Project Director

Job Description : PROJECT DIRECTOR CEMENT PROJECTS EAST AFRICA 30+ years experience A project director leads a team of contractors, developers, designers, engineers, and other professionals who are essential to a project's success. These senior-level leaders work in various sectors, such as information technology, construction, and financial management. As a project director, you may work in manufacturing facilities, offices, in the field, or remotely, and may spend a great deal of time travelling to check on a project's status. Your work location allows you to manage many projects concurrently, stay aware of project status, and prioritize situations that require attention. Directors develop strategies by understanding the overall company, knowing the changes in progress, and being familiar with the company's operations and goals. As a project director, you develop, track, and evaluate programs to help achieve goals and objectives. You may manage and administer a large and diverse team of professional, technical, support staff, and contractors, both directly and indirectly, through managers and supervisors. You also create and manage complex budgets and business plans for units relating to project development and implementation. You create strategic and operational plans for each major project and then monitor and report on the program and financial goals. As a director, you update the company and external stakeholders on project progress, changes from original plans, and existing or emerging risks. Collaboration with project managers allows you to identify needs and develop and test ways to overcome challenges along with these duties and responsibilities: Coordinate the efforts of various employees to ensure the completion of tasks Develop a timeline for the completion of each project Create a budget for project tasks and monitor spending within approved project resources Recommend changes to stay within budget and on time Develop an alternate plan for completing a job if needed You typically hold at least 10 years of experience in maintaining knowledge about the company's strategic direction, procedures, and relevant technology. Experience includes providing strategic, technical, operational, financial, and managerial leadership to implement project activities successfully. As a director, you have a background of conducting regular reviews to ensure all project activities are accountable, accurate, and meet financial deliverables and obligations. Your experience as a project director means you follow contractual obligations and comply with donor or funder regulations and internal organizational policies. This experience also allows you to represent the company in technical, policy, and planning events and forums with internal and external stakeholders. Reviewing, approving, or rejecting proposals Contracting with outside support agencies and companies Managing internal and external resources Leading teams and managers in all aspects of a project Tracking project plan elements and making changes to stay on schedule You supervise 100 employees and contract companies. Primary goals include ensuring employees and contractors under your supervision perform well and that you receive feedback to address performance matters. Supervisory responsibilities can include: Creating team schedules and delegating tasks appropriately Monitoring and auditing employee performance and identifying opportunities for improvement Setting goals and objectives for employees and developing processes to ensure their performance aligns Ensuring managers and employees meet project deadlines Addressing any concerns or issues identified by employees and managers Hiring and onboarding new managers Training and overseeing new manager orientation with a focus on company policies and procedures Related: Effectively Managing Employees (With Benefits and Tips) Qualifications In this role, you demonstrate your ability to direct a project and understand expectations from the company, investors, and other stakeholders. You also develop strategies to ensure you meet goals using set resources. Qualifications support the responsibilities of directing several projects that happen at the same time, in different geographic locations, and involving a variety of employees and leaders. Qualifications you possess include: 30+ years experience eof which 8 or more years of experience as a project manager or project leader Post-secondary diploma or degree in business, management, or engineering Excellent computer skills and familiarity with project management and other specialist software Proven ability to lead project meetings and lead teams to maintain high-quality work Proven ability to measure project performance using appropriate tools, systems, and techniques In this role, you monitor project progress, handle financial management, and ensure high standards for project quality. These responsibilities involve the use of several specialist skills. These skills advance your ability to make strategic decisions and provide strong leadership and direction. As a director, you have excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong attention to detail in all aspects of project management. You can also benefit from strong numeracy skills and knowledge of computer systems, hardware, and software. Other skills for this role include: Leadership and business management Budgeting and the ability to reduce costs without reducing the quality of the project Leading and directing diverse teams of employees, leaders, and customers Creating change to achieve project goals and comfort with change Focusing on results and outcomes Related: How to Tailor a Resume for a Job Description (With Tips) Education and training You hold a postsecondary degree or diploma which allows you to focus on key projects and lead a significant functional business area. A master's degree may position you to add value as a leader among stakeholders. An advanced education and training allow directors to lead the interests of the company and projects under their direction. In this position, you rely on the knowledge of processes that you learn from post-graduate certifications and training by professional associations. A certification in project management, construction project management, or quality engineering may allow you to use training about emerging trends to your advantage on the job. Involvement in professional associations as a member, or by serving as a volunteer, demonstrates an interest in professional development in the field. You use tools and software to plan, schedule, track, document, budget, allocate resources, and control risks and changes. As a director, you are familiar with tools, software, and applications to enhance your organizational skills, refine your schedule, and better understand how and why things go right or wrong in a particular project. In this position, you may recommend specialist software for projects to the company. Other special knowledge includes developing and managing budgets. You track monthly budget progress, report on monthly financial statements, and analyze yearly variances. You also develop business proposals with project budgets that seek approval from senior leaders at the company through an effective analysis of the return on investment.

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