PM DUTIES

Project Manager

The Opportunity

1. Project Managers lead project teams to design,

2. build, configure, and deliver solutions for our healthcare and life sciences clients.

3. This role provides leadership and management to project teams to ensure we deliver on time, with quality, and on budget.

4. This role is the primary point of contact for the client ensuring any risks or issues are mitigated and setting expectations for what is needed from the client to be successful.

5. This person will work closely with the Solution Architect, Technical Architect, and Business Analyst to ensure services are being delivered per the project plan.

Looking back on your first 12 months, you will have…

• Strategically build relationships with relevant client sponsors and stakeholders within each project to actively identify and create future opportunities, client references, and to develop a robust industry network

• Manage the scope of the project; Participate in design reviews to define and prioritize requirements and collaborate with project team members to design appropriate solutions and execute projects in a timely manner

• Create and execute project work plans and revise as appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements

• Identify staffing needs and determine individual project team member responsibilities

• Participate in client training and other implementation initiatives as a part of overall project deliverables

• Manage day-to-day operational aspects of a project and scope and effectively apply our methodology or client’s methodology if being used and enforce project standards

• Identify and manage project risks and ensure project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately

• Communicate status of the project to accurately reflect risks or issues that may impact schedule, budget, or quality; Escalate major risks or issues so they can be addressed

What you bring to our clietn:

• Project management experience ideally in a consulting environment with software or custom development implementations experience

• Life Sciences/Pharmaceutical industry experience

• Experience working in a collaborative environment to meet client needs with the ability to work across global teams, both internally and externally, to influence project contributors and stakeholders at all levels

• Demonstrated analytical skills and experience with the complete lifecycle of complex enterprise projects; understands core project management concepts, data modeling, theories, practices, and methods

• Experience facilitating meetings, demonstrate brainstorming/consensus building skills, and interacting with project sponsors at all levels

• Detail-oriented with the ability to quickly assimilate and apply new concepts, business models, and technologies.

• Experience with CRM software, preferably Salesforce (Salesforce certifications are a plus)

We may not have always called them “project managers,” but since the building of the pyramids, someone had to do the planning, budgeting and delegating responsibilities that laid the groundwork for the career. In recent years, project management has become a distinct profession in which many find success. New positions are emerging so fast, the Project Management Institute found that job growth exceeded earlier projections for 2020 by 2017. Whether you’re beginning your research into a possible career change or gearing up for a new position, it’s important to have a basic understanding of this fast-growing occupation.

What Does a Project Manager Do?

As the name suggests, project managers are in charge of projects from initiation to close, making sure the work gets done efficiently and satisfactorily. As team leaders with day-to-day schedules that are constantly changing, a static project manager job description would be hard to come by. Days can be filled with planning the project process, creating a budget, managing a team or communicating with clients.

Project managers span across a wide range of industries from engineering to financial services. Every company wants to keep costs down without lowering standards, and project managers help make this possible.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Project Manager?

Though there are variations to project management positions across industry lines, the general project manager duties stay the same. Those responsibilities include:

Plan and Develop the Project Idea

Every project starts as an idea. It’s a project manager’s job to work with internal stakeholders and external clients to define that concept and create a process to bring it to fruition. This includes setting and managing client expectations, developing a detailed project plan, defining the scope of the project and assigning team members to specific tasks.

Create and Lead Your Dream Team

Project managers are accountable for every aspect of the project, including leading a team capable of meeting or exceeding client expectations for their vision. Successful project managers assemble and manage these individuals to make a fine-tuned project machine. If the team needs guidance, training or coaching, it’s a project manager’s responsibility to set them up for success.

In order to build and maintain a dynamic team mentality, a project manager must be able to keep open and honest communication, form working relationships and motivate anyone who needs it.

Monitor Project Progress and Set Deadlines

Organization and follow-through are a big part of a project manager’s job. From creating an accurate timeline of project completion to ensuring tasks are finished within the confines of the assignment, the project manager must remain aware of how the project is progressing.

The project manager also anticipates delays that may occur on the client side and apprises the team of any changes in the client’s needs.

Solve Issues That Arise

During every project, issues arise that need to be solved. The project manager is the first person who clients and team members turn to when something goes wrong, so it is in these professionals’ best interest to anticipate any potential hiccups before they happen. Adaptability and problem solving are key to keeping control of a project.

One issue that project managers need to have a plan for is change or expansion in a project’s deliverables throughout a project, also known as scope creep. This usually occurs when the scope of a project wasn’t properly defined from the start, and it can seriously affect the timeline and budget.

Manage the Money

Budget management is another primary project manager duty. These professionals make sure that the project gets done without excessive spending. A good project manager has mastered the art of cost efficiency.

