Project Manager

Being a Project Manager in the voluntary and community sector can be a wide and varied job, involving many roles and responsibilities and requiring a definite ability to multitask!

The position of Project Manager can appear within many different settings throughout the voluntary and community sector, and can offer a wide and varied career. The role involves a number of key responsibilities and there is a diverse range of projects to get involved in. Work can range from having responsibility for one specific project, to being responsible for the management of an organisation involving a number of different projects.

Projects can vary in size and scope depending upon the nature of the work involved and the kind of voluntary/community organisation in charge of it. The focus of projects within the voluntary and community sector varies greatly and often involves working with disadvantaged and hard to reach groups. A firm understanding of the nature of the sector and a versatile approach is very important for the role of Project Manager.

Being a Project Manager within the voluntary and community sector can involve tasks ranging from the day to day running of an organisation, to planning the future of the project. Due to the nature of the sector, Project Managers are often required to undertake tasks that are not normally associated with the job.

The main focus for any Project Manager is to ensure the project runs smoothly and reaches its full potential. Typical aspects of the job include setting realistic plans and goals for the project, selecting and managing the project team, and communicating the aims and scope of the project to interested bodies. It also involves monitoring the progress of the project, writing reports, managing the budget and resources, as well as dealing with external contracts relating to specific areas of work. In addition, many Project Managers within the sector are responsible for securing future funding and writing funding bids.

Skills Needed

There are a number of skills and abilities that you need to have to be a successful Project Manager. These include;

• Being very organised and methodical
• A logical approach and the ability to problem solve
• Ability to plan and co-ordinate a number of different activities at the same time
• Work to varying and often competing deadlines
• Cope with a very busy schedule
• Familiarity with sources of funding and bid writing
• Understand control of budgets and the allocation / management of resources
• Knowledge of monitoring and control
• Have excellent communication skills alongside the ability to interact with people from varying backgrounds
• Strong negotiation and leadership skills
• Knowledge of the project area and an understanding of the surrounding topic issues
• Good IT skills

Useful Training

There are no set qualification requirements for Project Managers within the voluntary and community sector, however several years management experience and / or education to degree level is usual. It is quite common for Project Managers to begin in a less senior position and develop their knowledge and skills while in a supporting role.

There are a number of courses and qualifications available at various levels and in different formats to help Project Managers develop their skills further. For example, the Building Capacity in Voluntary Organisations (BCVO) course offers a good all-round introduction to the skills needed to be a successful manager in a voluntary or community sector organisation.

Building Capacity in Voluntary Organisations (BCVO)

See Paul Lancaster's Case Study , Steve Miller's Case Study , Pat Estall's Case Study or Anne Ramshaw's Case Study for more information about becoming a Project Manager.