Download Annex 1: Project Team Roles

Annex 1 - BCUHB Project Management Handbook
Project Team Roles
This section outlines the roles within a project organisation structure, and their
main responsibilities.
1. Project Board
The Project Board’s membership should include:
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An individual who has overall responsibility for ensuring that the project
meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits. This individual is
ultimately responsible for ensuring that the project maintains its business
focus, and that the project remains on target to deliver products that will
achieve the expected business benefits, within the agreed tolerances for
budget and schedule. This role is known as the Project Sponsor.
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An individual representing the needs of those who will use the final product
or be directly affected by the project’s outcome. This role commits user
resources and monitors products against user requirements. The
individual undertaking this role is known as the Senior User.
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An individual representing the interests of those designing, developing,
facilitating, procuring and implementing the project outcomes. This role is
accountable for the quality of the products delivered by the supplier(s).
This individual will undertake the role known as the Senior Supplier.
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Depending on the nature of the project, other people’s expert opinion may
be sought e.g. from technical specialists and other key stakeholders,
perhaps from other Services and/or Directorates.
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The role of board members is very much management by exception, i.e.
they must be kept regularly informed and asked to make decisions at key
points during the project.
During a project, the Project Board is collectively responsible for:
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Provision of overall direction and advice to the project, ensuring it remains
within any specified constraints
Approval of project documentation
Establishing project and stage tolerances
Authorising major changes to the project
Communicating information about the project to the external stakeholders
Briefing Trust Executives on the progress of projects
Consideration and communication of external constraints on the project,
such as WAG priorities or political change.
Further details on the specific roles of the individual project board members
are below:
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Project roles & responsibilities
Annex 1 - BCUHB Project Management Handbook
2. Project Sponsor
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Ultimately responsible for the project, the “owner” of the overall business
change that is being supported by the project, responsible for monitoring
and controlling the project’s progress at a strategic level
Ultimately responsible for the business assurance of the project (i.e. that it
maintains its focus on delivering products that will achieve the expected
business benefits, and that the project will be completed within the agreed
tolerances for budget and schedule)
Responsible for liaising with corporate management to identify the staff
required for the project and ensuring their availability
Responsible for ensuring that the Business Case remains valid throughout
the project, and for monitoring the project’s progress against it
Responsible for ensuring that all project risks and issues are actively
managed and controlled and for monitoring the impact of potential
changes on the Business Case and Project Plan
Provides leadership and strategic direction to the Project Manager and
Project Team.
3. Senior User
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Ensures that the desired outcome of the project has been clearly specified,
and that the specification of the user’s needs is accurate, complete and
unambiguous
Represents the interests of all users
Monitors that the solution provided and the proposed outcome continues
to meet user needs
Provides any user resources required for the project
Accountable for any products supplied by the user
Ensures that products are signed-off once completed and that they provide
the expected user benefits
Brief and advise user management on all matters concerning the project
Responsible for user liaison with the project team
Monitors risks to users throughout the project.
4. Senior Supplier
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Responsible for achieving the results required by the Senior User
Advises on the selection of development strategy, design and methods
and ensures that the proposals are realistic
Agrees objectives for supplier activities
Responsible for committing or acquiring the required supplier resources
Accountable for the quality of all products delivered by the supplier(s)
Ensures that progress towards the outcome remains consistent from the
supplier perspective
Monitors potential changes and their impact from the supplier perspective
Resolves supplier requirements and priority conflicts
Responsible for assurance of the quality of supplied products.
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Annex 1 - BCUHB Project Management Handbook
5. Project Manager
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Manages the production of the required products; ensures that the
required products are delivered within cost and time constraints
Ensures that the products meet specified quality standards
Directs and motivates the project team, and is responsible for ensuring
that the individuals understand their roles and are committed to carrying
out their responsibilities
Builds and manages the relationship with the client
Plans and monitors the project
Produces the project’s documentation
Prepares project, stage, and exception plans in conjunction with Team
Managers and agrees them with Project Board
Takes responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiates
corrective action where necessary
Liaises with Project Board to assure the overall direction and viability of
the project
Identifies and obtains any support and advice required for the
management, planning and control of the project
Responsible for all aspects of project administration
6. Team Manager
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Responsible for producing those products defined by the Project Manager
to an appropriate quality within acceptable timescales and costs (Work
Packages)
Reports to, and takes direction from, the Project Manager
Prepares plans for the team’s work and agrees these with the Project
Manager
Directs, motivates, plans and monitors the team’s work
Advises the Project Manager of any deviations from plan, recommends
corrective action and helps prepare any appropriate Exception Plans
Produces Progress Reports as agreed with the Project Manager
Assesses the impact of proposed changes and provides feedback to the
Project Manager
Communicates with other teams to identify and address interdependency
issues.
7. Project Assurance
The purpose of this role is to provide an independent view of how the project
is progressing. Assurance is about checking and monitoring that the project
remains viable, and keeping a strategic overview of its progress. The
Assurance Role is independent of the Project Manager, but works in close
collaboration with the Project Manager and the Project Board in providing
direction and advice.
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Annex 1 - BCUHB Project Management Handbook
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Responsible for advising on the overall project infrastructure
Maintains a strategic overview of the project’s progress and ensures
conformity with the project management arrangements and any other
required standards
Monitors the ongoing viability of the project and ensures that the focus and
scope remain consistent with the Project Brief and PID
Monitors the assurance responsibilities undertaken by the Project Board
members from the Business, User and Supplier perspectives
Checks that the Project Manager is acting in accordance with the Project
Initiation Document
Provides advice and guidance to the Project Manager on planning,
monitoring and managing the project, assessing draft plans and monitoring
the Risk and Issues logs
Monitors the project team’s adherence to the project management
methodology, the templates and filing systems
Ensures that the internal communication avenues are implemented in
accordance with the Communication Plan
Monitors the approved changes to the project, and the use of tolerances.
8. Project Support Staff
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Support Project Managers in project administration
Provide support skills in areas of expertise such as planning and control
tools
Responsible for the project’s files and for document and product version
control.
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