every industry of the job market. However, the most project managers can be found in information technology, construction, engineering, computer systems design, and financial services.
Although the majority of project managers are employed full-time, many of them must work overtime beyond the normal 40 hour workweek to meet strict deadlines for projects. During their workday, project managers may work in an office setting or travel extensive to clients’ worksites and oversee their project’s progress firsthand.
Skills Needed to Be a Project Manager
While project managers may be able to rise through the ranks after years of experience, the majority must have at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree related to project management. Since project managers must have a comprehensive knowledge of planning, cost management, scope management, human resources, communications, and business strategies, it is often recommended that they are certified as Project Management Professionals (PMP).
In addition to a college degree, it is essential that project managers develop strong interpersonal skills to develop trust among all of a project’s stakeholders, written and oral communication skills to ensure each task is properly documented, team-building skills to foster motivation in all group members, and decision-making skills to resolve complex problems. Project managers should also be organized, passionate, goal-oriented, and comfortable with wearing many hats.