What is the Job of a Project Manager?

A project manager is unarguably the most important position that requires superior team management skills, a problem-solving attitude and a desire to see a project come to its successful end. Project manager ensures that all projects gets done within the projected time and resources.

A project manager is the one who supervises every aspect of a project from the start till the end, ensuring that there are no setbacks, shortcomings or chances of failure. Project managers devise a comprehensive plan of action, and are well able to adapt and modify this plan if the circumstances require them to do so.

Here are some of the things that a project manager does to ensure that a project is a success.

Understanding the Client or Organization’s Requirements

Whenever a client or organization requires some project completed, the first person they reach out to is the project manager. It is the project manager who then works with the client to specify the desired outcomes of the project, discusses all the other requirements and specifications that need to be kept in mind, and ascertains the costs, risks, time-frame and all the other technicalities that can be expected during the course of the project.

Planning and Devising a Plan

Working alongside the client and/or the Organization, the project manager then comes with a plan of action that clearly states how the project will reach its successful end. This plan of action outlines every step from start to finish. Only once a plan has been devised and agreed upon does the project actually start.

Team Management

The project manager is not the one who will be executing the project. He is the one who will be working behind the scenes, pulling the strings and making sure that everything goes according to plan. For executing the plan, the project manager then assembles the ideal team to accomplish that project. The team includes a specialist from every field related to the project at hand. From accounts management to the creative team etc., the project manager finds and assembles a team to work on the project. Although the project manager does not directly perform any of the tasks designated to a team member, however he is versatile and resourceful enough to supervise that each team member operates to the best of their abilities and to help ensure that there are no problems along the way.

Foresee Problems and Plan Accordingly to Prevent Them

No matter how well-thought a plan is or how competent the team is, there can always be some risks and expected problems. A project manager is expected to be long-sighted enough to foresee any potential problems and to have a contingency plan in place should those problems arise. This way major setbacks to the project are avoided.

Ensuring the Project Achieves all of its Aims

The project manager ensures that the aims and objectives specified by the client and/or organization are always kept in mind. At each step of the way, the project manager tries to ensure that these objectives are met completely.

Maintaining a Standard of Quality

The project manager is the one who ensures that the standard of quality does not fluctuate during the course of the project or even from one project to another. The project manager ensures that the same high standard of quality is delivered each time.

Evaluating Performance

Once a project is completed, the project manager sits down to assess the performance of the team.  This important step ensures that future projects are conducted even more efficiently and effectively. Any problems that might have occurred during the project or any improvements that could be made are brought to attention and are incorporated into the plans for future projects.

The importance increases many folds when it comes to IT companies or projects because the cost can quickly escalate in IT projects. This is why the demand of certified project managers is increasing with each passing day.

If you want to become a certified project manager, you can consider globally accredited certification like PMP certificate from PMI or a basic one, like Microsoft project. Remember that the advanced qualification like PMP requires you to have professional experience of some years in project management.