Project Manager Job Description and Salary Information

Project Manager Job Description – This article will provide you with everything you need to know about a career as a Project Manager, from the job description, duties, and responsibilities, skills and qualifications, to the salary information.

Job Description of a Project Manager

A project manager is a person who has the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. Construction, petrochemical, architecture, information technology, and many different industries that produce products and services use this job title.

The project manager must have a combination of skills including an ability to ask penetrating questions, detect unstated assumptions and resolve conflicts, as well as more general management skills.

The key among a project manager’s duties is the recognition that risk directly impacts the likelihood of success and that this risk must be both formally and informally measured throughout the lifetime of a project.

Risks arise from uncertainty, and the successful project manager is the one who focuses on this as their primary concern. Most of the issues that impact a project result in one way or another from risk. A good project manager can lessen risk significantly, often by adhering to a policy of open communication, ensuring every significant participant has an opportunity to express opinions and concerns.

Project managers use project management software, such as Microsoft Project, to organize their tasks and workforce. These software packages allow project managers to produce reports and charts in a few minutes, compared with the several hours it can take if they do it by hand.

Many begin their management careers at a consulting firm that trains them in project management methodology, though some start as part of a team and work their way up the corporate ladder. Successful project managers pay attention to detail, have excellent communication and motivation skills, enjoy working closely with others and are especially organized.

Duties and Responsibilities

Many aspects of this role in a company are the same, regardless of the project manager’s field. They include:

• Coordinate internal resources and third parties/vendors for the flawless execution of projects
• Ensure that all projects are delivered on-time, within the scope and within budget
• Assist in the definition of project scope and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility
• Ensure resource availability and allocation
• Develop a detailed project plan to monitor and track progress
• Manage changes to the project scope, project schedule and project costs using appropriate verification techniques
• Measure project performance using appropriate tools and techniques
• Report and escalate to management as needed
• Manage the relationship with the client and all stakeholders
• Perform risk management to minimize project risks
• Establish and maintain relationships with third parties/vendors
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation
• Meet with clients to take detailed ordering briefs and clarify specific requirements of each project
• Delegate project tasks based on junior staff members’ individual strengths, skill sets and experience levels
• Track project performance, specifically to analyze the successful completion of short and long-term goals
• Meet budgetary objectives and make adjustments to project constraints based on financial analysis
• Develop comprehensive project plans to be shared with clients as well as other staff members
• Use and continually develop leadership skills
• Attend conferences and training as required to maintain proficiency
• Perform other related duties as assigned
• Develop spreadsheets, diagrams and process maps to document needs

Skills and Qualifications

• Must possess an associate degree, or more preferably a bachelor’s degree in management or any related field.
• A Project Manager must be able to devote time to communicating with staff, reporting progress or problems to clients, or negotiating with vendors.
• The ability to lead and motivate a team is critical to completing any project.
• A Project Manager must be able to set goals, evaluate performances, and encourage collaboration, as well as delegate work to holding individuals accountable.
• A Project Manager must be able to negotiate with clients on an appropriate schedule and scope of work
• A Project Manager must be able to develop an organizational system, be it an electronic note-taker or a paper planner, to keep all of the details on top of mind.
• A Project Manager must have problem-solving skills.

Salary Information

The salary of a Project Manager varies significantly by industry, but construction tends to pay well. The salary range is presented below in a tabular form in different currencies:

Dollar ($)	Naira (₦)	Pound (£)	Euro (€)
$74,000 – $100,000	₦22,699,500 – ₦30,675,000	£58,223 – £78,669	€65,383 – €88,356