Project managers also must be transparent and realistic about the cost so clients are aware from the beginning how much they are likely to spend.

Ensure Stakeholder Satisfaction

Project managers have the closest relationship with clients of anyone who works on a project. Because of this, it is important that they keep open lines of communication for updates and feedback. If any issues or changes arise in the timeline of a project, for example, the project manager is in charge of keeping the client up to date.

Evaluate Project Performance

After a project is finished, the project manager is responsible for evaluating its efficiency and effectiveness. With the data they’ve tracked throughout the process, they can begin to identify shortcomings and plan for ways to fix similar issues in the future. This is also an opportunity to highlight what went right, including building camaraderie and rewarding team members who excelled during the project.

Project Manager Skills

Because project manager responsibilities are abundant, a broad range of skills is helpful in propelling them through the process, including:

• Accountability

• Adaptability

• Budget Management

• Clear Communication

• Creativity

• Decisiveness

• Delegation

• Forecasting

• Leadership

• Management

• Organization

• Problem Solving

• Strategic Thinking

• Stress Management

How to Become a Project Manager

If you’ve been pondering how to get your start in the project management field, begin by doing your research. Read first-hand accounts of project managers’ experiences, reach out to practicing project managers and seek training. Many of a project manager’s tools are learned, so finding a mentor or training program that equips you with the skills necessary to succeed is key.

Consider getting certified. A Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification can better your chances for career opportunities and growth, and it also gives you a chance to train alongside qualified professionals. Employers worldwide consider PMP® certification as an industry standard.

The project management field is continually growing with the Project Management Institute predicting 2.2 million new project-oriented jobs each year through 2027. It’s a career for problem solvers and collaborators who enjoy variety in their work. Though high expectations can make this role stressful, project managers are a vital part of many industries, and the work can be extremely rewarding.

Purdue University’s Online Project Management Series

Professionals who participate in Purdue University’s online project management series can gain a wealth of field knowledge, solid foundational skills, and exceedingly effective preparation for the PMP exam in order to obtain a project management certificate. Course materials and activities align closely with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) to help students retain project management knowledge and apply it to their current projects.

Project Management Essentials

This 100% online, instructor-led course runs for eight weeks and allows working professionals to gain familiarity with basic project management concepts and terms. Students are empowered to begin effectively applying their newly acquired knowledge and skills to current projects and earn project management hours that can help qualify them to take the PMP exam. Experienced PME instructors engage students in a stimulating range of learning activities including directed study of the PMBOK® Guide; participation in online threaded discussion forums; viewing recorded lecture videos; taking quizzes and self-tests; and completing written assignments. They also participate in online discussions and welcome the opportunity to coach interested students on an individual basis via email or scheduled phone appointment.

PMP Exam Preparation

This 100% online, self-study course is for project managers with a minimum of three years’ experience and assumes prior knowledge of the PMBOK® Guide. It includes four live webinars presented by an instructor for in-depth review of some of the most challenging learning material. PMI’s 200-question, multiple-choice PMP exam is demanding, and students must engage in independent study following the course to pass the PMP exam.

Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities [8 Key Roles]

Maja Mrsic Project Management

“A project manager is like a doctor who leads the trauma team and decides the course of action for a patient - both at the same time. Without the right kind of authority to efficiently handle all the project management issues, development teams can easily get into trouble.” - Scott Berkun, the author of “Making Things Happen”

How did it all start? In the late 1980s, Microsoft was launching an ambitious project and had run into a problem: there were way too many players involved. There were teams from marketing, engineering, and the business end, and no one knew how to coordinate all of them.

So, Microsoft came up with what was then an ingenious solution. They picked one person to take charge of who would be given significant authority to organize and coordinate their new project. Once Microsoft appointed a dedicated leader, everything went smoothly and the teams were much happier with their work dynamics. The end result of this new strategy was Excel.

Eventually, Microsoft made this new role as a staple for all their projects. Thus, the project manager was born.

8 key roles and job responsibilities of project managers

At the end of this post, you'll find a cheat sheet containing an overview of a project manager's key responsibilities! But first...

WHO are project managers and what are they like?

Good project managers are people with an excellent entrepreneurial mindset. This allows them to think about a project beyond the basic skill set needed to manage it, and it is the project manager’s job to direct teams and team members to the finish line. At the end of the day, the project’s success or failure rests solely on the project manager’s shoulders, and he or she is the one responsible for the end result.

Project managers keep knowledge and information flowing seamlessly. They need both technical know-how and first-hand knowledge of the tasks they assign to others to keep the project moving forward.

"Project Managers play the lead role in planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing projects. They're expected to deliver a project on time, within the budget, and brief while keeping everyone in the know and happy."

