Birmingham’s

Project management
What does
a project
manager do?
Projects in the third sector are
about impact, rather than income.
They deliver much needed services
and make a real difference to the
issues and communities they serve.
Project managers in the sector
deal with unique challenges and
need tools, techniques and support
that are tailored to meet these.
Project management is the application of processes, methods,
knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project
objectives. The role of a project manager is to be responsible
for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution,
monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. The role of
the project manager is an intensive role, requiring specialised
project management knowledge, skills and experience.
Project management is more than simply planning or
controlling the project’s delivery. It requires strategic thinking,
leadership and influencing skills. A project manager must be
able to inspire stakeholders and their delivery team. They will
need to be able to liaise with people throughout the business
chain and gain support from senior management and other
areas of the business (such as HR, Marketing and Finance).
They must be good at problem solving and managing
conflict. They must be able to predict the future. They will
need to be able to provide accurate financial forecasts,
anticipate risks and issues that may occur and know where,
when and how delivery will take place. They need to be
mind-readers, understanding what stakeholders, partners,
funders, managers, team members and project beneficiaries
want, need and expect from the project and try to respond
to these various (and sometimes competing) demands.
One of the most critical skills a PM must have is people
management skills. All the PM qualifications in the world will
not create a successful project manager if they are not able to
form good working relationships with their team. Good PMs
do not micro manage – they delegate with confidence in their
team and ensure team members are supported and developed.
Simply put, a good project manager can be the difference
between success and failure. Time spent on project
management is crucial as it allows you to look at how to use
your resources most effectively, streamline processes, avoid
risks and deal with issues, ensure quality and continuously
improve delivery. In short, work smarter not harder!
Project managers and project management principles,
methods and tools are widely used in the private sector
and specialised elements have been developed for many
industries where projects are a core element of their business,
such as construction, IT, engineering and manufacturing.
Incorporating feedback from third sector organisations
and project management professionals, PM3 has designed a
framework specifically for project managers in the third sector.
We want to ensure that your projects and your project
managers have access to the expertise and resources they
need to be successful and offer sector specific project
management training and workshops. In addition we
offer a range of services, from high level support through
consultancy, to low level support through peer networking.
Our services are flexible to meet with your needs and we can
offer both in-house services and bespoke services to suit you.
Bookings are now being taken for project
management workshops in early 2016.
i PM3: Project management workshops – www.pm3.org.uk/training /
Consultancy and support services – www.pm3.org.uk /
nikki-dee@pm3.org.uk
Update 250 /// February & March 2016 13