Project Manager

What they do

• Plan project scope, timeline, and resources
• Coordinate teams and track progress against milestones
• Identify and manage risks and issues
• Communicate status to stakeholders and sponsors
• Use methodologies like Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall

Entry pathways

Ways to get into this role in the UK:

• Degree in Business, Management, IT, or any subject
• Project management apprenticeship (Level 4/6)
• APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
• PRINCE2 or Agile certifications
• Starting as project coordinator or team lead

A day in the life

Your morning starts with a project status meeting—you run through the plan, check progress against milestones, and flag a dependency that could cause a delay if not resolved soon. You spend the late morning updating the project tracker and sending a brief status report to the client. After lunch you have a tricky conversation with a vendor whose delivery is running late, negotiating a revised timeline. Back at your desk, you update the risk register and think through your options. The afternoon is spent reviewing a change request from the client—they want to add a new feature mid-project—and working out what it'll cost in time and budget before you can say yes.