Project Manager Job Description

The size of your project doesn't matter. What matters is your structured approach, resources and goals in order to succeed. Any project can benefit from using professional Project Management templates. They can be used for any kind of project, and provide intuitive ways to manage your project team.

How to write a Project Manager job description?

This Job description explainer offers guidance on key sections that are important to include for clarity, as well as suggestions for promoting the position. It provides a list of duties, responsibilities, tasks, requirements, demands for setting job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the work as described. However, it’s often not construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities.

When writing a job description, consider the following:

• Highlight the accurate job title;
• Provide a general company introduction;
• Provide an extract or introduction of the job with key goals or objectives;
• Specify the relevant job duties and responsibilities that are necessary for this position;
• List essential qualifications;
• Be clear and concise in the description;
• Have someone knowledgeable to proofread it;
• Make sure that HR and the hiring manager will sign off before publishing it;
• Define what success looks like in the position after 30 days, the first quarter, and the first year;
• Provide direct contact details of the manager or HR department who will follow up on the candidates;
• Publish it via several social media platforms, or offline media, so you are sure that in-house employees also can get easy access to it.

What is the Role and Responsibilities of a Project Manager?

As a Project Manager (PM), you need to take ownership, control and responsibility of the projects that are formed under the organization, to ensure they are delivered to customer satisfaction, are fit for purpose, on schedule and to budget, whilst maintaining quality control always. 

The following 5 project phases are common in any kind of project:

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring
5. Closing

What does a Project Manager do? Key Responsibilities

In general, a Project Manager (PM) is responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the completion of specific projects while ensuring the deliverables and project completion are on time, according to budgeted resources, quality requirements and within scope. Details related to the key responsibilities that PM need to have.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage project development from initiation to closure. 
• Effective working relationships with customers;
• Gaining acceptance to proposals and changes;
• Ensuring effective handover of project from Sales to Production; or
• Responsibility for preparing the Project initiation documentation.
• Be accountable for project results along with project sponsor. 
• Work with project sponsor and stakeholders to complete project charter outlining scope, goals, deliverables, required resources, budget, and timing. 
• Complete work breakdown structure to estimate effort required for each task. 
• Provide a project schedule to identify when each task will be performed. 
• Clearly communicate expectations to team members and stakeholders. 
• Act as a mediator between stakeholders and team members. 
• Resolve any issues and solve problems throughout project life cycle. 
• Effectively manage project scope by ensuring any changes to scope are documented and approved with project change request forms. 
• Determine if external consultants or contractors will be required to complete project plan. If required, recruit and manage appropriate staffing resources. 
• Track and report on project milestones and provide status reports to sponsor.
• Lead, coach, and motivate project team members on a proactive basis. 
• Determine how results will be measured and complete a post-project evaluation to determine how well results were achieved. 
• Develop tools and best practices for project management and execution.
• Safely crash unsuccessful or re-prioritized projects. 
• Ensure all project documents are safely archived following project completion.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with customers, gaining acceptance to proposals and changes.
• Ensure effective handover of project from Sales to Production.
• Take responsibility for preparing the Project Initiation Document.
• Identify and allocate roles and responsibilities within the project team.
• Identify and manage resource requirements in the project team.
• Manage a virtual project team to develop solutions that are fit for purpose and achievable within the budget and schedule.
• Guide, support and advise customers on the benefits and implications of proposed solutions.
• Manage T&M and fixed price project budgets.
• Develop, control and manage the project schedule.
• Monitor and control the critical path.
• Ensure that risks are identified and managed, implementing effective risk responses to minimize the project’s exposure to risk.
• Manage the Project Stakeholders, controlling saboteurs and using project champions effectively. 

Skill Range

Information regarding required project management skills, or risk management skills, etc.

The PM templates are reusable project formats that instantly reduce workload of management and project members, and serve as the ideal starting point for your project. They are pre-formatted and have redundant structure and details in place. Therefore, it doesn't matter if it's a construction project, IT project or customer service project, the 5 steps are universal and the templates are easy to customize according to your needs.

For more information, download this Project Planning or Project Management Templates Kit for your reference.