What is project management and why it is essential?
A project manager is responsible for coordinating the various component parts of a project, ensuring that it is completed on time and under budget and that it meets quality expectations.
Project managers play a key role and an essential one, supported by the efforts of their team, in the planning, execution and delivery of the project, while helping to overcome obstacles so as to achieve the project’s objectives.
They bring together the necessary resources and unite the team members, while facilitating communication between team members and stakeholders. Their expertise at managing deadlines and resources helps avoid misunderstandings and prevent something known as scope creep’, when the scope of the project keeps on expanding.
A project manager’s daily tasks may include:
- Planning: Drawing up a project plan, including milestones, resource requirements and deadlines. This could be modeled in the form of a roadmap.
- Progress monitoring: Checking on the progress of actions at each stage, and making sure they’re on schedule.
- Communication: Holding and facilitating meetings with the team, stakeholders and the customer, so as to respond to enquiries, discuss progress and any problems encountered, and go through mitigation action plans.
- Documentation: Creating deliverables and progress reports.
- Team coordination and motivation: Providing day-to-day support to the whole team, and encouraging collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
The different sectors in which a project manager works
Project managers can work in a variety of sectors. These sectors each have their own specific demands and requirements, but they all share key project management skills such as planning, communication and problem-solving.
Here are some of the main areas:
- IT: Project management for software implementation and development.
- Marketing: Coordination of advertising campaigns, communication strategies or product launches.
- Industry: Supervision of engineering or maintenance projects, ensuring process optimisation.
- Finance: Coordination of projects linked to regulatory compliance, digital transformation or risk management.
Focus on the agile project manager and Scrum Master
In IT and in an agile framework, people sometimes get the role of agile project manager mixed up with the role of scrum master: though these roles can overlap when it comes to agility, there is in fact a difference, as skills specific to each one are required:
- An agile project manager has the same responsibilities as a “Classic” project manager, while relying on one or more agile methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, etc.
- While a scrum master’s role is more defined and is limited to the scrum method, they are often seen as a coach serving their team and the organisation, ensuring that scrum principles and practices are properly applied, leading Scrum ceremonies (e.g. Daily meetings, Sprint reviews, etc.) and ensuring that they are efficient, productive and on time.
They also help to break down barriers between stakeholders and their team.
What are the essential skills a project manager must have?
In order to carry out all their tasks successfully, project managers need to arm themselves with a number of specialist project management skills, encompassing a wide range of abilities, both technical (Hard Skills) and human (Soft Skills). Soft skills are just as crucial and necessary as hard skills.
Here are a few key skills for dealing with the various challenges that almost always arise during a project, whatever the sector or size of the project.
Leadership and team management
The project manager must demonstrate leadership skills that motivate, inspire and guide their team towards the desired objectives.
They assign roles and tasks to each team member according to their skills and the progress of the project.
Risk management and the ability to expect the unexpected
They must be able to identify internal risks (linked to the project or their team’s performance) and external risks (stakeholders, service providers, etc.).
They anticipate and monitor obstacles with expertise, identifying the root causes and finding solutions.
Communication and collaboration
They establish an effective and clear communication channel, so that they can keep their team informed about project deadlines and expectations.
Create a positive work environment
Organisation and time management
They must demonstrate good organisational skills in order to respect project milestones and anticipate delays.
Project management tools and methods
Successful projects also rely on the use of project management software such as JIRA, Microsoft project, Trello, Asana and GanttPRO.
These tools enable users to create and assign tasks, track bugs and sprints, and create diagrams, to help plan and visualise project milestones.
There are several management methods out there, each suited to different types of projects and different environments. Here are a few examples:
- Waterfall method
- Agile method
- Six Sigma
- Lean
How can I become a project manager?
Training
In recent years, professional project managers have become increasingly sought-after in the market, across all sectors.
To become a project manager, it is often necessary to have completed 5 years of higher education: the position is generally open to candidates with a degree from an engineering or business school, or with a specialist Master’s degree.
Useful certifications
Some project manager positions require additional certification: candidates need to have enhanced their skills and boosted their CVs.
Here are some useful certifications for anyone looking to become a project manager:
- The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is one of the leading project management certifications.
- Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.
- “Scrum” certification (e.g. PSM I, CSM, etc.) explains many of the methodologies commonly used in agile technical teams.
- “PRojects IN Controlled Environments” (PRINCE2) certification offers two levels of qualification: “Foundation” and “Practitioner”
It should be noted that participation in some certification courses requires the candidate to satisfy a number of conditions before taking the certification exam.
How much do project managers earn?
A project manager’s salary can vary depending on a number of factors, including experience, company size, sector of activity, location, etc.
What career prospects do project managers have?
This profession offers a variety of career paths, depending on the sector of activity, experience and
l’expérience et des compétences de chaque individu.
skills of each individual.
Here are some common career paths for a project manager:
- Senior Project Manager: As a Senior Project Manager, you will oversee several projects and teams, taking a more strategic role in planning and decision-making. This position requires extensive experience and the ability to manage complex projects effectively.
- Programme Manager: The Programme Manager manages projects that are related to one another. This role involves coordinating project managers and resources, to achieve long-term strategic results.
- Project Management Office (PMO) Manager: The PMO Manager sets up and supervises a project management office, providing assistance and advice to project managers within the organisation.
- Project management trainer: The trainer imparts the necessary project management skills and knowledge to individuals and organisations. This role includes creating training programmes, facilitating workshops and guiding participants towards project management certifications.
Sectors and companies recruiting project managers in Switzerland
- IT
- Companies: IT services companies, or software development companies,
- Project types: Software development, IS management, cybersecurity projects.
- Finance et banque
- Companies: Banks, insurance companies, financial consulting firms.
- Types of project: Digital transformation, regulatory compliance,
- Industrie
- Companies: Manufacturers, construction companies, engineering.
- Types of projects: Production process improvement, construction project management.
- Pharmaceutique et biotechnologie
- Companies: Pharmaceutical laboratories, biotechnology companies.
- Types of projects: New drug development, clinical trial management.
- Énergie et environnement
- Companies: Energy companies, sustainable development companies.
- Types of projects: Energy transition projects, natural resource management.
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