Project manager consultant: missions, skills and training

What is a consultant project manager

The consultant project manager has an essential role in a company. He must orchestrate and manage projects on behalf of his clients. He must be a seasoned professional, specialized in project management, and often associated with renowned consulting firms. Its expertise extends to various sectors, making it possible to bring significant added value to its customers.

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Why call on a project manager

Calling on a consultant project manager represents much more than a simple operational necessity. This is part of a winning strategy for the success of your projects. Here is a detailed exploration of the fundamental benefits of an experienced project manager.

One-off missions

When you are facing specific missions, requiring specialized expertise and temporary management of resources, the use of a project manager becomes crucial. As a flexible professional, the freelance project manager will be able to adapt to your needs by providing immediate added value. Whether it is for the launch of a product, the implementation of a system, or the management of complex situations, the project manager will know how to meet your challenges.

A fresh look

Your business may face recurring problems or obstacles that are difficult to overcome. By using an external project manager, you benefit from a fresh and objective look at your problems. With a diverse background, the project manager offers innovative solutions, often off the beaten path, to optimize your processes, reduce inefficiencies, and increase profitability.

Expertise in a sector

The sectoral specialization of a project manager is a major asset. Whether you operate in health, finance, technology, or any other field, the project manager brings in-depth knowledge of the specificities of your sector. This expertise guarantees a precise contextual understanding, facilitating strategic decision-making and the implementation of solutions adapted to your professional environment.

Missions of a project manager

The role of the project manager is multifaceted, involving the complete management of the life cycle of a project. For recruiters, it is important to understand in detail the specific missions of this professional. This will allow you to accurately assess the skills and experience of candidates.

Full support:

Project managers are responsible for the entire project, from conceptualization to concrete implementation. They ensure that all stages of the project, from the specifications to the user recipe, are managed in a coherent and efficient manner.

Design follow-up:

Design monitoring is crucial to ensure that the project meets the client's needs. Project management consultants oversee the design phase, ensuring that functional specifications, subdivisions, deliverables, and acceptance criteria are defined and met.

Project management:

Project management consultants play a central role in project orchestration. They constitute, organize, coordinate and lead the project team. Managing customer requests, budget, and deadlines is an integral part of their responsibility to ensure the success of the project.

Quality delivery:

The quality of delivery is an imperative point for project managers. They need to ensure that the project meets defined quality standards, by identifying and resolving potential issues throughout the process.

Profitability and follow-up:

The financial aspect is a constant concern for project managers. They ensure the profitability of the project by monitoring costs and optimizing resources. At the same time, they maintain continuous follow-up with customers to ensure lasting satisfaction.

Why hire project manager consultants

Hiring project manager consultants brings external expertise, an objective vision and specialized skills, thus optimizing the success of projects.

The necessary skills:

The success of a consultant project manager is based on a set of diversified skills, allowing him to respond with agility to the challenges of project management. Here are the details of each of the skills needed.

Managerial and commercial skills:

Managerial skills are crucial in guiding a team to the success of the project. The consultant project manager must have the ability to motivate, lead, and coordinate team members.

At the same time, commercial skills are required to understand the client's needs, develop effective proposals, and ensure the profitability of the project.

Mastery of analysis techniques:

The ability to analyze data, processes, and issues is a fundamental skill. A consultant project manager should be able to apply analytical techniques to break down complex challenges into manageable elements, thus facilitating informed decision-making and problem solving.

Relational and editorial ease:

Communication is at the heart of the role of the consultant project manager. Relational fluency allows him to collaborate with various stakeholders, manage conflicts and build solid relationships. Writing skills are just as essential for producing clear documents, project reports, and formal communications.

Organization and rigor:

Project management requires meticulous organization and unerring rigor. A consultant project manager must be able to plan, prioritize tasks, define realistic timelines, and maintain a clear trajectory for the project, while ensuring the quality of deliverables.

Sense of listening and diplomacy:

The ability to listen is a skill that is often underestimated but crucial. The consultant project manager must be attentive to the needs of the customers, the concerns of the team and the feedback of the stakeholders.

Diplomacy is also essential for managing delicate relationships and resolving conflicts constructively.

Knowledge of foreign languages:

In a development context, knowledge of foreign languages is an asset. This makes it easy to communicate with multicultural teams, international customers, and business partners. A thorough understanding of cultural nuances helps to strengthen professional relationships.

Salary and career prospects

Attractive salary :

In terms of salary, experienced project managers benefit from an attractive remuneration, often between 50,000 and 90,000 euros per year.

This range reflects the added value of their expertise, leadership, and ability to successfully complete complex projects.

This remuneration reflects the recognition of the market for their specialized skills and their significant contribution to the success of the projects.

Average daily rate (TIME):

Another key aspect of their remuneration is the average daily rate (AMR) for project management consultants.

This rate, generally between 300 and 750 euros, reflects the daily value of their skills. It takes into account the complexity of Freelance missions, market demand, and the individual experience of the consultant.

This pricing flexibility allows project management consultants to adapt to the specificities of each project and to guarantee a fair remuneration for their services.

Future perspectives:

The career prospects for project management consultants open up a range of professional opportunities.

As they gain experience, they can access strategic positions such as: senior consultant, where their expertise is in demand for large-scale projects.

Some may evolve into team manager roles, overseeing and guiding the new generation of project managers.

Finally, the top of the hierarchy offers the stimulating perspective of becoming project director, with considerable influence on the strategic direction of initiatives and compensation accordingly.

What position should you adopt when you are a project management consultant?

Understanding the posture adopted by a project management consultant is crucial in assessing a candidate's potential to excel in this strategic role.

How the candidate approaches aspects of collaboration, objectivity, respect and partnership can provide key insights into their ability to successfully lead complex projects.

Sharing experience:

A consultant's ability to share their experience plays a central role in the transmission of knowledge within the team. This promotes a culture of continuous learning and can be an indicator of their ability to positively influence the team by providing innovative ideas and solutions.

Neutrality and objectivity:

Neutrality and objectivity are essential traits for making informed decisions in project management. A consultant who is able to maintain an objective perspective can contribute to strategic choices that are aligned with the goals of the project, thus ensuring informed leadership.

Respect:

Respecting the diversity of opinions and creating an environment where each member of the team feels valued are crucial aspects for the success of a project.

A consultant who promotes respect contributes to a positive team dynamic and strengthens collaboration.

Partnership and non-subordination:

In the professional context, the approach of partnership rather than subordination with customers is a sign of professional maturity.

A consultant who sees the client as a strategic partner demonstrates a thorough understanding of professional relationships, providing a solid foundation for successful collaborations.

Training and prerequisites

Prerequisites:

One or more certifications on the methodologies used.
A bac+5 level of training in general.
An ability to take a step back.
An ability to mobilize for projects/customers.

In terms of training, certifications such as PMP®, Prince2™, Scrum, and SAFe are recommended to strengthen your skills as a consultant project manager.