All companies carry out projects of varying lengths. In all cases it is necessary to manage them so that they go ahead in an organized way. This is one of the responsibilities of the PMO Manager, profile that we analyze throughout this article.
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If you want to obtain a position of responsibility related to project management, this type of profile may be of interest to you. We tell you exactly what a PMO Manager, What are your functions and what skills should you present?.
What is a PMO Manager?
The PMO Manager is responsible for the Project Management Office. This is the person in charge of managing and coordinating the organization's projects. It is important that this type of profile is collaborative and flexible, since they will have to work together with other leaders of the company. In order to coordinate projects it is necessary for all departments to collaborate and to facilitate this task a close, proactive and innovative PMO Manager is needed.
It should be noted that this position can be permanent or temporary depending on the needs of the company. In the case of SMEs, it is sufficient for the PMO Manager to establish a base for project management to be oriented. However, larger companies must have such a profile on a permanent basis due to the number and size of the projects to be managed.
Main functions of the PMO Manager
The PMO Manager is a versatile professional with leadership skills responsible for several activities. Among the most important are the following:
- Streamlining and standardization. The PMO manager must establish which tools to use and under which methodologies to work when managing projects. In this way, a standardization is established to avoid problems of software compatibility or understanding by employees. Once the standards have been established, projects will be streamlined, since it will be clear how to work. It should not be forgotten that these standards provide a common framework for all project leaders.
- Project prioritization. It is common for conflicts to occur between several projects managed at the same time in the same organization. The PMO Manager must decide which is more urgent and prioritize the work.
- Resource management. In relation to the previous point and depending on the priority of each project, this specialist must manage both the time and the financial resources required for each activity. In addition, he/she will have to find solutions in the event of a lack or surplus of resources when a project has to be completed.
- Financial analysis. Another of the fundamental tasks of this professional is to analyze the ROI of the projects. The objective in this case is to determine whether the methodologies and tools used are profitable when applied in these projects. Depending on the results, he will be in charge of modifying, adapting or extending the use of solutions.
- Comprehensive documentation. Each and every step in the process of developing and executing a project must be documented. In this sense, it is the PMO Manager who is responsible for ensuring that this documentation is generated with reliability and rigor. Among the most important documents are the budget and the justification of the project itself.
In order to solve all possible doubts concerning the unification of projects, the Project Management Institute offers a series of internationally recognized standards.
What skills does every PMO Manager need?
Although we have seen the most common tasks of the PMO Manager, it should be noted that this type of specialist needs to have a series of skills inherent to their functions:
- Proficiency in digital documentation management systems. These systems, known as DMS, are used to store, manage and control the organization's documents. Thanks to this technology it is possible to centralize the information to have it always at your fingertips. These programs make it possible to digitize documents and improve workflow in general. In addition, they enhance data security when sharing documents within the organization.
- Transparency. One of the fundamental requirements to be a good PMO Manager is to know how to transmit the information to the rest of the professionals. It is of little use to be an expert in organizing projects and their data if we are not able to transfer this knowledge to the team.
- High organizational level. Although it is an obvious element, organization is fundamental in these profiles. Considering that its main function is to manage and maintain the balance of all the projects established in the organization, if this feature is not present, in the case of accumulation of projects, the work could be seriously impaired.
As we have established, this type of professional carries a series of responsibilities that not everyone can manage. Therefore, it is important to have the skills and aptitudes we have discussed to ensure the success of the projects.
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