Responsibilities of the project manager

Project manager is a popular position in many industries. However, regardless of the type of organization in which a team leader works, their duties and responsibilities are fairly similar.

The main responsibility of a project manager is to make sure that there is no chaos in the project. The project manager keeps an eye on the schedule and execution of activities, the budget and also manages the team. Due to the contact with many stakeholders and the duty to coordinate the work of the project team, the project manager should also have good communication skills. The ability to actively listen and give clear messages to the group is very important in this profession.

The project manager should also be creative. Out-of-the-box solutions are more appreciated on the market. Original, unusual projects often have an impact on gaining a competitive advantage in the industry. And employers appreciate that. Additionally, a good team leader is someone who has extensive analytical skills and is resilient to stress. In practice, things rarely go as planned. Dynamically changing environment is often the source of many problems. A project manager should be able to effectively deal with the encountered difficulties and, of course, be familiar with project management standards (such as PMBOK Guide or PRINCE2).

Team management

The responsibilities of a project manager can be divided into three basic categories: managing the project team, managing the project, and reporting to the project owner/sponsor.

In terms of the project manager’s responsibilities to the team, the following can be highlighted:

• Creating an interdisciplinary team,
• Assigning tasks and responsibilities to individual team members,
• Establishing goals and task priorities,
• Motivating and inspiring team members,
• Supporting the team in completing tasks and providing direction,
• Solving problems and obstacles encountered during project tasks.

Project management

Among the project manager’s responsibilities to the project itself are:

• Launching the project, summarizing the achievement of project goals, and officially closing the project,
• Defining the project scope and setting project objectives,
• Managing the project throughout its life cycle,
• Creating and updating project documentation – project charter, project plan and schedule of activities, lessons learned card,
• Organizing and planning the resources needed to complete the project tasks,
• Controlling project indicators and overseeing the project budget,
• Project risk management,
• Organizing the work of the project team,
• Contact with other project stakeholders.

Reporting

In terms of the project manager’s reporting to the project owner/sponsor, responsibilities include:

• Reporting project progress (liaison role between team and management),
• Reporting resource requirements,
• Escalating issues that have not been resolved at the project team level,
• Documenting project progress.

The role of a team leader requires interpersonal skills, extensive knowledge of not only project management but also the basics of marketing or controlling. Knowledge and experience in project management in accordance with international standards will also be invaluable. Certainly, a team leader is a person who plays an important role in any organization. The multitude of qualities desired in this position makes this profession demanding, but allows for continuous development and gives a lot of job satisfaction.