PM-in-Training Guide

A resource for BL employees considering Project Management

table of contents

topic

page

MISSION STATEMENT

1

WHY CHOOSE TO BECOME A BL PROJECT MANAGER?

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THE TYPICAL PROJECT MANAGER DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1 - 2

FROM A CLIENT’S PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS A QUALITY PROJECT MANAGER? 3

SO WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

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TIERED PROGRAM INTRODUCTION

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TIERS

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Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4

5 6 7 8

ATTACHMENTS

BL Companies Project Manager Job Description Links Article: So you want to be a project manager?

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11 - 13

MISSION STATEMENT The intent of this guide is to provide a path with the tools and resources necessary to become a successful BL Project Manager. WHY CHOOSE TO BECOME A BL PROJECT MANAGER? Project Managers at BL have the greatest ability to affect the performance and financial success of a project. A Project Manager has many responsibilities that draw time away from what an engineer, land surveyor, landscape architect, architect or environmental scientist went to school for. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the role is right for you. Below are some qualities that are critical to being a successful PM: − Ability to lead, motivate and empower teams to execute successful projects. − Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with clients, project teams and project stakeholders. − Ability to transition from technical tasks to management tasks. − Ability to work with others and be willing to be accountable for the overall performance of the team. − Ability to trust the capabilities of the team and delegate appropriate tasks.

− Ability to be accountable for another team member’s mistakes. − Ability to recognize that individual success comes with team success and favor team recognition over personal recognition. Being a Project Manager should not be perceived as the only path to achieving a senior or important role at BL. THE TYPICAL PROJECT MANAGER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Every contract signed by BL Companies, regardless of its size, represents a project. All employee owners are responsible for delivering quality client service; however, the Project Manager is ultimately responsible for leading and coordinating the overall project to ensure success. The Project Manager must represent BL to its clients, subconsultants, outside agencies, and staff. The manner in which Project Managers conduct themselves is a major determinant to how the parties associated with any project come to view BL and its performance.

O f all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them towards a certain goal. ~ Walt Disney

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BL Companies // Project Manager-in-Training Guide

First and foremost, a successful Project Manager must routinely be able to perform the following basic management functions:

developing the project members into a cohesive team whose primary objective is to deliver a service that meets the client’s needs in such a manner that the client will select BL for additional projects and recommend us to others. Project Managers have other duties that place demands on their time. A Project Manager might have the responsibility for several projects and, in effect, be a “projects” manager. They will likely also wear other “hats” and be involved in business development, or be a member of another project team. Nevertheless, when assigned a project to complete, the Project Manager is expected to bring to bear all the necessary resources and fulfill BL’s contractual obligations. In addition, the Project Manager is expected not only to assume leadership of the work, but may also need to make a technical contribution to the project through their own efforts depending on the project and/or situation. The Project Manager at a certain level has the authority to enter into contracts and make business commitments on behalf of BL. They are fully responsible for the day-to-day decisions on their projects. It is important the Project Manager’s role is communicated clearly and understood not just by the Project Manager, but also by the rest of the team and the client. Project Managers must be leaders, but they are also responsible for many administrative details. Strong Project Managers have projects that are completed on time and are profitable with high quality and satisfied clients.

− Planning − Scheduling − Estimating and Budgeting

− Monitoring progress and performance − Taking corrective action as required

In order to accomplish these functions, the Project Manager must be very adept at:

− Communication : both oral and written − Coordination : both inside and outside of BL − Delegation : of the right task to the right person − Administration : taking care of each and every detail − Training and Mentoring : of everyone on the team − Prioritization : knowing those critical activities that must be done next − Marketing and Sales : winning new work from current and new clients − Financial Performance : making the targeted profit and collecting accounts receivable A Project Manager job description can be found on the Intranet (links on page 9 of this document) which outlines the essential duties and responsibilities required of a Project Manager. The Project Manager must be both a project leader and team builder. These responsibilities go beyond identifying individual tasks and directing personnel to deliver the project. They also entail

Acknowledgements Portions of the content contained within this educational guide are taken from PSMJ Resources, Inc.’s “The 2012 Ultimate Project Management Manual” , which can be obtained in its entirety at www.PSMJ.com.

