Business and Management

Understand the Role of Engineering Project Managers in Springfield

The ability to deliver projects on schedule, on budget, and aligned with business goals is key to gaining an edge in today’s highly competitive global business environment. This is where project managers come in. Project management of engineering projects has an incredibly complex assignment, one that blends organizational skills, an analytical mind, and adept interpersonal abilities.

engineering project management

What do project managers do?

In short, project managers are responsible for the planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and completion of projects. However, that is just the tip of the project management iceberg. Here are a few of the main project manager responsibilities:

  • Build the plan:

Project managers are in charge of plotting out the most realistic course for the project. The plan must include the project scope, timeline, and budget. This can also include identifying the right tools for the job.

  • Assemble the team:

Identifying the proper team is critical to project success. Every project team will vary depending on the scope of the initiative and the functions needed to complete the project. Finding specialists and subject matter experts for each of the necessary tasks is ideal.

  • Assign tasks:

Project managers must provide their team with a clear definition of specific tasks and timeline for every part of the project. Although each team member will be responsible for their own assignments, many tasks will require collaboration from both internal and external team members.

  • Managing budget:

Most projects will require some expenses, which means understanding how to put together a project budget and managing costs is critical for success. This will involve comparing real-life expenditures to estimates, and adjusting the project plan if necessary.

  • Engaging stakeholders:

Stakeholders play a large role in your project. They are typically influential people who are affected by the project. Project managers need to maintain a good relationship and an open line of communication with stakeholders who can not only help clear roadblocks and empower your team but also create unnecessary bottlenecks and derail a project if they become unhappy with the direction.

  • Hand over the project:

Just because the project’s objectives have been delivered doesn’t mean a project manager’s job is over. The project manager must now deliver the project to the team who will be managing, maintaining, and operating it moving forward. At this point, the project manager will no longer be the “go-to” person and will be assigned to a new project.

These are the responsibilities of project managers in Springfield.