The project manager is an individual or body with authority, and accountability and has overall responsibility for a project. The chief function of the project manager is to plan, organize, direct, and control project activities and resources for the effective operation of the project to achieve specific objectives.
Roles are an organized set of behaviors/ related to an identifiable position.
Key roles of project manager
The project manager has to perform various roles such as leadership role, balancing role, decisive role, and information role. Project manager has to keep balance of all the works he/she has to perform so as to complete a project effectively. For the successful completion of a project, the project manager has to fulfill the following roles and responsibilities.
1. Activity and resource planning
Planning is a prerequisite in meeting project deadlines as many projects fail due to poor planning. Good project manager defines the project’s scope and determine available resources.
He/she has to evaluate team or team’s capabilities. Create a clear and concise plan to execute project and monitor and its progress.
2. Organising and motivating a project team and conducting meetings
Good project managers always focus on putting their team front and center. They develop clear, straightforward plans that stimulate their teams to reach their full potential.
Defining ethics, norms and values to the team by conducting frequent meetings and to keep team motivated. This requires good negotiating and communication skills and managing conflicts.
3. Managing and controlling time
Managing time is essential in a project. Good project managers know how to do the following things effectively:
- Define activity
- Sequence activity
- Estimate the duration of the activity
- Develop schedule
- Maintain a schedule
4. Cost estimating and developing a budget
Good project manager always know how to work within the budget of a project. A project’s success is measured by the fact that it is completed within the planned budget and has not gone wildly over it.
For this, the project manager should review the budget and plan ahead to avoid massive budget overruns.
5. Identification of stakeholders and ensuring stakeholder’s satisfaction
At first, it is very essential to identify potential stakeholders. Then the project manager should plan to meet stakeholders’ expectations. It is very important to involve stakeholders in the project as much as possible.
A good project manager know how to maintain effective communication. Project manager gather information and provide status reports and keep stakeholder’s updated.
6. Analyzing and managing project risk
- Identifying and evaluating potential risks before the project begins.
- Performing qualitative as well as quantitative risk analysis.
- Developing risk mitigation strategies.
7. Monitoring progress
- Monitoring throughout the project.
- Monitoring and analyzing expenditures and team performance.
- Applying corrective measures if things don’t go according to a plan.
8. Managing reports and documentation
When a project is completed on a given time and budget, a project manager has to provide appropriate documentation to present the final reports to all stakeholders.
Reports include what was done, who was involved and what could be done better in future.
To perform these roles, a project manager should have developed the following skills:
A. Managerial skills
- planning and control skills
- Organization skills
- Decision-making skills
- Human-resource management skills
- Leadership skills
- Budgeting skills
B. Human relation skills
- Communication skills
- Motivation skills
- Negotiation and bargaining skills
- Conflict management skills
- Stress management skills
C. Technical skills
- Understanding of technology involved
- Evaluation of technical concepts and solutions
- Communication in technical terms
- Assessment of technical risks, trends, and innovations
D. Conceptual skills
They are the ability to relate the project to environmental forces. The project manager should have vision, foresight, judgment, and intuition.
E. Team-building skills
Ability to integrate people fir many disciplines and departments into an effective team.