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FROM THE CLIENT’S PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS A QUALITY PROJECT MANAGER? Project Managers are often a liaison between the Client and BL. From the Client’s perspective, a quality Project Manager: − Follows through on commitments − Is a good listener − Is proactive − Is on top of every aspect of the project − Leads by example − Is a good communicator − Backs team member’s decisions − Is organized − Handles multiple priorities well − Is technically proficient − Holds people accountable − Delegates well Taking care of the Client must be an essential role of the Project Manager (please refer to the attached article “So You Want to be a Project Manager” on page 11).

SO WHAT IS THE PROCESS? Project Manager Candidates are expected to complete a Project Management Program consisting of successive tiers during which they will gain awareness, knowledge and understanding of the skills and tools necessary to be a successful BL Project Manager. It is understood that each PM Candidate will have a variety of background experiences and skill sets. The goal is to gain the necessary training to become a well-rounded Project Manager. This program will span approximately 12 months, however, this time frame may vary depending on a Candidate’s progress and/or work experience. The Candidate’s Supervisor will discuss an expedited time frame for completion of the program. Successful completion of this program is largely dependent on the competence and commitment of the Candidate. With guidance from their Supervisor, Candidates can view the below tiered program as a suggested road map for developing the skills needed to be a successful BL PM.

PROJECT PLANNING 0 to 6 months*

PROJECT EXECUTION 0 to 6 months*

PROJECT EXECUTION / FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 6 to 9 months* “ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER” + 9 to 12 months*

+Assistant Project Manager is not an official BL title, but is representative of the Candidate’s role. *Time frames are for illustration purposes only. The specific tasks and time frames listed for each tier may be modified based on Candidate’s prior experience and/or demonstrated proficiency of each step, as well as the opportunity to gain the experience on an appropriate project. It is noted that Tier 1 and 2 may run concurrently in some circumstances.

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BL Companies // Project Manager-in-Training Guide

− Tier 1 : Project Planning (within approximately 0 to 6 months) − Tier 2 : Project Execution (within approximately 0 to 6 months) − Tier 3 : Project Execution / Financial Management (within approximately 6 to 9 months) − Tier 4 : Assistant Project Manager (within approximately 9 to 12 months) Candidates will work with their Supervisor to review BL’s Project Management process, including project management processes and philosophies, policies, templates, and other resources available to be a successful Project Manager. Throughout the Program, the Supervisor will help identify or create opportunities for the Candidate to actively participate in actual or mock project tasks to gain experience. During Tiers 1, 2 and 3, the Candidate should become familiar and gain working knowledge of BL’s Project Management process. During Tier 4, the Candidate should

be comfortable performing all tasks in a competent manner.

As a Project Manager Candidate, you have been identified as someone having potential to become a successful Project Manager. The intent of this guide is to provide a path with the tools and resources necessary to possibly become a Project Manager (this is not a guarantee). Your Supervisor will help guide your path; however the entire BL management staff should be looked upon as a resource if needed and ready to assist. The commitment and execution is up to you.

Note: Completion of the items in this guide does not guarantee that you will become a Project Manager. Becoming a Project Manager will be based on individual performance and if there is a Project Manager position available.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIERS

ASSUMPTIONS: 1) Candidates are assumed to already have strong communication skills (both internal and external) with good interpersonal skills and have had positive interaction with clients. 2) Supervisor will sign off on each tier indicating Candidate has satisfactorily completed all tasks outlined. 3) If projects are not readily available for Candidate to provide assistance, Supervisor may set up mock projects, meetings, presentations, etc. as needed for progression of Candidate. 4) Prior to starting the Program, the Supervisor should distribute and review the Project Management Program with the Candidate (which includes tiers listed above). Furthermore, the Candidate should have a working knowledge of BL’s support services (ie: Accounting, Marketing, Legal) and the important role they play in assisting all Project Managers. 5) Not all skills/tools listed in each tier are applicable to all projects.

