A Critical Review of Project Management Posts - Assignment Example

Project Management Module ENRMA3049 March 2006 Project Management Posts - A Critical Review There are many definitions ofwhat a Project Manager is and the role they hold in this position. For instance, ww.tenstep.com defines a project manager as "The person with authority to manage a project. This includes leading the planning and the development of all project deliverables. The project manager is responsible for managing the budget and work plan and all Project Management Procedures (scope management, issues management, risk management, etc.)." (Ten Step, 2006). Unfortunately, this definition does not bring a concise and well rounded overall definition of what this position involves or covers, as there are also project managers in a variety of disciplines such as the definition for a Software Project Manager is somewhat different and more intricately entailed. On the sparc.airtime.co.uk website, a Software Project Manager is defined as a person with "the role with total responsibility for all the software activities for a project (CSCI). The Software Project Manager is the individual the Program Manager deals with in terms of software commitments and who controls all the software resources for a project. The Software Project Manager may have the responsibility for multiple software projects." (www.sparc.airtime.co.uk, 2006) By understanding what the project management position being advertised is in relation to the definitions of what that job is ensures that both the advertiser and the applicant are under the same understanding of what both are looking for. Sometimes the jobs that are being advertised are vague with respect to what the job scope is and many times this is done for a reason Project Management Advertisements Many of the job advertisements reviewed from both online newspapers (Times) and internet searches were indeed different in what they wanted applicants to see. The different scopes of the descriptions tend to either be too vague and the job description is meant to either weed out those who the company does not want to have apply, or, keep their true job requirements a closely guarded secret. One of the many tactics that employers tend to do is to ensure that competitors are not finding out what the job is in entirety, especially if they are not going through a placement agency, to ensure they do not phish for information about future projects. As many employers look to recruitment agencies to find their next employees, one of the problems that come from that route is that the agencies do not provide complete details about the job as they want a face to face interview before the applicant even goes before the customer. The job of the recruitment agent is to ensure that the customer is in fact getting the right candidate for the job, and, for the position of a project manager the customer can ill-afford the trouble of interviewing substandard applicants. Advertised Positions for Project Manager - Good and Bad The search for this type of position was actually quite easy and circumspect in what the different employers classified as a project manager, as it would appear many of them leaned more to a Directorship position. In one advertisement for a web project manager through a recruitment agency, the position called for Detailed understanding of web projects & implementation methodologies; An understanding of commercial and account strategies with the ability to tailor implementation and wider delivery processes to meet stakeholder requirements; General knowledge of HTML, design/graphic production software packages (e.g. PhotoShop, Dreamweaver) and familiarity with other web technologies Understanding of web development and design tools; Appreciation of other web technologies; Ability to lead cross-functional team of designers, developers and other staff; Client management skills for project reporting, conflict management and general engagement; Strong project estimating skills; Strong project planning and project management abilities with skills in appropriate PM tools and processes (MS Project/Excel/Prince 2 where appropriate); Able to manage multiple projects/tasks at once. Excellent project initiation skills including insights into Business analysis, a keen understanding of ROI; Creative flair for generating compelling content ideas (Circle Recruitment - Web Project Manager/Leader posting) Remember that the definition of a Software Project Manager as "the individual the Program Manager deals with in terms of software commitments and who controls all the software resources for a project", (www.sparc.airtime.co.uk, 2006) this posting is clearly above the realms of what the true definition of a Software Project Manager is. On another advertisement, a Project Manager for a Market Data Services company does indeed understand the true scope of what a Project Manager does for that industry. Their advertisement does not give away too much, but, it does provide for a number of applicants who will fit the position due to what is perceived as the 'right fit for the right candidate': Project Manager - Market Data Services Our client is a large Investment bank based in London offering a great opportunity for a Project Manager to join their team. The successful candidate will be working within the Strategic Projects department within Global Market Data Services running multiple global small to medium sized projects simultaneously and be able to build strong working relationships with both Business and IT management. The Project