7/8/22, 12:50 PM What Are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Project Manager?

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What Are the Roles and

Responsibilities of a Project
Manager?
The term “project manager” is so broad that it can
encompass various tasks and mean different
things to different people. So what is the typical
job description for a project manager? A project
manager is responsible for overseeing a project
from start to finish. The responsibilities of a
project manager include: 

Planning the project

Creating a schedule and timeline

Executing each phase

Managing the budget

Serving as the liaison among all stakeholders

Troubleshooting and maintenance 

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Project managers must be highly organized,

detail-oriented, and possess excellent people
skills — after all, they are responsible for leading
the team and communicating clearly and
regularly with all relevant parties.

What is the role of a project

manager?
The Project Management Institute describes the
role of the project manager as that of a change
agent. They’re someone who “makes project goals
their own and uses their skills and expertise to
inspire a sense of shared purpose within the
project team.” Project managers are leaders —
they not only ensure projects are delivered on
time and within budget but must also engage and
encourage their teams and inspire their clients.
They need strong critical thinking capabilities to
solve problems as they arise and finely-tuned
communication skills (like a knack for customer
service) to ensure everyone remains informed,
motivated, and on board. It’s no wonder that
project managers are considered critical to the
success of any venture.

What are the

responsibilities of a project
manager?
The tasks that a project manager is responsible
f ll l d
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for typically include:

Planning: A project manager is responsible for

formulating a plan to meet the project’s
objectives while adhering to an approved
budget and timeline. This blueprint will guide
the project from ideation to fruition. It will
include the project’s scope, the resources
necessary, the anticipated time and financial
requirements, the communication strategy, a
plan for execution and documentation, and a
proposal for follow-up and maintenance. If the
project has not yet gained approval, this plan
will serve as a critical part of the pitch to key
decision-makers.

Leading: An essential part of any project

manager’s role is to assemble and lead the
project team. This requires excellent
communication, people, and leadership skills,
as well as a keen eye for others’ strengths and
weaknesses. Once the team has been created,
the project manager assigns tasks, sets
deadlines, provides necessary resources, and
meets regularly with the members. An ability
to speak openly and frequently with all
stakeholders is critical.

Execution: The project manager participates

in and supervises the successful execution of
each stage of the project. Again, this requires
frequent, open communication with the
project team members and stakeholders.

Time management: Staying on schedule is

crucial to completing any project, and time
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c uc a to What
co Are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Project Manager?
p et g a y p oject, a d t e
management is one of the key responsibilities
of a project manager. Project managers are
responsible for resolving derailments and
communicating effectively with team
members and other stakeholders to ensure
the project gets back on track. Project
managers should be experts at risk
management and contingency planning to
continue moving forward even when
roadblocks occur.

Budget: Project managers devise a budget for

a project and stick to it as closely as possible.
If certain parts of the project end up costing
more (or, in a perfect world, less) than
anticipated, project managers moderate the
spend and re-allocate funds when necessary.

Documentation: A project manager must

develop effective ways to measure and
analyze the project’s progress. Common
strategies for documenting a project include
data collection and verbal and written status
reports. It’s also a project manager’s job to
ensure that all relevant actions are approved
and that these documents are archived for
future reference.

Maintenance: 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.

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What does a project

manager do?
You might wonder, “What does a project manager
do on a day-to-day basis?” Each project is unique
and, as a result, no two days are alike. A project
manager’s job is to keep the project moving
forward and clear a path for their team members
to succeed. Daily, this will involve: 

Answering emails related to the execution or

maintenance of a project

Meeting with team members for status

reports and tackling any new issues 

Checking in with the client or other

stakeholders to update them on the project’s
progress

Reviewing the appropriate documentation to

assess budget, schedule, and scope 

Dealing with project changes by re-allocating

resources, including team members 

And maybe — just maybe — drinking a cup of

coffee or two!

What makes a good project

manager?
A good project manager delivers a final product
that is on time, on budget, and meets or exceeds
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the expectations of the stakeholders or clients.

Tying projects back to business goals is becoming

increasingly necessary for project managers. It’s

essential to communicate with stakeholders at
the beginning to ensure the project is strategically
impacting the business’s needs. 

Qualities that make a successful project manager

are organizational prowess, acute attention to
detail coupled with the ability to see the big
picture, resourcefulness, risk-management
capabilities, critical thinking skills, excellent
communication skills, a can-do attitude, and the
ability to inspire and motivate. The Project
Management Institute also suggests that
openness to self-assessment and re-evaluation
can make a project manager successful.

Further reading:
What Is a Program Manager vs. a Project
Manager?

5 Best Project Management Books for

Beginners and Accidental Project Managers

What It Means to Be a Digital Project Manager

#PROJECT MANAGER
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#PROJECT MANAGER
#JOB DESCRIPTION #BUDGET
#SCHEDULE #RISK MANAGEMENT

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