In Focus: The Project Manager

In your opinion, what makes working as a project manager particularly exciting?

Project management is an incredibly varied job. Of course, at first glance, projects may seem similar – for example, a switch rollout or a UC upgrade. But the contact persons on the customer side and the general conditions are always different. That’s exactly what makes the work exciting.

I particularly appreciate the fact that I get to accompany the development of ‘my’ customers over many years. In our team, each of us looks after regular customers. This creates continuity and trust. I have been accompanying one of our customers since I started working in project management – that is, for over 16 years. At the same time, you expand your technical spectrum enormously over time, so it never gets boring.

I also like the fact that in project management we are part of the core business. Together with the technical department – without which nothing would be possible – we implement what our sales team has successfully sold. In this way, we make a direct contribution to the business cycle.

What does a typical working day look like for you in project management – and what can never be planned?

There is no such thing as a typical working day. Martin laughs In the morning, I usually cycle to the office and get my apple juice from the 6th floor. Then, armed with a coffee, I get an overview and set the priorities for the day. And, of course, I have a rough idea of what’s coming up in the next few days. But the next call with a new challenge is sure to come soon. This can quickly throw your morning plans into disarray. You definitely need to be flexible.

For larger customer projects, there are regular status meetings that we have to prepare for and follow up on. For smaller projects, a kick-off meeting, an interim report and a final meeting are usually sufficient. We also meet with the entire project management team every two weeks. Here we discuss current projects and possible solutions. Knowledge transfer within the team is very important to us and we learn a lot from each other.

What are the tasks of a project manager?

As soon as a new customer order is received, we clarify the goals, expectations and framework conditions of the project in an internal kick-off meeting. Then we coordinate with the customer. Our central tool for this is the avodaq project plan. This ensures that we always maintain an overview.

As a project manager, you pull the strings, plan resources, have a good internal and external network, and are the first point of contact for all matters relating to project work and beyond. It is also important to have a good sense of when new issues arise on the customer side. This often results in exciting potential for further cooperation. Continuity is also important to us: wherever possible, the same project managers and technicians work with the respective customer on a long-term basis.

In addition, we provide support in presales and service and are also available as contact persons after the project has been completed. And yes, organisational issues such as time sheets and acceptance documents are also part of everyday project work.

How does collaboration with other teams such as technology, sales and service work?

Some projects run almost by themselves, while others require significantly more coordination. In any case, we work closely with sales and technology. We see it as our responsibility to be knowledgeable about all project-related topics – or at least to know quickly where to find the information we need.

Since our account managers also work in a customer-centric manner, communication is very close and we all pull together. The same applies to our technical teams. Thanks to the close cooperation between project management, sales, technology and service, we have a very good overall view. This enables us to provide our customers with the best possible support and advice. As project managers, we have an overview of the entire lifecycle.

What skills and qualities should applicants have to be successful in project management at avodaq?

In project management, empathy, diplomacy and a certain amount of tact are particularly important. A structured approach to work and the ability to deal with conflicts are also important. Strong communication skills and reliability are essential in any case. And it is crucial to quickly build up a good network within the company. After all, our work often involves bringing the right people together. It helps a lot to be open to new topics. But especially as a newcomer, you don’t have to know every detail or all the technical terms right away. Much of it is best learned on the job.

Martin, thank you very much for the nice chat and the exciting insight into the project management team.