Manager will be responsible for controlling and reporting on risks and issues and managing budgets. The successful candidate will have experience in market Data, project management and have previously undertaken Market Data cost-saving projects/exercises. Knowledge of Reuters, Bloomberg or Thompson would be highly desirable (Quanta Consultancy Services, 2006) As a direct result of these two examples of Project Management Positions advertised and following the correct definitions of what a Project Manager position holds, the most appropriate applicants will apply. If the advertisements are too vague or cover too much groundwork for the intended hiring of a candidate, there will either be a flurry of under qualified or overqualified persons or many that apply that do not actually meet all the standards but only a few. Criterion for Project Management Success Taking from the examples of the advertisements pulled from the various sources for the position of Project Manager, only one directly states what the successful candidate will need to bring to the table in order to apply for the position. It would appear that most of the advertisements simply gauge success by what types of skills, degree and tenure the applicant will bring to the position itself. The only advertisement that had a requirement for gauging project success and that was for the advertisement for King's College, wherein they required a Project Manager to not only bring certain skill sets to the job and responsibilities, but also details: The Opportunity: King's is in contact with over 100,000 former students, friends and donors worldwide and has successfully completed a 44m fundraising campaign. The College is now planning a second campaign with a significantly more ambitious target. As Head of Development Operations, you will lead and manage the operations of the Development & Alumni department in the lead up to this campaign, playing a pivotal role in the management and stewardship of former students, prospects and donors to King's (Kings' College London, Head of Development Operations job posting, 2006) This would appear to be the only advertisers that would indeed stipulate the overall success needed by the candidate in order to apply and maintain the position. As many advertisements continue to be posted via the internet and traditional print media, it is evident that only those companies or establishments that require outside funding to maintain their high status level, such as in the case with Kings' College in London, there will be no true success gauge with respect to overall performance; but rather, through the skills that the candidate brings to the position. As more and more establishments rely on the internet and modern technologies to continue with their business activities, the requirement to fulfill Project Managements positions will not solely rely on the traditional definition of the position, but will require a more rounded individual who can maintain multiple projects and tasks at the same time. Applicant skill sets are more diverse in this modern era as applicants realize that in order to 'land' that perfect job they are suited for they need to bring more to the employer if they want to get that job and that the more they know the more assurance they will have at winning the job. Skill Sets and Best Practices of a PM Many of the best practices followed by Project Managers include: Keep it modest and adaptable by making it easier for project managers to adopt new practices. Incorporate sound project management methods that are already part of your organization's historythrough managing projects that identify the strong points in their methods. Limit the reporting requirementsand it is the responsibility of upper management to control projects at a higher level. Remember, each time you ask for another report or even a new piece of data, you should ask yourself if the extra cost incurred is really offset by increased management performance. Plan and track projects, not maintenance activitiesbyavoiding tracking activities that aren't projects but represent work without clear objectives or work that is redefined each day. A project is an undertaking with defined results, to be achieved within time and resource limits. It is not merely a financial accounting of ongoing or random events. (Jan De Messemaeker, Project MVP, Microsoft, 2004) When these areas of project management are taken into consideration when posting an advertisement, you will find the correct candidate. If the potential candidate does not understand these as part of the skill set required to effectively manage projects, the candidate does not truly hold the skills or will even understand the scope of a large project. Even those these skills and best practices of a Project Manager are a basic requirement of any Project Management position, the need to gauge a candidate on soft skills is extremely important. As a Project Leader, the requirements to understand and fulfill the needs of the project team are second to none. Though none of the advertisements selected directly acknowledge the need to be a natural team leader, many do go into the need for customer service skills. This could be a contrived skill set requirement as this is a basic requirement for any position; but, one advertisement for Schroders' Change Management group does state "there will be all the challenge, opportunity and support you need to grow and develop as part of a team which is passionate about delivering change." (Times, 2006) This could, to the right candidate, be understood as the need