27 March 2024
Day in the Life: Project Management Assistant at ProspectSoft
Hello, I’m Jamie, the Project Manager Assistant placement at ProspectSoft. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a project manager or a placement student, here’s a behind-the-scenes look into my day.
8:30am – Daily team check-in
To kick off with a productive start, we have our daily team check-in. In the morning meetings, the project delivery team, comprising of the consultant manager and consultants, discuss their plans for the day and have group discussions about ongoing projects that are in the current sprint. Additionally, this is where I can raise any questions I have or bring up any customer emails.
This is a great way to start the day, as the team is on the same page and can support each other regarding projects which may require further team discussions. Leading on from this call I may get tasked with following up with other departments or customers, updating customers on the project progress and setting up customer meetings to scope and document requirements for projects.
As a Project Management Assistant, you will be responsible for organising and maintaining all project documentation and statuses making sure it is all up-to-date and accurate.
10:30 AM – Sprint planning
Every two weeks, we have a sprint planning meeting, where I raise any new projects that are in the backlog in addition to reviewing the previous sprint.
This is where the project delivery team plans their sprint for the next two weeks. At the end of the meeting, I’ll go through and update the status of these projects on the CRM. This means that everyone on the team and other teams can quickly check the status of any projects in the sprint.
This has helped me to work on soft skills such as time management so that I can actively work towards our team’s goals within a restricted time frame meaning we meet deadlines and keep all our customers happy.
12:00pm – Lunchtime!
During the lunch hour, I take the time to relax with my colleagues and placements. This is the time to socialise and network, and it helps to ensure that I feel re-energised for the second half of the day so I can remain productive.
1:00pm – Estimates
After lunch, we have our estimates meeting where all of ProspectSoft’s customer success, onboarding and support teams come together to discuss the costs related to our ongoing projects and to ask how much it will cost to complete specific project requirements.
The main role that I take during these meetings is a scribe where I write down the important points discussed and action plans from the project delivery and other teams, so we have a clear vision for a successful project.
This task is important, so I ensure that I am engaged and responsive to guarantee I don’t miss anything. This task has helped me develop my written and verbal communication skills.
2:30pm – Customer meeting
Scoping and documenting project requirements is an important aspect of my role as a project management assistant in supporting customer and internal projects.
It involves documenting discussions and writing down project requirements and action plans for internal teams and the customer to complete. This is important in ensuring that the customer’s project requirements are understood and expectations are set in terms of the project’s final result and the progress timeline.
3:30pm – Respond/chase emails and creating projects
Throughout the day I frequently check my emails, respond to any customer feedback and relay this to the consultant(s) completing the work.
Additionally, I’ll chase any customers for feedback on a project, ensuring the work the consultant has completed matches the customer’s expectations. This may involve coordinating resources between the consultant and customer and finding a good meeting time.
During the day, I also regularly check for new projects. Including the customer success & support team assigning theme projects to add to the projects backlog. I am responsible for
- Checking that each project meets the project requirements
- Making sure customers have enough points
- Recognising which sprint is likely to be scheduled for and updating and documenting the status on the CRM.
4:30pm – Telephone interviews
An additional role that I have taken on for my placement year is the recruitment for next year’s Placement Project Management Assistant.
Currently, this involves reading through CVs and cover letters and conducting telephone interviews for those who have appropriate and successful applications.
This has been a really good experience so far and has opened my eyes to the recruitment world which will help me when it comes to applying for graduate roles as I’ll know what companies are looking for during the application stages.
4:50pm – End of the day
This is a chance to prepare for tomorrow by reviewing the task list and preparing for any meetings the next day. I will then be able to form a list of projects and questions to raise for the Project Delivery team in the morning meeting.
5:00pm – Home time
Time to call it a day and prepare for another exciting day at work.
The life of a project management assistant is very dynamic and varied. You’ll never have the same two days at work.
There’s a great balance of co-ordinating projects and communicating between internal consultants and colleagues to external customers.
My role requires excellent organisation and strategic planning to ensure that there is a clear path to the project’s success.
If you think you have these qualities and can see yourself in this role, then apply now at placements.prospectsoft.com.
