Project Manager Job Description

What is a Project Manager?

Project Managers are the glue that helps keep projects — and people — together. They are responsible for planning, organizing, managing and executing projects from beginning to end. The project scope can vary from single pieces of collateral to multifaceted, multichannel marketing campaigns.

These professionals commonly work under the direction of Brand Managers or Creative Directors from whom they collect project information — deadlines, objectives, budgets, etc. They also assign individuals or entire teams to tasks within the project, while creating and managing detailed schedules throughout the duration of the project. In some instances, Project Managers are responsible for budget management, as they are given a specific amount of money to work with and must complete the project in accordance with the stated budget.

Education Requirements

• Some businesses require formal education, while others prefer those with hands-on experience within their industry

Project Manager Essential Skills

• Expert organizational skills
• Strong ability to multitask
• Outstanding communication skills
• Knowledge of project management processes, workflow and terminology
• Ability to function well in a fast paced (sometimes chaotic) environment under tight deadlines

Project Manager Roles & Responsibilities

• Create long- and short-term plans, including setting targets for milestones and adhering to deadlines
• Delegate tasks on the project to employees best positioned to complete them
• Make effective decisions when presented with multiple options for how to progress with the project
• Serve as a point of contact for teams when multiple units are assigned to the same project to ensure team actions remain in synergy
• Communicating with executives or the board to keep the project aligned with their goals
• Perform quality control on the project throughout development to maintain the standards expected
• Adjust schedules and targets on the project as needs or financing for the project change

Day-to-Day Duties

• Gather requirements, deliverables, and timeframes from stakeholders
• Agree on priorities with clients
• Plan resources
• Create project plans
• Communicate key milestones
• Communicate the project plan internally and with the client
• Produce reports for management (e.g., performance metrics)
• Communicate frequently with sponsors and stakeholders
• Know the team’s strengths and weaknesses, together and individually
• Plan around the team’s skills to ensure end success
• Adhere to the critical path and have a plan to mitigate issues that invariably arise

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