Senior Project Manager Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the senior project manager job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the senior project manager role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Senior Project Manager Do?

Senior project managers direct and supervise the activities of an organization’s project unit.

The senior project manager job description entails anticipating problems and proffering solutions necessary to keep a project under budget and on schedule.

In performing their duties, senior project managers oversee the planning of a business, construction or IT project.

They set project goals and define performance criteria such as quality standards, deadlines and cost requirements.

They also contribute to efforts aimed at business development and expansion.

Senior project managers determine the material and labor resources required to carry out a project from start to finish.

Their role involves directing the recruitment and selection of permanent project personnel, and also overseeing the contracting of third party agencies that offer required services.

As part of their responsibilities, senior managers communicate with project managers and team members to keep them informed on changes in project operations.

They monitor the progress of a project to identify problems and ensure they are appropriately resolved.

They also create a system for reporting and monitoring project operations.

Senior project managers usually oversee the day-to-day activities of a project team and supervise project personnel to ensure quality delivery within set time constraints and budget.
Their work description also involves acting as coach to motivate and mentor project team to achieve set objectives.

As part of their duties, senior project managers monitor staff performance and complete performance reviews, and carry out internal quality assessments to improve quality of project deliverables.

The senior project manager description also entails assisting in the resolution of disputes, negotiation or litigation as may be required.

They maintain good knowledge of project management principles, methodologies and techniques, and also devise systems that help minimize risks across multiple projects.

To work as a senior project manager requires having a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in project management.

Some of the qualities you need to succeed in this career include leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Senior Project Manager Job Description Example/Template

Senior project managers perform various functions in ensuring the success of their company’s project unit.

The job description example below shows the various tasks, duties, and responsibilities that commonly make up the work activities of senior project managers in most firms:

• Develop and implement project management programs which contain the details of a project
• Establish realistic goals and implement action plans for achieving set objectives
• Guide and direct project team members to ensure compliance with set standards, procedures, and guidelines
• Ensure availability of financial, material and human resources required to successfully complete a project
• Evaluate the progress of a project to detect limitations or faults in order to seek solutions to a more efficient process
• Monitor industry trends to identify changes in project strategies, tools, terminology and to adjust accordingly
• Develop internal communication strategies useful in ensuring communication between various departments of an organization
• Use specialized tools and techniques to delegate and ensure even distribution of tasks to project team members
• Oversee the recruiting and orienting of project personnel to ensure a capable workforce
• Prepare annual budgets, schedule expenditure, and initiate corrective action to meet financial objectives
• Participate in educational programs to update job knowledge and expand personal network
• Motivate team members to meet project goals by effectively carrying out their responsibilities
• Proffer solutions effective in meeting set targets and satisfying client requirements
• Conduct feasibility studies and oversee the selection of vendors
• Manage every aspect of a project, including its planning, communication, risk assessment, and resources.

Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for Senior Project Manager Job

To be considered for the job of a senior project manager, most firms may expect the following requirements to be met:

• Education and Training: To become a senior project manager, you require a Bachelor’s degree in project management or in a related discipline. A Master’s degree in the same field is also required for the job. Several years of experience in people and resource management are essential to the position. Completing a certification program from a recognized project management institute is also necessary for the job
• Leadership Skill: Senior project managers are able to direct the operations of a project unit to ensure set goals are achieved
• Communication skill: They communicate with project managers to relay information about a project to team members
• Problem-solving skill: They apply project management principles and methodologies in seeking solutions to project problems.

Conclusion

Are you an employer needing a job description for use in hiring for the senior project manager role? If you are, then the sample description provided in this post will assist you in making one for your company.

The detailed information here about the duties and responsibilities of senior managers in charge of projects can help you create work descriptions that attract the best candidates for the position.

The information in this article is also helpful to individuals who are looking forward to become senior project managers. It helps to improve their knowledge of what the career entails so they can better prepare for it.