— Cam Lee, Rock Agency

But technical know-how does more than enable project managers to communicate ideas effectively to all those involved. Good project managers use their technical understanding to win team members’ respect. Since project managers influence more decisions than anyone else in the company, their primary task is to use what they know to not just win employees’ respect, but keep it throughout the project and into the future.

What do project managers DO? 8 key roles and responsibilities

1. Activity and resource planning

Planning is instrumental in meeting project deadlines, and many projects fail due to poor planning. First and foremost, good project managers define the project’s scope and determine available resources. Good project managers know how to realistically set time estimates and evaluate the team's or teams’ capabilities.

They then create a clear and concise plan to both execute the project and monitor its progress. Projects are naturally unpredictable, so good project managers know how to make adjustments along the way as needed before the project reaches its final stages.

2. Organizing and motivating a project team

Good project managers don’t get their teams bogged down with elaborate spreadsheets, long checklists, and whiteboards. Instead, they put their teams front and center. They develop clear, straightforward plans that stimulate their teams to reach their full potential. They cut down on bureaucracy and steer their teams down a clear path to the final goal.

"There is no other way than leading by example. If you are doing your part correctly, always supporting your team, and having a fair and healthy approach with them, motivation should never be a problem."

— Dragan Hrgić, Remade

3. Controlling time management

Clients usually judge a project’s success or failure on whether it has been delivered on time. Therefore, meeting deadlines are non-negotiable. Good project managers know how to set realistic deadlines, and how to communicate them consistently to their teams.

They know how to effectively do the following:

• Define activity

• Sequence activity

• Estimate the duration of activity

• Develop a schedule

• Maintain a schedule

4. Cost estimating and developing the budget

Good project managers know how to keep a project within its set budget. Even if a project meets a client’s expectations and is delivered on time, it will still be a failure if it goes wildly over budget. Good project managers frequently review the budget and plan ahead to avoid massive budget overruns.

5. Ensuring customer satisfaction

In the end, a project is only a success if the customer is happy. One of the key responsibilities of every project manager is to minimize uncertainty, avoid any unwanted surprises, and involve their clients in the project as much as is reasonably possible. Good project managers know how to maintain effective communication and keep the company’s clients up-to-date.

6. Analyzing and managing project risk

The bigger the project is, the more likely there are to be hurdles and pitfalls that weren’t part of the initial plan. Hiccups are inevitable, but good project managers know how meticulously and almost intuitively, identify and evaluate potential risks before the project begins. They know how to then avoid risks or at least minimize their impact.

"You have to go in expecting that things won't be as you had planned, and things won't be as easy as first expected. Goals, conditions, and circumstances will change."

— Kalila Lakeworth, 3D1go

7. Monitoring progress

During the initial stages, project managers and their teams have a clear vision and high hopes of producing the desired result. However, the path to the finish line is never without some bumps along the way. When things don’t go according to a plan, a project manager needs to monitor and analyze both expenditures and team performance and to always efficiently take corrective measures.

8. Managing reports and necessary documentation

Finally, experienced project managers know how essential final reports and proper documentation are. Good project managers can present comprehensive reports documenting that all project requirements were fulfilled, as well as the projects’ history, including what was done, who was involved, and what could be done better in the future.

Scroll down till the end of this post to find our cheat sheet where all these roles and responsibilities are summarized!

Do you need a project manager?

No matter how large or demanding projects are, you need someone who will reliably and consistently maintain efficiency and productivity. Not only has research shown that 89% of high-performing organizations include a project manager, but also that the profession is consistently one of those most in demand. Project management is indispensable to successful businesses, and business owners need leaders with the right vision, the right skills, and the right know-how to face the biggest challenges and ensure projects are completed successfully and according to schedule.

Project managers are integral parts of almost every kind of organization—from small agencies with only one project manager guiding a handful of projects to multinational IT companies that employ highly specialized project managers placed in charge of ambitious projects. If one of these describes your business or any kind of enterprise in between, then the answer is definitely yes.

Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities Cheat Sheet

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Other posts in the series on Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks

1. What Is Project Management?

2. Project Management Life Cycle

3. How to Choose the Right Project Management Methodology

4. Six Sigma Methodology

5. PRINCE2 Project Management Methodology

6. Kanban Project Management

7. Scrum Project Management

8. Joint Application Development (JAD)

9. PERT Network Chart Method

10. Rational Unified Process (RUP)

11. Adaptive Project Management

12. Extreme Programming (XP)

13. Theory of Constraints

14. Extreme Project Management XPM

15. Critical Path Method (CPM)

16. Feature Driven Development

17. Critical Chain Project Management

18. Agile Project Management

19. Waterfall Project Management Methodology

20. Traditional Project Management

21. Crystal Methods

22. Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities [8 Key Roles]

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