Project managers are key in delivering a project on time and in budget. Whether you are offering a product or a service, a project manager is essential in both small and large businesses. How do you select a project manager? Read on to find out.

We sat down with Daniel from KPMG and Gary from HnB Accountants to discuss the role of a Project Manager within an organisation and the benefits that they bring.

The role of a project manager

Communication and knowledge are pivotal to achieving a successful project outcome. The role of the project manager is essentially the six aspects of the Project Lifecycle:

• Scoping
• Scheduling
• Finance
• Risk
• Quality
• Resources
  

The project manager required will depend on the project’s complexity and the person’s ability to communicate between the team and the customer, bringing the customer on the journey through the project.

Project managers are everywhere and there’s all different types, but you need to choose a project manager who suits the organisation, stakeholders, maturity of the business and their willingness to be led by someone potentially external to their organisation. A project manager shouldn’t be thought of in isolation; it’s a role certainly a product of the project itself.

Important qualities of a project manager

When selecting a project manager, straight off the bat, you have to look for a person with excellent organisational skills, good communication skills and exceptional reporting.

You get two types of project managers – technical and business – so depending on what you need them for, you might have two project managers running side by side on a project.

When running a project without a project manager, the relationship between the organisations or the buyer and the seller can be quite adversarial, particularly when trying to deliver something very complex and large scale.

Project management requires a common understanding of the project from both parties, but the project manager goes one step further and gives these organisations joint ownership of the problem. The project manager is that person that sits between the two organisations and pulls everything together.

In addition to the skills above, a good project manager needs to have a background in a variety of fields. A project manager's large body of work is translating technical subject matter into something understandable and relatable. A diverse background helps that translation.

“When establishing a project, all organisations involved must ensure that they agree on the Project Manager to avoid conflict down the line. Conflict can result in the project stalling or coming to a complete stop or cause scope creep, budget blow-outs, and extensive schedules that drag on for years.” - Daniel R, Management Consultant at KPMG Australia

Is it better to outsource a project manager or hire within?

A project manager can certainly be someone from within either organisation involved in the project, but there must be buy-in from the other party. There has to be an agreement between both parties in appointing that person.

“If a team member is being pulled into a project to be a Project Manager, they must have experience in that role. If an individual isn’t suited for the role or has never done it before, the organisation will inevitably have to bring in a third party to take over.” - Gary Brown, Managing Partner at HnB Accountants

Communication and knowledge are pivotal to achieving a successful project outcome. The role of the Project Manager is essentially the six aspects of the Project Lifecycle: Scoping, Scheduling, Finance, Risk, Quality, Resources. The Project Manager required will depend on the project’s complexity and the person’s ability to communicate between the team and the customer, bringing the customer on the journey through the project.

Need a project manager?

When running a company, you’re empowering others to do your job. The easiest way to do this is to rely on others, set the right goals and have accountability in place.

Looking for a project manager? Our consultants at Exo Digital can help guide your project to success. Reach out now for a complimentary consultation.