What a project manager does
A project manager is responsible for getting a defined piece of work done on time, within budget and to the agreed standard. They plan the scope and schedule, assemble and lead the team, manage vendors, track costs, identify risks early and keep sponsors informed. When surprises happen, the project manager decides how to respond and makes sure the right people know. Their work is what turns a business decision into a finished result.
Many organizations hire a general project manager to lead initiatives such as system rollouts, office moves, process changes or product launches that do not fit neatly into one department. Finch screens candidates for experience with projects similar in size and complexity to yours, the methodology they are comfortable with and how they communicate under pressure. We also check credentials such as the PMP when your role calls for them, and verify delivery history through references.
Typical responsibilities
- Define project scope, objectives, deliverables and success measures with sponsors
- Build detailed schedules, budgets and resource plans
- Lead cross-functional teams and manage external vendors
- Track progress, costs and risks and take corrective action
- Manage changes to scope, schedule or budget through a clear approval process
- Report status to stakeholders and close out projects with lessons learned
Qualifications and credentials
- Experience managing projects from start to finish, ideally in a similar industry
- The PMP from the Project Management Institute is common and often preferred
- Strong planning, budgeting and risk management skills
- Proficiency with project management software and reporting tools
- A university degree or college diploma in business, engineering or a related field is typical
Who hires a project manager
- Manufacturers and distributors
- Healthcare organizations and clinics
- Financial services and insurance companies
- Non-profit and public sector organizations
- Professional services and consulting firms
Where we recruit project manager candidates
We fill project manager roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Projects they personally led, including scope, budget responsibility and team size
- How they handled delays, overruns and scope changes
- Methodology and tools they use day to day
- PMP or other credentials, where required
- Stakeholder communication, confirmed with former sponsors through references
Interview questions to ask
- Describe a project that went off track. When did you notice, and what did you do?
- How do you handle a sponsor who keeps adding requests without changing the deadline?
- Walk me through how you build a project schedule from a blank page.