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PROJECT PLANNING 0 to 6 months*

GOALS/OBJECTIVES: It is expected that the Candidate, with guidance from their Supervisor, will gain awareness, knowledge and understanding of the following:

SKILL / TOOL

ACTION

† Deltek/CRM Project Opportunity † Project Set Up † Go / No Go Assessment † Work Breakdown Structure † Project Schedule † Contract Review & Sign-off † Procedures † Project Plan † Proposal (Short Form or Letter Agreement) † Subcontractor Agreement † Additional Services Agreement † AIA Agreements (if applicable) † Job Safety Analysis (JHA/HASP)

Supervisor reviews template(s) with Candidate

Supervisor explains process and philosophies

Candidate assists in completion

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BL Companies // Project Manager-in-Training Guide

PROJECT EXECUTION 0 to 6 months*

GOALS/OBJECTIVES: It is expected that the Candidate will continue to actively participate in and assist with Tier 1 goals and objectives.

It is expected that the Candidate, with guidance from their Supervisor, will gain additional awareness, knowledge and understanding of the following:

SKILL / TOOL

ACTION

† Resource Planner † Subcontractor Process † Certificates of Insurance (BL and Subcontractor, if applicable) † Kick-off Meeting † Project Roster

Supervisor reviews template(s) with Candidate Supervisor explains policy, process and philosophies Candidate assists in completion For Example: Candidate assists in scheduling meeting, preparing agenda, sign-in sheet & preparing/distributing meeting minutes

† Project Status Report † QA/QC Procedures † Redline Policy † Project Closeout † Project Sheets

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PROJECT EXECUTION / FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 6 to 9 months*

GOALS/OBJECTIVES: It is expected that the Candidate will continue to actively participate in and assist with Tier 1 and Tier 2 goals and objectives.

It is expected that the Candidate, with guidance from their Supervisor, will gain additional awareness, knowledge and understanding of the following:

SKILL / TOOL

ACTION (BY CANDIDATE)

ACTION (BY PM)

† Timesheets

† Assists with weekly review

† Assists in review & month-end editing † Assists in review & tracking † Reviews Deltek reports with Supervisor

† Invoicing Process

† Budget Tracking / Deltek Reporting

Supervisor reviews with Candidate Supervisor explains process and philosophies

† Subcontractor Invoicing

† Assists in review & tracking

† Backlog / Opportunity Updating

† Assists in review & editing

† Accounts Receivable

† Assists in collection of A/R

† Assists in review & tracking † Reviews reports with Supervisor

† Tracking Profitability

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BL Companies // Project Manager-in-Training Guide

“ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER” + 9 to 12 months*

+Assistant Project Manager is not an official BL title, but is representative of the Candidate’s role.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES: Candidate is assigned “Assistant Project Manager” role for a particular project; Candidate takes a very active role in the project and performs all PM tasks as if project was their “own”; Supervisor oversees the project to provide limited guidance where needed; Candidate completes all tasks necessary to successfully complete the project including but not necessarily limited to the following Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 skills/tools:

SKILL / TOOL

† Deltek/CRM Project Opportunity † Project Set Up † Go / No Go Assessment † Work Breakdown Structure † Project Schedule † Contract Review & Sign-off † Procedures † Project Plan † Proposal (Short Form or Letter Agreement) † Subcontractor Agreement † Additional Services Agreement † AIA Agreements (if applicable) † Job Safety Analysis (JHA/HASP) † Resource Planner † Subcontractor Process

† Certificates of Insurance (BL

and Subcontractor, if applicable)

† Kick-off Meeting † Project Roster

† Project Status Report † QA/QC Procedures † Redline Policy † Project Closeout † Project Sheets † Timesheets † Invoicing Process † Budget Tracking / Deltek Reporting † Subcontractor Invoicing † Backlog / Opportunity Updating

† Accounts Receivable † Tracking Profitability

ACTION (BY PM)

Review all items (once complete by candidate), and provide coaching and guidance, as needed.

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BL Companies | Job Descriptions

Click on each job title below to be taken to the full job description on BL’s Intranet.

