Project Scheduler Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides complete information about the duties, tasks, and responsibilities that majorly make up the project scheduler job description.

It also shows the major requirements recruiters commonly expect applicants for the project scheduler position to meet to be considered for the role.

Please, keep reading to learn more about the project scheduler career:

What Does a Project Scheduler Do?

The project Scheduler is responsible for working closely with technical experts, project leads and project managers in planning, creating, and managing project schedules.

His/her job description includes making conclusions in regards the best process control, procurement, subcontracting, risk management, assignment coordination, interaction with customers, and activity duration.

His/her role also entails working closely with others in linking critical activities across multiple projects.

Project schedulers also ensure that an open communication system is available where all stakeholders are informed about changes to established schedules.

They are responsible for the timely and accurate processing of schedule updates.

They analyze the impact and extent of owner and subcontractor delays and major schedule changes.

They create and publish high level integrated master schedules in accordance with the requirements or needs of the necessary stakeholders.

Project scheduler work description also involves suggesting corrective actions to keep the project on scope, budget, and time.

It also entails planning and creating new schedule delays and summary reports.

Schedulers also perform project progress monitoring duties, as well as identifying critical activities, and reviewing forecasts with progress achieved to date.

One of the primary places where the skills of a project scheduler or planner are mostly needed l is in the engineering and construction industry, or in software development.

Project Scheduler Job Description Example/Template

Project schedulers perform various functions, which may vary with the specification of the project, field engineers, superintendents, and project managers assigned.

However, the following job description example shows typical project scheduler tasks, duties, and responsibilities performed in most organizations:

• Create, monitor, and analyze project schedules in accordance with standard of best project practice
• Track, analyze, and report information appropriately to allow the project teams to manage their projects and evaluate weekly reports
• Ensure accuracy of project schedules and performed version control
• Co-ordinate project schedules, tasks, meeting updates, and efficient distribution of reports
• Prepare, implement, and monitor scopes of work using Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for control and integrity
• Monitor projects’ progress, including identifying critical activities and reviewing forecasts and progress achieved to date
• Maintain project risk register to ensure that risks are effectively managed to minimize their impact on schedule, scope, and budget of projects
• Track baselines, perform what-if analysis, and develop contingency plans
• Developing conceptual models for Business Capability traceability matrix to explain processes to all levels of users
• Perform coordination of cross-functional departments to identify project issues, monitor action items, and work with the project manager to ensure resolution.

Project Scheduler Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge for Career Success

To get into the project scheduler career  requires minimum high school diploma educational background or its equivalent, however having a bachelor’s degree will be advantageous for speedy career growth.

Therefore, if you are in high school and are interested in engineering and construction professions, you might want to become a project scheduler.

To prepare for this career, courses on project management, scrum, critical path analysis, six sigma green belt, management information systems, spreadsheets, and word processing will give you a good start.

In securing a job as a project scheduler and be successful in your career, most employers will expect you to meet the following requirements, including skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• Minimum of one year related-work experience in the construction industry, or as a project scheduler
• Strong communication skills – written and verbal
• Good analytical and planning skills.
• Ability to learn quickly and work under pressure in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in word processing and spreadsheet applications
• Proficiency in the use of project scheduling software such as Primavera P6 or MS project
• Must have good attention to details
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Good working ethics and ability to treat documents with confidentiality
• Ability to work effectively within a team setting and also to provide leadership when required to do so.

Advancing Your Project Scheduling Career

If you are interested in advancing your career in project scheduling, you can take a post secondary degree program in engineering, business administration, management information systems, or an MBA.

Also, project schedulers might opt to become subcontractors, project coordinators, project managers, or field superintendents.

Conclusion

If you are an employer needing to hire new project schedulers, you will find the job description sample and information in this post useful in creating a suitable description for the role in your organization.

You can produce a detailed work description that is effective in helping you to attract the best candidates to your project scheduler job offer.

Also, individuals interested in becoming a project scheduler will find the content of this article beneficial in learning about the duties and responsibilities that make up the role.

They will now be able to make informed decision about the career and adequately prepare themselves for it.