What Does a Senior Project Manager Do? – As a senior project manager, you will be responsible for managing and coordinating the work of teams of engineers and developers. You will need to be able to manage multipleprojects, be able to develop and implement effective project management tools, and have a keen eye for detail. If you want to become a successful senior project manager, you’ll need to put in the hard work.
Learn About Being a Senior Project Manager in 2022
As a senior project manager, your role is to ensure that all the important stakeholders on a project are satisfied with the end product. You work with team members to identify and resolve issues, manage risk, and generate customer feedback. In order to be successful in this role, you need to have strong skills in management, communication, problem solving, and business strategy. In this post, we’re going to teach you how to become a successful senior project manager.
What is Senior Project Manager?
Senior Project Manager is a role that can be found in many organizations. It can be a key position in a company where the project manager is responsible for coordinating and leading projects, as well as managing and controlling the quality of projects. The responsibilities of a Senior Project Manager may vary from organization to organization, but they all share one common goal: to meet the deadlines and achieve the goals of the project.
As a senior project manager, you will be responsible for managing and leading senior development projects. This will include managing the budget, planning and executing the project, as well as ensuring that the project meets all the requirements set by the client or client’s representative. In order to be successful in this role, you must have excellent communication and problem-solving skills. You also need to be able to work independently and take ownership of your projects.
What does a senior project manager do?
A senior project manager is responsible for all the administrative and logistical aspects of a project. This might include setting up the project, managing resources, and coordinating the work of team members. A senior project manager is also responsible for creating and maintaining a project timeline, ensuring that the goals are met, and monitoring the progress of the project.
A senior project manager leads teams to deliver quality projects within specified constraints of time and cost to reach a goal. This includes managing financials, schedules and adhering to quality and systems development life cycle (SDLC) guidelines throughout the development life cycle. The senior project manager also manages the risks and project change requests to ensure the project is delivered on time. Some specific duties for this role include:
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Building and motivating a team to meet project goals and adhere to their responsibilities and project milestones
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Managing all aspects of a project to ensure that the program supports the overall strategic objectives
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Reporting on project success results, metrics and deployment activities
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Preparing estimates and a detailed plan for all phases of the project
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Acting as an internal quality control check and manage project scope and changes
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Developing and delivering progress reports to various audiences, including sponsors, the CIO and key stakeholders
Senior Project Manager Salary
There are many different types ofSenior Project Manager Salaries. Some may work in a company as a project manager, while others may work independently. However, the most important thing is that you find the right Senior Project Manager Salary for your needs.
As a senior project manager, you’ll need to be able to handle a wide variety of tasks and responsibilities. In today’s economy, this means finding ways to save money and make ends meet. To get started, look into the job market and find a position that’s a good fit for your skills and experience. Once you have a good understanding of what the job market looks like, start looking for jobs that offer senior project manager salaries.
Average salary
Senior project manager salaries vary according to experience level and geographic location.
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Common salary in the U.S.: $114,518 per year
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Some salaries range from $36,000 to $199,000 per year.
Senior project manager requirements
There are several requirements to qualify for a position as a senior project manager, including:
Education
Project managers are typically required to hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, preferably in project management, management, business or another related field. Because this is a senior-level position, many employers prefer candidates to hold a master’s degree in project management.
Training
Outside of the classroom, much of the training for this role happens in the job through other roles. Senior project managers may begin their careers as a junior project manager and eventually earn a promotion to project manager. Internship opportunities are also available for novices, although most employers prefer that even interns have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree completed before applying.
Certifications
There are several certifications available from the Project Management Institute (PMI), including:
Project Management Professional (PMP)
This certification is considered the most important industry-recognized certification for project managers. To be eligible, candidates must have a four-year degree and 4,500 hours of leading projects and 35 hours of project management education. For candidates who lack the degree, you must have a high school diploma or associate’s degree and 7,500 hours of leading projects and 35 hours of project management education.
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
This certification shows advanced competency in the management of one or more portfolios. It is intended for senior project managers who are managing a portfolio of projects aligned with organizational strategy.
