Indispensable in construction sectors and IT companies, as well as in any departments responsible with custom-made products, the project manager is the person in charge with supervising the production stages and ensuring client satisfaction while also keep the company’s interest on first position. The project manager job description may suffer different adaptations in accordance with the company’s profile, but the major tasks and responsibilities can be found below. The hiring criteria as well as personal features of the ideal candidate for the position are also detailed.
Short project manager job description
The project manager is responsible for the successful delivery of a project to client. They get actively involved in each stage of the project development and account for its successful planning, execution and implementation. They also ensure a good collaboration between client and provider, represent client’s interest and maintain the company’s commitment, vision, strategy, goals.
Regular tasks and responsibilities
The project manager job description features a variety of tasks associated with the job, all gravitating around the planning, supervision and successful delivery of the project. A detailed (but by no means exhausting) list is posted below. The project manager must:
• Initiate the project planning in accordance with client’s requirements,
• Present and discuss the project plan with client making necessary adjustments,
• Recruit the necessary personnel, make teams and assign roles for the proper project development,
• Make budget estimations, maintain agreed budget and adjust the project in accordance in with available funds,
• Supervise the team and provide direction and support along the project development,
• Provide face to face, by phone or by email updates on pre-established dates and upon request,
• Make and provide reports with project status on pre-established dates and upon request,
• Resolve project issues of any type and prevent any type of project delays,
• Review the deliverables before presenting to client,
• Present the final product to client and deal with eventual complaints,
• Arrange customer training or personnel instruction for a proper use of the product,
• Upon project completion, makes sure that project documentation is complete and archived properly.
Schedule
Project managers have normal, 8 hours schedule. However, there are cases in which clients may require updates during weekends or outside working hours. These situations are announced in advance and are valid for a small portion of the projects. Business travel may be required for 15% up to 25% of the time.
Education
The applicant must possess a bachelor degree or equivalent in project management. Courses in the field or in related fields (risk management, negotiation techniques, strategic planning, etc.) are a plus.
Knowledge/Experience
The project manager job description specifies the necessity of previous experience on a similar position. The amount of experience required varies from company to company, and may range between 1-2 years up to 8-10 years.
Knowledge in project management tools and software is essential in performing the tasks appropriately. Good computer skills and proficiency in word and excel processing software are required.
Language skills, although not overtly specified in all project manager job descriptions, is essential. The applicant must be able to express his/her ideas coherently, to speak clear and persuasive without being aggressive and maintain a non-verbal communication in accordance with the situation. Written language must be flawless too.
Personality traits
The ideal candidate for a project manager position must be a good leader with interpersonal skills which enable a good co-ordination of the team, while working alongside its members for boosting production. Furthermore, they need to be a good listener and a perfect negotiator, in order to offer good customer service and serve company’s interest at the same. A quick judgment will enable them to prevent crisis, while the attention to detail permits them to finish the product in accordance with client specifications. The applicant must be organized, in order to inflict a proper working conduct among their team and preserve all product documentation in good order, as specified in any project manager job description.