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BL Companies // Project Manager-in-Training Guide

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business strategies

So you want to be a project manager? Taking care of the client — not design —must be the project manager’s role. By Bernie Siben, CPSM

The president of a full-service A/E firm made a presentation to the engineers in a branch office. In mid- presentation, a slide showed the job description of a project engineer, but no job title. The president asked, “How many of you want to do this?” Everyone raised a hand. The next slide showed the job descrip- tion of a project manager (PM), also with no job title. The president asked, “How many of you want to do this?” One hand went up, very slowly, and its owner whispered, “I think I want to do that.” The president said, “That’s one of the biggest problems in our industry. You all want to be titled and paid as project managers, but nobody really wants to do project management.” I’ve worked with engineers for more than 30 years, and have found that a great many PMs really want to keep designing. Many admit to choosing engineering as a career, believing that they could bury themselves in the details and not have to interact with others. College taught them to want the title “project manager,” but their instructors never told them that, when they became PMs, design would no longer be their job. So what happens when an engineer wants the title, but not the responsibili- ties? When the PM insists on being just the senior designer, barely finding time for budget and schedule management, never finding time to take care of the client? Or when a firm lets its PMs persist in this behavior?

What happens is a project that gets completed on time, at budget, meeting all of the technical criteria of the scope of work and all the obligations of the contract, for a client who will go to some other firm for their next project. Why? Because the PM insisted on designing and didn’t do basic client care — didn’t treat the client like a member of the project team, didn’t demonstrate the client’s value to the firm by “putting his ‘butt-print’ in the client’s guest chair,” didn’t learn the client’s preferred com- munication means or schedule, didn’t make personal contact for anything beyond the technical scope, didn’t spend

workbooks, sent them to the marketing department as if to teach us our jobs, and continued to hold fast to the above- mentioned belief. We thought, “Maybe the PMs will understand the real nature and impor- tance of the PM role and client care if they hear it directly from some of our biggest clients.” So we brought the entire staff — from all our offices — to the headquarters, put them in a hotel ballroom with a panel of major clients from each of the firm’s five market sec- tors, and began the discussion.

“Project managers must be good with people … other traits can be trained/taught. It is difficult to find great project managers because they must have technical knowledge but also be a great communicator.”

— Lindsay Young, CPSM, marketing and customer relations manager, DEN Management Co. Inc.

the time to let the client be heard, and didn’t provide value-added assistance if the time couldn’t be invoiced. A few years ago, I was marketing direc- tor for a full-service A/E firm with 250- plus professional, technical, and support staff in multiple cities. Most of the firm’s PMs, particularly our engineering PMs, still acted as if the PM was just the team’s most senior designer. Nothing we said or did seemed to change this belief. The firm sent most of its PMs to project management training, which included sections on client care and market- ing. Many PMs returned to the office, removed these chapters from their

At one point, the firm’s largest commer- cial real estate development client said, in these exact words, “If you are design- ing my project, you are not managing it.” What an idea! A week later, we sent a company-wide e-mail asking people to identify the major message(s) they took from this session.We received about 75 responses, and not one of them mentioned this idea. The senior management team was perplexed. We couldn’t understand how so many PM brains with different tech- nical roles and educational backgrounds seemed able to totally block this one concept.

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“The most important role of a PM is managing people. You have to manage client’s desires and expectations … contractors and consultants, … time and money, both yours and the client’s, … and provide a high level of service as you walk your client through the process.”

On one assignment — a roadway design proposal for a new engineering client — I found that the proposed PM wanted to put his name in a number of boxes on the organization chart. I said to him: “If we put you in all those technical roles, when will you have time to manage the project?” He gave me a blank stare! I showed him organization charts from other proposals of his firm and said, “Look at a typical project organization chart.The top box is the client.The next is the PM. Other boxes show a project principal, various engineers, QA/QC reviewers, construction managers, and environmental folks. Notice that the PM’s name doesn’t appear anywhere else on the chart.That’s because the PM should be busy actually managing the project!” Another blank stare — appar- ently, having the PM actually manage was a foreign concept. Look at the components of a good proj- ect management training session.Topics include managing the client, leading the project, scheduling the project, budget- ing the project, and managing the risk. Do you see the word “design” any- where? Yet PMs still insist on being the designer, not worrying about whether or not anyone actually takes care of the client, as long as they don’t have to do it. Today, when clients make A/E selec- tions, the quality of the project experi- ence is at least as important to them as the quality of the technical work. It is the PM’s job to manage that project experience.

