Business project managers may work in a variety of industries from engineering firms to construction to health care. Project managers may be responsible for developing project plans, managing a project’s day-to-day work, directing resources, and working with clients, vendors and internal staff to manage project expectations. According to the Project Management Institute, more than 20 million people are participating in project worldwide.

Job Responsibilities

The business project manager's job description should outline all position responsibilities and tasks. These functions should be clearly stated and detail the person's overall and day-to-day essential duties. Typical project manager tasks include: development and maintenance of a project plan, management of a project’s day-to-day tasks, management of project budget and resources, management of internal staff expectations as well as client’s project expectations, working with vendors and assuring milestone dates are being met.

Education

Employers often require business project management hires to be credentialed or to have an advanced degree in the field. Though a bachelor’s degree in business is typically the minimum education level accepted, the candidate may possess a master’s degree in project management or a project management certification. The Project Management Professional® (PMP) certification is the most recognized credential for project managers.

Core Competencies

Business project managers should possess intangible qualifications such as leadership skills, the ability to communicate professionally to various audiences, the ability to make timely decisions and troubleshoot, work well under pressure, work with limited supervision and under time constraints, the ability to think globally and use solid judgment, and superior ability to prioritize complex tasks.

Industry

The business project manager’s job may vary depending on the type of industry of the particular position. For example, if the position is in health care, the project manager may need prior experience with healthcare product implementation, client interfacing or operational policy development.

Salary

Salary for the project manager position may vary depending on the position location and setting. The company’s budget for the position as well as researched compensation ranges for the job title should be considered when making this determination. According to a 2006 survey commissioned by the Project Management Institute, the average project manager salary then was $96,000. Entry-level salaries and those for positions in rural areas will be significantly lower.