The role of a project manager is so important and can be so incredibly rewarding. It’s a position that allows for a lot of autonomy and creativity, which is why it’s always in high demand. However, when you’re looking to hire the right project manager for your company, you need to have an extremely clear job description. The right person is out there—you just have to know what you’re looking for!
Your project manager job description is an important part of the recruitment process, so make sure it reflects your company’s values and goals. Here are some tips for creating a clear, accurate, and compelling project manager job description:
It’s important to provide a sense of the company culture. As a project manager, you should be able to work well with people and enjoy being part of a team. Describe what kind of company this is and what kind of people are successful here. Is it a friendly place? How does the management treat their employees? What sort of work environment do they encourage in order to succeed?
You should outline the position responsibilities and duties in the job description. This helps potential candidates understand what you are expecting from them. A good way to do this is to list the tasks and responsibilities that a project manager would be expected to perform as part of their job, but don't go into too much detail about how those tasks are done or what exactly they entail.
For example, if you have a project manager who will be working on financial matters such as analyzing quarterly earnings reports and creating forecasts for future investments, it would not be appropriate (or relevant) to explain exactly what financial reports look like or how they can be analyzed by someone with experience in this field. Instead, focus on listing key tasks such as: "prepare quarterly earnings reports" or "prepare monthly departmental budgets."
Also make sure that your list of responsibilities matches up with the title of your job description — if you're calling someone an "accounts receivable specialist," you shouldn't also expect them to perform work typically reserved for accountants like preparing tax returns!
This is a critical part of the job description because it will help set up your criteria for applicants. As you draft this section, consider the following questions:
As you’re writing the job description, let candidates know what it would be like to work for your organization. There are a few main things that many people are looking for in an employer:
Company culture is important because it can make or break a person’s experience at work. If you have an open-door policy where any employee can speak to their manager about anything, this should be reflected in your ad as well. Describe how much freedom employees have over their projects and whether they need approval before starting new ones. If there are certain standards of dress or behavior expected in the workplace (i.e., formal attire), let applicants know ahead of time so they don’t show up wearing shorts or flip-flops on the first day of work!
A good project manager doesn't just know how to manage projects; he or she also knows how to manage people and teams. In order to succeed in this role, you need to be able to lead, motivate and inspire your team members at all times.
If you're looking for someone who can do this well — and if you want to attract candidates who are looking specifically for these traits — then you need to be sure that your job description clearly outlines what these traits are and why they're important.