— Daniel Ortiz, LEED AP, project manager, RdlR Architects Inc.

Clients ask themselves, “Of the firms I short-listed, all of which are technically qualified to execute a successful project, which one will provide the most enjoy- able working experience?” So here’s the real deal for PMs — some things to remember as you manage these client relationships: • Relationships are built and measured by touches — real contacts. E-mail is convenient for sharing data, but it’s not a real touch, and you need multiple touches for the relationship to blossom. • Personal visits are best; body language, pictures on the wall, and magazines on the coffee table give clues for developing the relationship. I once knew a PM who thought he could turn a state DOT into a strategic client without ever speaking to them in person or on the phone. In two years, the firm was never short- listed by the DOT. • Learn about the client’s industry and business. To what trends must they respond? How does their business oper- ate? Who makes the decisions? What are their “hot buttons”— quality, sched- ule, crisis management, budget, others? The answers will help you anticipate

their needs and challenges — and to have alternative solutions ready in advance of the need. • Find out the client’s preferred method(s) of communication. You may discover that she expects a monthly visit, or that she prefers a phone call. • Show a client you value him by return - ing phone calls quickly. If you promise to call at a specific time, do so, even if you must report that you’re still search- ing for the information. Clients would rather have you check in to report status than have you miss a promised call. • Hard technical skills tell you what your client needs to do to get a project mov- ing, but “softer” skills — such as listen- ing — help you understand what your client really wants to accomplish. • Nothing shows your client’s impor - tance to your firm’s success like invest- ing the time to listen and understand his wants and needs. When we approach clients as an “expert,” we often talk more than we listen. Because a PM’s ability to listen can greatly improve the work experience, listening skills can become an important differentiator in the selec- tion process. So treating the client like someone whose thoughts have value can go a long way in the positioning or selection process. • In most instances, you can’t contact a client with no purpose; all contacts must provide content that has value to the cli- ent. Giving something the client values is good client care; taking up time while giving her something with no real value is just annoying.

“The role of a PM is to balance client needs, project demands, and public interests. … A successful PM uses available resources to ensure that the client, project, and public are all satisfied. The ease with which anyone can access project documents makes ‘public interest’ an important part of the … equation, particularly when blogging and social media make everyone a potential journalist.”

— Jeffrey M. Taub, CPSM, director, marketing and business development, Eng-Wong, Taub & Associates

• Make sure your client stays a vital

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“It is vital for [PMs] to build strong relationships with project area residents and stakeholder organizations. By becoming involved in the community aspects of their projects, PMs can strengthen the reputation of their firms and increase cooperation from residents.”

and committed project team member. Inform him of things — in person, on the phone, and via e-mail — as you do every other team member. • Keep your promises — the only prom - ise that has any value to your client is the one you keep. As a municipal client recently told a group of engineers, “Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it!” Most client contacts come through the PM; clients like to speak to the PM. Therefore, PMs must learn to listen to their clients and make it apparent that the client’s desires, knowledge, and opinions have value. Further, according to one marketing manager at a major international A/E firm, “In addition to managing the project staff, schedule, and budget, the PM is responsible for maintaining open communications with the client (contact initiated by the PM, rather than responding to the client as

— Hope Wilson, CPSM, principal, Wilson Business Growth Consultants

the specified point of contact); as well as providing leadership and guidance to the project team and responding to any human relations [issues].” After all, without your client, you have no project. In the end, your clients are like anyone else whose relationship you value — family, friends, mentors, et cetera. They need your active personal

attention for the relationship to grow and get stronger. If you don’t take proper care of your client, some other firm or consultant will. Despite all desires to the contrary, providing this active personal attention is probably the most impor- tant task a great PM performs.

Bernie Siben, CPSM, is principal consultant with The Siben Consult LLC (www.sibenconsult.com), an independent A/E marketing and strategic consultant located in Austin, Texas. He can be contacted at bernie@sibenconsult.com.

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