What are the key responsibilities of a project manager? - Google Project Mgmt
Google Project Management Interview Question and Answers - What are the key responsibilities of a project manager?
Below I’ll walk through the responsibilities: what I do, why it matters, the artifacts I produce, and how I measure success.
1. Define and align on business outcomes
What I do
Translate the business need into a clear problem statement, objectives, and measurable benefits.
Secure sponsor commitment and formal authorization (Project Charter / approval).
Why it matters
Projects without clear outcomes drift into “activity” rather than delivering value.
Artifacts
Project Charter, Benefits Realization Plan, Business Case.
How I measure it
Alignment of success criteria with sponsor expectations; signed charter and agreed KPIs.
2. Establish governance and decision rights
What I do
Put in place a governance model (steering committee, change control board, escalation paths).
Define who has authority to approve scope, budget, and schedule changes.
Why it matters
Fast, accountable decisions reduce delays and political ambiguity.
Artifacts
RACI matrix, governance charter, meeting cadence and decision logs.
How I measure it
Time-to-decision for critical issues, number of unresolved escalations.
3. Plan : scope, schedule, cost, and resources
What I do
Create a traceable WBS, schedule with dependencies and critical path, cost estimates and reserves.
Secure the right people (internal & external) and create a resource plan.
Why it matters
A realistic plan is the baseline for performance measurement and stakeholder trust.
Artifacts
Integrated Project Plan (schedule + budget + resource plan), WBS, procurement plan.
How I measure it
Baseline adherence: variance in schedule and cost; quality of estimates vs. actuals.