to be able to effectively communicate with those on the Project Manager's team. An interesting fact within the advertisements is the requirement to a professional institution such as Project Management Institute (PMI), which begs to call into play what the employers really hold as high standard for potential candidates. It would seem plausible that if a candidate has taken the time and dedication to becoming a member of this institution, they would fully understand the requirements of a Project Manager and thus do an effective job. Conclusion The position of Project Manager can in fact hold many connotations as to what the role holds for the potential candidate. Through these examples of job postings, which are to be found in the Appendix section, it is not such a traditional job posting any longer. The skill sets that candidates are required to bring to the job are varied and widespread and it would appear that other than experience in previous jobs surrounding what the employee requires, it is quite simple to be offered the position. References De Messemaeker, Jan (2004). Best practices for project Managers. Microsoft. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011558871033.aspx Reed. (2006, Feb). Web Project Manager/Leader posting. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://www.reed.co.uk/ Reed. (2006, Feb). Project Manager/Market Data Services: Quanta Consultancy Services. posting. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://www.reed.co.uk/ Sparc (2006). Definitions and general criteria for Technical Management: Software Project Manager. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://sparc.airtime.co.uk/users/wysywig/gloss.htm Ten Step. (2006). 90.1 Glossary: Project Manager. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://www.tenstep.com/open/miscpa The Times Online (2006). Schroder's Change Management. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/jobs The Times Online (2006). Project Management and Dispute Resolution Specialist: United Arab Emirates. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/jobs The Times Online (2006). Kings' College London: Head of Development Operations. Retrieved February 28, 2006 from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/jobs Appendix A Advertisements Retrieved February 28, 2006 Web Project Manager / Leader Organisation: Circle Recruitment Salary Not Specified London Type: Permanent Ref: 8030714 Just added Applications: 0 Web Project Manager / Leader 32k - 37k bens Central London You will be required to work closely with the Head of Production to ensure continued team development, motivation and added value is being developed for the client. Candidate Requirements: Detailed understanding of web projects & implementation methodologies; An understanding of commercial and account strategies with the ability to tailor implementation and wider delivery processes to meet stakeholder requirements; General knowledge of HTML, design/graphic production software packages (e.g. PhotoShop, Dreamweaver) and familiarity with other web technologies Understanding of web development and design tools; Appreciation of other web technologies; Ability to lead cross-functional team of designers, developers and other staff; Client management skills for project reporting, conflict management and general engagement; Strong project estimating skills; Strong project planning and project management abilities with skills in appropriate PM tools and processes (MS Project/Excel/Prince 2 where appropriate); Able to manage multiple projects/tasks at once; Excellent project initiation skills including insights into Business analysis, a keen understanding of ROI; Creative flair for generating compelling content ideas. Urgent requirement at this leading digital communications agency If you wish to apply for this job, please click on the apply button at the bottom of the page. Project Manager Organisation: Quanta Consultancy Services 60,000 - 70,000 pa London Type: Permanent Ref: 8030675 Just added Applications: 0 Project Manager - Market Data Services Our client is a large Investment bank based in London offering a great opportunity for a Project Manager to join their team. The successful candidate will be working within the Strategic Projects department within Global Market Data Services running multiple global small to medium sized projects simultaneously and be able to build strong working relationships with both Business and IT management. The Project Manager will be responsible for controlling and reporting on risks and issues and managing budgets. The successful candidate will have experience in market Data, project management and have previously undertaken Market Data cost-saving projects/exercises. Knowledge of Reuters, Bloomberg or Thompson would be highly desirable. An excellent salary and benefit package is available and great career prospects. Naturally Inspiring Inspire your clients. Make exceeding their expectations the norm. Challenge conventional thinking in your quest to deliver outstanding results. Be passionate about delivery. In return, we'll inspire you with a unique opportunity to develop your career with one of the world's largest dedicated asset management companies. There will be all the challenge, opportunity and support you need to grow and develop as part of a team which is passionate about delivering change. Schroders' change management group is a dedicated team of change and project professionals, focused on harnessing ideas and delivering results. Building partnerships with our internal clients, we