Project Management Roles
Introductory-level project management roles
Starting out in an entry-level project management role can provide an excellent chance to gain insights into a company's operations and project management practices. The knowledge and skills gained from such experiences can be immensely valuable for your professional development in the field of project management.
Junior Project Manager: A Junior Project Manager works in collaboration with a more experienced professional and is responsible for executing various project management tasks.
Project Administrator: A Project Administrator provides administrative support to the project team. They assist in coordinating project activities, managing project documents, scheduling meetings, and communicating with stakeholders. Their role is to ensure that the project runs smoothly by handling the day-to-day administrative tasks.
Project/Program Assistant: A Project/Program Assistant is responsible for providing administrative support to the project team and assisting team members in various project-related tasks. They may also be involved in conducting research or creating training materials as directed by program leaders.
Project/Program Coordinator: A Project/Program Coordinator collaborates in project activities and undertakes administrative duties. They work under the supervision of a Project Manager to ensure that projects are accomplished on schedule and within the allotted budget.
Project Support Specialist: A Project Support Specialist collaborates with a project manager and team members to manage designated projects. In addition to project management duties, they may also be responsible for training and developing employees to perform specific tasks.
Traditional project management roles
Project Manager: Responsible for planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing projects. The project manager is the person in charge of the project and is responsible for ensuring that it meets its goals within the specified timeline and budget.
Project Sponsor: A senior executive who provides the project manager with the necessary resources, support, and guidance to deliver the project successfully. The project sponsor also approves major project decisions and helps to resolve conflicts that may arise during the project.
Project Team: A group of individuals who work together to achieve the project objectives. This includes team members with specialized skills such as engineers, designers, developers, and other subject matter experts.
Stakeholders: Any individual or organization that has an interest in the project or is affected by its outcome. This includes customers, suppliers, employees, regulators, and other external parties.
Project Coordinator: Responsible for managing the administrative aspects of the project, such as scheduling meetings, documenting project progress, and communicating with stakeholders.
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): Individuals who possess specialized knowledge or skills that are required to complete specific project tasks. SMEs may be internal team members or external consultants.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Manager: Responsible for ensuring that the project meets the required quality standards. This includes defining quality requirements, developing quality control plans, and monitoring the project's progress to ensure that it meets the specified quality criteria.
Risk Manager: Responsible for identifying potential project risks and developing strategies to mitigate or manage them. The risk manager works closely with the project manager to ensure that the project stays on track and within budget.
Procurement Manager: Responsible for acquiring the necessary goods and services needed to complete the project. This includes identifying vendors, negotiating contracts, and managing the procurement process.
Communications Manager: Responsible for developing and implementing the project's communication plan. This includes communicating with stakeholders, managing the project's branding and marketing, and ensuring that all project communications are consistent and effective.
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Program and portfolio management roles
Program Manager: Responsible for overseeing multiple related projects that are managed as a group to achieve specific business objectives. The program manager provides strategic direction, manages resources, and ensures that the program is executed effectively.
Portfolio Manager: Responsible for overseeing a portfolio of programs and projects to ensure that they align with organizational goals and priorities. The portfolio manager works closely with senior executives to identify opportunities and risks, allocate resources, and manage the portfolio's overall performance.
Business Analyst: Responsible for analyzing business requirements, identifying opportunities for improvement, and developing strategies to achieve business objectives. Business analysts work closely with stakeholders to ensure that programs and projects are aligned with organizational goals.
Financial Analyst: Responsible for managing the financial aspects of programs and projects, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting. Financial analysts work closely with program and portfolio managers to ensure that programs and projects are delivered within budget and meet financial targets.
Resource Manager: Responsible for managing resources across multiple programs and projects. This includes identifying resource requirements, allocating resources, and managing resource conflicts.
Governance Manager: Responsible for developing and implementing governance processes and procedures to ensure that programs and projects are managed effectively. The governance manager works closely with program and portfolio managers to ensure that programs and projects are aligned with organizational goals and meet regulatory requirements.
Change Manager: Responsible for managing the people side of change associated with programs and projects. This includes developing change management strategies, communicating changes to stakeholders, and providing support and training to employees who are impacted by the changes.
Benefits Manager: Responsible for identifying and tracking the benefits associated with programs and projects. The benefits manager works closely with program and portfolio managers to ensure that programs and projects deliver the expected benefits to the organization.
Risk Manager: Responsible for identifying and mitigating risks across multiple projects and programs. The risk manager works closely with program and portfolio managers to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget, and that they do not pose a significant risk to the organization.
Vendor Manager: Responsible for managing relationships with vendors and suppliers. The vendor manager works closely with program and portfolio managers to ensure that vendors deliver goods and services that meet the organization's requirements.
Agile roles
Product Owner: Responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, which is a list of features and requirements for the product. The product owner works closely with the development team to ensure that the product is delivered on time and within budget.
Scrum Master: Responsible for facilitating the agile process and ensuring that the development team is following agile principles. The scrum master works closely with the product owner and the development team to ensure that the sprint goals are achieved.