Project Manager Job Description Essay

Since the Project Manager position is a newly created job within LRH Products, it is necessary to assess and describe the various functions assigned to this role, as well as understanding how the concept of project management works within the company (Mullaly, 2008). The specific duties and functions for the project manager at LRH have been broken down here into three component areas: competencies, leadership, and organizational responsibilities. Competencies  The project manager must have the ability to create and execute project plans and revise them as necessary according to changing requirements as well as identifying the necessary resources and assigning staff to specific tasks. This requires day-to-day assessment of the project’s progress along with quality assurance of completed tasks. Another competency is the ability to create a realistic budget and ensure that the team is staying within these financial constraints. In order to do so, a basic understanding of profit & loss statements as well as forecasting, is required. The ability of the project to stay within budget needs to be communicated to appropriate senior managers on a regular basis, as well as timely updates on progress. Meetings with team members must be scheduled and properly facilitated. Information must be disseminated in an appropriate form/forum, with particular attention paid to problems or possible risks which may occur over the course of the project. More detailed presentations may be required, depending on the directives of senior management. Tangible results expected from each project must be appropriately conveyed in order for a project to be considered successful. Because so much of project management is automated through the use of technology, part of the project manager’s burden is to stay up-to-date on the latest software and hardware which aids in the ability to achieve the goals of the position. As well, the project manager must work closely with the IT department of the organization, which can implement necessary additions and changes to the current system. A basic understanding of LRH Products’ network, system, database, client/server architecture, and application programming is necessary for effective communication with the IT staff members. Leadership The ability to lead a team is of utmost importance when performing the duties of project manager. The team members’ development rests squarely on the shoulders of the manager as well as the duty of being able to implement changes within the group as necessary. This begins with being a positive role model and offering mentoring services to the staff. One of the more difficult aspects of leadership is identifying team members who demonstrate opportunities for improvement and handling suggestions to achieve improvement in a tactful and constructive manner. Members of the team must be motivated and encouraged to perform at their utmost capability. This is achieved through the use of acknowledgement of the contributions from each employee as well as a display of appreciation for their efforts. Conflicts will arise, and it is up to the project manager to handle these swiftly and efficiently. The manager must stay in constant communication with the team. Activities planned outside of the normal day-to-day duties of work should also be part of effectively leading and motivating a team. Organizational Responsibilities Part of managing the team’s human resources involves giving performance evaluations to team members as well as working with each to identify and execute personal goals within the organization. Training, beyond the usual provided by the company, may need to be scheduled to appropriately facilitate development. Team members should be encouraged to undertake their own developmental measures, as well. LRH Products will always experience room for improvement of its current processes and a project manager is expected to make recommendations to achieve this. Of course, the standard policies and procedures must be upheld while ensuring compliance of such by the manager’s team members. Another important aspect of the project manager’s duties is to be innovative in developing and designing new projects which will contribute to the company’s overall success. Each project implemented must be completed in a timely manner and within budget constraints to assure success; the six phases from IT project management guidelines include Planning, Analysis, Design, Construction, Test, and Rollout. The project manager must oversee each phase as well as foreseeing and reacting to any risks and changes which may occur along the way. Staying up-to-date on, and utilizing, current technology is a an important component of this aspect. These three areas of project management: competencies, leadership, and organizational responsibilities, all interact. Successful implementation of each area is vital to achieve success in this position.