Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities

What Are the Responsibilities of a Project Manager?

Planning and Developing the Project Idea

The foremost and the most important responsibility of a Project Manager roles and responsibilities is Planning. The formulation of such a plan so that the objectives of the project can be met and the situation doesn’t go out of the budget is done by the project manager. He also makes sure that the timeline is followed and there is no delay in the completion of the project. You can interpret this plan as a blueprint that will work as a guide for each and every person associated with that project, from initiation to its completion. Any plan of a project includes its scope, the required resources, calculated time, financial needs, proper communication, execution and documentation strategy, and a proposal for maintenance. If, after the completion of the project, it gets rejected by the clients, this plan will play a crucial role for the whole team. 

Requirement Analysis

Once done with the planning, Requirement Analysis comes next in the list of Project Manager roles and responsibilities. When any project is done, its requirements are always a matter of concern. These requirements can be technical, financial, or intelligence-related. So, while planning a project, requirement analysis is done with much care, and the required resources are made available before the project has started. The technical requirements include certain software and hardware required for the completion. The financial requirements include investment and a proper budget handling mechanism. When we say intelligence, it basically means the human resources required in the process of completion, whether it be technical or non-technical.

Creating and Leading Your Team

It is one of the most important duties a project manager performs, which is to gather and lead the team. This duty requires a few inclusive skills that a project manager must have. These inclusive skills include excellent communication, leadership qualities, and a watch on every team member’s strengths and weaknesses. Once the work of team creation is over, Leading is the responsibility next when it comes to Project Manager roles and responsibilities. It includes tasks assignment, deadline setting, providing necessary resources, and regular meet-ups.

Execution of the Project

This is the most crucial step when it comes to the development of the project. Even if the project is planned well and all the required resources are present, if the team is not able to execute it in the way it needs to be executed, everything prior is of no use. Thus, one of the most important Project Manager roles and responsibilities is Execution. He participates in and supervises the successful execution of each and every stage of the project.

Time Management

Not everyone in the team is self capable of managing time. In this scenario,  another vital Project Manager roles and responsibilities is Time management. Time is the most crucial thing when it comes to projects with strict deadlines. Sticking to the schedule is the most important step necessary for the successful delivery of any project. This time management is one of the key responsibilities of the project manager. In this stage, communication also becomes very necessary so that the derailments are resolved, and the project is on track. A project manager is expected to have expertise in risk management and contingency planning.

Monitor Project Progress

One of a project manager's key responsibilities is keeping track of the progress of the project. It entails comparing the project's progress to the plan, spotting any discrepancies, and making any necessary corrections. The project manager tracks the development of the project and spots any deviations using the data acquired from various tools and methodologies. The project manager takes remedial measures to get the project back on track if it goes off course.

Coordination with the clients

The Project Manager roles and responsibilities also cover coordination with the clients. For data documentation and tasks allotment, a negotiation about the project’s requirements with the client and the stakeholders is done by the Project Manager. It is his duty to bring more understanding about the project’s work and every related stuff to the client. Also, collecting reviews, determining changes, and deciding the improvisation is in the hands of the project manager.

Tracking Roadblocks

Finding and keeping an eye on prospective issues that can impede a project's progress is the process of tracking roadblocks. This enables the project manager to handle concerns before they escalate into larger ones. The project manager may ensure that the project is successful and achieves its goals and objectives by keeping track of any obstacles.

Preparing a Plan B

The Project Manager's duties cover not only the planning, implementation, and maintenance but also the preparation for unforeseen circumstances and unfortunate events. It is his prime responsibility that the project he is leading is risk-proof and does not carry any disadvantages. He also makes sure that all the progress is saved and the backup is always there in case of data loss. The possible mishappening can be arrangements for extra resources, avoiding time-crunch, and having alternate plans.

Managing Documentation and Reports

While working on any project, the management of documents and reports should be an important step. You need to keep track always of what is the current scenario. An appropriate documentation that presents the final reports to the stakeholders so that the areas of future improvement can be identified is made by the project manager. The documentation is prepared only when the project gets completed on time and under budget. By appropriate documentation, we mean it should contain the records of what and when has been done, who are the people involved, and ensures that the project satisfies all the requirements of the client.

Evaluate Project Performance

The work doesn’t end once a project has been completed. There needs to be a plan for ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting. The project manager devises methods for properly supporting the final deliverable going forward, even if they are not directly overseeing its day-to-day operations. 

The process of determining how well a project is performing in relation to its goals and objectives is known as project performance evaluation. It entails gathering information on the project's advancement, spotting any deviations from the plan, and taking the appropriate remedial action.

Project Manager Skills

The skills of a project manager are as follows:

• Decision-making: Project managers must be able to recognise difficulties and find rapid, effective solutions to them. For them to develop solutions that satisfy the requirements of the project, they must be able to critically and creatively think.
   
• Communication: Effective communication is essential for project managers to have with a range of stakeholders, including team members, clients, and management. They must be able to express the project's goals, objectives, and plan clearly.
   
• Organisational abilities: Project managers must be able to manage a lot of information and carry out several duties at once. To keep the project on track, they must be able to successfully plan and organise their work.
   
• Leadership: Project managers must be able to inspire and motivate their teams to accomplish the project's objectives. Effective task delegation and team trust-building are prerequisites for their success.
   
• Risk management: Project managers must be able to recognise and reduce project-related hazards. They must be able to create backup plans in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
   
• Time management: To ensure the project is finished on schedule, project managers must be able to efficiently manage their time. They must have the ability to assign assignments based on priority.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 main roles in a project team?

Project manager, Business analyst, Technical lead and Project team members are the four main roles in a project team.

What are the five fundamental functions of a project manager?

Planning, controlling, leading, communicating, and organising are the five fundamental functions of a project manager. These are the five core duties of a project manager, but they may also be required to carry out a variety of other duties and tasks.

What do you mean by Change Management when it comes to a project?

As the name suggests, Change Management consists of the tools and processes that are used to manage change in a project and its team. To understand Change Management, you can break that into two parts, namely, Change and Project Management.

Do you know anything about Cost Benefit Analysis?

A process for evaluation of costs against benefits in an important business project is known as Cost Benefit Analysis. Any formal project clearly mentions all the expenses and benefits of the project, then calculates the Return on Investment, Internal Rate of Return, Net Present Value, and Payback Period.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, we understood what are the Project Manager roles and responsibilities and learned about various tasks performed by them. We also saw the traits of a good project manager and a successful project.

We hope the above discussion helped you understand the Project Manager roles and responsibilities in clearer terms and can be used for future reference whenever needed. For a crystal understanding of what a project goes through, you can refer to our blog on Project Management.

Happy Learning!