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
This certification is for project managers who work on agile teams or whose businesses are adopting agile practices. It provides clear evidence of the senior project manager’s hands-on experience and skill with agile techniques.
PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)
This certification is designed for a project manager who performs business analysis as part of their role. It requires a combination of business analysis training, experience and examination of business analysis practices, principles, tools and techniques.
Program Management Professional (PgMP)
This certification is for project managers with a proven ability to manage multiple projects with complex activities that span functions, regions and even cultures, and to align the result with organizational goals. It is a visible sign of advanced experience and skill, giving candidates an advantage in employment and promotion.
PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP):
This certification emphasizes your ability to identify and assess project risks, capitalizing on opportunities and mitigating threats.
PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)
This certification shows advanced knowledge and skills in developing and maintaining project schedules.
Skills
There are several skills senior project managers require to be successful in this role. They include:
Communication
These skills include verbal, non-verbal, written communication and active listening. A senior project manager must be able to clearly communicate the strategy to their team and throughout the organization. They also need to communicate progress to executives and other key stakeholders and produce clear status reports and project presentations.
Planning skills
These skills are essential to help develop strategies to accomplish goals and are integral to the role of project management. They must have the ability to organize tasks in the right order to hit the goal on time.
Analytical skills
This skill refers to the ability to analyze information, solve problems and make decisions. It is key in this role, as the project manager must analyze the business activities, profits, expenses and established goals.
Leadership skills
Leadership skills are essential for senior project managers, who may oversee a project management team and other managers. They must be able to resolve conflicts, set goals and evaluate the performances of team members. They need to create a vision for the team and motivate them to perform at their best.
Technical skills
These refer to hard mathematical and computer skills needed to perform the functions of the role. A senior project manager must have knowledge and experience with Microsoft Project, Excel, Word and PowerPoint, and other project management software.
Senior project manager work environment
Senior project managers usually work in office environments that have the following characteristics:
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Extended hours sitting at a desk
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Using computers, printers, phones, fax machines and other office equipment
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Facilitating communication between executives and employees
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Speaking in front of groups of people
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Travel may be required
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May require long hours and working in the evenings and on weekends
How to become a senior project manager
These are the typical steps you can use to pursue a career as a senior project manager:
1. Pursue an education.
This is a senior position that requires, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree. Many employers even prefer a master’s degree for this role. Search for open positions in your geographic area and determine the minimum educational requirements for the role. Obtain the level of education required to fill the position.
2. Obtain experience.
This position typically requires at least three years or four years in a project management role in addition to at least one or two years in a leadership position. You will need to work in project management for several years before you will be eligible for a senior role. If you don’t have any experience, search for internship opportunities or apply for junior project management positions. Depending on the requirements, you may also be eligible for a project manager role.
3. Acquire a certificate.
Many senior positions prefer candidates to have, at a minimum, the PMP certification from the project management institute. To pursue this certification, though, you will first need 4,500 hours of leading projects and 35 hours of project management education.
4. Update your resume.
Once you have obtained the required education, experience and certifications, update your resume, including your highest level of education, relevant work history and certifications. For each job, include the name of the business, your role and the duties you held. Emphasize the leadership and management experience you obtained during your employment history.
5. Apply for jobs.
Search for job openings for senior project managers in your geographic area. Determine which ones you are most qualified for and apply using your resume and a cover letter that you have customized for that specific position and employer.
Senior project manager job description example
Wellness Plus Health Plans is seeking a senior project manager to lead its hardworking project management team. This person will be responsible for overseeing the development of business and technical requirements and ensuring project timelines and quality expectations are met. Essential duties in this role will include managing teams and participating in team meetings to provide updates on project progress, set strategies and resolve any outstanding issues. They will drive results through planning, project leadership and perform a strategic analysis of business opportunities. Five-plus years of direct project management experience and a bachelor’s degree in project management, business or a related degree is required. PMP certification is also required. A master’s degree is preferred.
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