Project Manager jobs

The project manager is responsible for delivering business-critical projects. A strategic management role, the project manager must plan, oversee and deliver on projects, from ideation to launch. Often this role requires a person to manage multiple projects at once, while interacting with internal and external stakeholders. Depending on the size of the company, a project manager may oversee a team (as is often the case for larger organisations) or work supported by freelancers and contractors (often the case with SMEs). The best project managers are natural leaders with excellent problem-solving and collaboration skills. IT project manager jobs appear across a range of sectors including construction, engineering, retail and, more recently, tech.

Typical tasks of a project manager

Business project managers work across a broad range of sectors, with many duties specific to that industry. However, there are several tasks that all project managers can expect to carry out. Leading planning sessions and coordinating team members to deliver to deadline, the project manager oversees the project through to completion, adapting work schedules as necessary. Setting budgets and monitoring resources are a major part of this job. Risk management is a central part too, with project managers required to assess and create contingency plans for projects. People who work in these roles need a head for administration, as they monitor documentation for each project, while drafting and signing off contracts. If the role is agency-side, they will regularly take part in the tender process, helping craft bids to win business. The project manager is the main link between a project’s progress and higher management. They will be required to report and present to senior management on a regular basis.

Qualifications required for a project manager

These roles are often open to new graduates. However, they will likely be junior project manager jobs, working under an experienced lead project manager. Most general entry level roles of this type will accept any type of degree, although a degree in business, project management or computer science will increase your options. For senior roles you may require a project management certification, such as PRINCE2 or a qualification from the Association for Project Management (APM), plus five to ten years of relevant experience. 

Hard/soft skills needed for a project manager

With so many stakeholders and moving parts for each project, a project manager needs to be an excellent negotiator. Demonstrable project planning experience, including knowledge of work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt charts and PERT, are vital. The same goes for budgeting experience and delegation skills. If the role is specific to an industry, relevant technical skill and knowledge requirements will likely be non-negotiable. Project managers need to be excellent communicators with natural problem-solving skills. They must be highly-organised individuals able to balance many projects at once. These roles require excellent time management and negotiation skills. Finally, project manager’s must be born leaders.