A Day In The Life of a Project Manager at a Software Development Company

Summary

In this video, Jennifer Sheeran, a Junior Project Manager at Silver Chip, takes us through her typical workday. From starting her day with a coffee and team stand-up meeting to managing diverse projects like 'Donate a Laptop,' Jennifer emphasizes the importance of flexibility, communication, and confidence in project management. She highlights the variety and fast-paced nature of the role, the satisfaction of working on tech-for-good initiatives, and the supportive environment at Silver Chip. The flexibility of working hours also allows for a better work-life balance.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jen is a junior project manager at Silver Chip and has been with the company for over a year.
• 😀 Flexible work hours allow Jen to start between 9:30 and 10 AM, reflecting the working hours of their clients for better communication.
• 😀 Jen's workday starts with checking for any issues or blockers from the developers and preparing for their daily stand-up meeting at 10:15 AM.
• 😀 Daily stand-ups provide a great opportunity to resolve any issues and catch up with the team after the weekend.
• 😀 After the stand-up, Jen prioritizes tasks by reviewing project tickets in Jira and gets started on the most important ones.
• 😀 Jen prefers to complete important tasks in the morning to avoid blocking others' work later in the day and ensures nothing is forgotten.
• 😀 Client meetings are generally scheduled in the afternoon, so Jen focuses on important tasks before preparing for these calls.
• 😀 Jen enjoys working from the office and values the local food options, with Rad's Caribbean being one of her favorites.
• 😀 One of Jen's most rewarding projects was 'Donate a Laptop', a charitable initiative launched during the lockdown to support students working from home.
• 😀 Working at Silver Chip has provided Jen with a wide range of experiences and the opportunity to grow quickly within the company.
• 😀 Essential qualities for a good project manager include flexibility, strong communication, teamwork, and confidence in decision-making.

Q & A

What is the primary responsibility of a project management team?

The project management team ensures the smooth, day-to-day operations of projects, ensuring clients are happy, their priorities are met, and that internal teams have the necessary resources to work effectively.

What does Jennifer, the junior project manager, typically start her day with?

Jennifer typically starts her day between 9:30 and 10:00 AM. She prioritizes responding to client requests, reflecting their working hours to maintain timely communication and provide the best client care.

How does Jennifer stay on top of her tasks in the morning?

Jennifer reviews her to-do list and checks the Jira project tickets for updates. She then prioritizes her tasks to ensure she tackles the most important ones first.

What is the purpose of the daily stand-up meeting?

The daily stand-up meeting, held at 10:15 AM, provides an opportunity for team members to discuss any blockers or issues they face. It also allows the team to catch up after the weekend.

How does Jennifer handle work during lunch breaks?

Jennifer often works through lunch to accumulate hours but occasionally takes breaks to enjoy food from nearby places, like her favorite, Rad's Caribbean.

What was one of the most interesting projects Jennifer worked on?

One of the most interesting projects Jennifer worked on was 'Donate a Laptop,' a charitable initiative launched during lockdown to help students get devices for remote learning.

How did Jennifer's career progress at Silver Chip?

Jennifer started at Silver Chip as a project coordinator in the support team, where she gained experience with clients and systems. She was quickly promoted to a junior project manager role after about a year.

What are some essential traits of a good project manager according to Jennifer?

According to Jennifer, key traits of a good project manager include flexibility, strong communication skills, teamwork, the ability to adapt to unexpected situations, and confidence in their role and decisions.

How does Jennifer manage her work-life balance at Silver Chip?

Jennifer enjoys the flexibility of her work hours, typically finishing later around 6:30 PM early in the week, but she aims to finish earlier on Thursdays and Fridays, allowing for a half-day on Friday to start the weekend early.

What aspect of project management does Jennifer enjoy the most?

Jennifer enjoys the variety of projects she works on, the fast-paced environment, and the sociable atmosphere at Silver Chip. The diversity in tasks and collaboration with different people makes her job interesting.