consult with business leaders to understand their goals then build solutions to realise their vision. Driven and committed to excellence, we are seeking an exceptional individual to lead one of our divisional facing teams. Managing a dedicated team of project managers and analysts, you will lead a programme of work designed to deliver organisational change, service and operational efficiencies and cost reductions through process and technology changes. Your strong relationship management skills, in-depth change and programme management expertise and your enthusiasm and drive will ensure you deliver tangible benefits to your clients and contribute to the development of change management throughout the firm. If you are interested in this position please apply online at our website. Closing date for applications: Friday 3 March 2006 JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALISTS Term: Permanent First Posted: 22-02-2006 Job Description Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Salary: between 50,000 to 100,00 Tax Free Job Description: Following the award of commissions in respect of major new developments in the United Arab Emirates and dispute resolution assignments worldwide. Our client requires construction professionals, with substantial and varied experience to fill the following positions. Based in the United Arab Emirates to work on new developments: The Roles: -Project Controls manager (Primavera P3e and expedition), Planning Managers & Planners (Primavera P3e and expedition), Quantity Surveyors, Claims Managers, Cost Managers, Procurement Managers The Requirements: -Prospective candidates should have a first degree and a minimum of 10 years experience including working on major projects with large reputable contractors and/or project managers where demanding standards relative to time, quality and price are commonplace. Overseas experience is preferred but not essential. Based in the United Arab Emirates, the UK or project related locations to work as dispute resolution specialists: The Role: -Consultants with a quantity surveying, engineering or planning background to assist Clients avoid and resolve disputes The Requirements: -Prospective candidates should be suitably qualified, preferably with a secondary qualification relative to law and/or dispute resolution. Overseas experience and a working knowledge of languages other than English is preferred but not essential. Experience of dispute resolution at site level through to formal proceedings is required. Requirements include senior positions capable of managing teams on various projects through to individuals assisting Clients on a project by project basis. In respect of all positions terms and conditions will be commensurate with experience, capabilities and family circumstances (where appropriate). Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the positions offer salaries between 50,000 to 100,00 Tax Free. To apply on line, please visit www.burnscarlton.com. Alternatively, e-mail mailbox2@burnscarlton.com and quote reference TL6291. Please include your CV and salary details. You may also apply by letter or fax to Simpson House, Windsor Court, Clarence Drive, Harrogate HG1 2PE. Telephone number: 01423 792000 Fax number: 01423 792001. Kings' College London Head of Development Operations Are you an experienced customer insight specialist Are you an experienced project manager Do you understand customer care and customer development Are you a strategic thinker who thrives on developing and implementing new systems Are you looking for a change of direction and an opportunity to make a difference King's College London, one of the two founding College's of London University, is seeking a talented professional to join its Development & Alumni team in a newly created role. The Opportunity: King's is in contact with over 100,000 former students, friends and donors worldwide and has successfully completed a 44m fundraising campaign. The College is now planning a second campaign with a significantly more ambitious target. As Head of Development Operations, you will lead and manage the operations of the Development & Alumni department in the lead up to this campaign, playing a pivotal role in the management and stewardship of former students, prospects and donors to King's. The Role: You will have responsibility for the planning and delivery of an inclusive operations support function for the Development and Alumni office, managing the Development Operations team (comprising database, research, stewardship and finance functions) to ensure successful alumni (former students of King's) and donor participation and effective donor and prospect tracking. You will manage all systems (including the alumni database) to their full potential, ensuring procedures are in place to allow effective use of the alumni marketing database, and will be responsible for monitoring, evaluating and reporting on outcomes. The Person: You will need experience in: customer care or direct marketing; managing databases; planning and project management; managing staff and budgets. The ability to plan and deliver strategy, attention to detail and commitment to the highest standards of customer service will be vital to success in this role. To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact Katy Giddens at Richmond Associates on 020 8392 6654. For further information, please email cforrest@richmond-associates.com or visit www.richmond-associates.com Closing date for applications: 10th March 2006. Equality of opportunity is College policy. Read More