Project Managers are in charge of the whole show – as far as the specific project is concerned, the buck stops with them (or their boss). Regardless, Project Managers are expected to make the big decisions on the job. By the time they’re even promoted to P.M., they already have several years of experience in the field. So what exactly are P.M.s doing before they become Project Managers. In this article, we’re discussing the question of “what is an Assistant Project Manager?”, including what A.P.M.s do and the type of experience they have.
What Does An Assistant Project Manager Do?
The first priority of the majority of Assistant Project Managers out there is to learn as much as possible. Project Managers must learn through experience – Assistant Project Managers report directly to the Project Manager and assist them in many ways in order to learn necessary skills for the future.
Here are some common work tasks that are assigned to Assistant Project Managers:
- Requesting Quotes & Pricing
- Maintaining Logs
- Generating Reports
- Tracking Vital Data
- Handling Day-To-Day Logistics
- Preparing Documents For Meetings
- Taking Notes & Issuing Meeting Minutes
- Coordinating Meetings, Calls, Etc.
- Pretty Much Whatever The Project Managers Needs
Assistant Project Managers often shadow the Project Manager when it comes to some of the big-picture work, as well. This is where the learning really begins. Here are some of the things Assistant Project Managers help the P.M. with:
- Legal Matters I.e. Subcontracts, Official Notices, Purchase Orders, Etc.
- Budgeting & Analyzing Revenue, Profitability Etc.
- Billing The Client & Managing Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Creating & Managing The Project Schedule
In a couple of words, the A.P.M. pretty much serves the project in any manner required by the Project Manager, with an emphasis on learning the ropes!
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How Much Experience Does An Assistant Project Manager Need?
While Assistant Project Managers are in a ‘phase of learning’, they often need some experience prior to taking on the A.P.M. role, too.
Oftentimes, Assistant Project Managers are expected to hit the ground running when they are assigned to a project. There’s plenty of work that needs to be done quickly, which is not an ideal position for someone brand new.
In turn, Assistant Project Managers often have 2-3 years of work experience on top of a college degree of some kind (not always) before they get the title.
Entry level positions are called many things, including Intern, Technical, Field Engineer, Project Clerk or something similar – these are entry level jobs occupied by new graduates for the most part.
A lot of times, it really just comes down to company semantics.
Do All Projects Require An Assistant Project Manager?
No, not all projects warrant an Assistant Project Manager. Consider a simple project such as repaving a small parking lot. The amount of management required for that particular job is fairly limited – the Assistant Project Manager would have nothing to do.
Assistant Project Managers are usually working on larger projects. There’s no perfect line in the sand, but these projects are busy enough that a Project Manager doesn’t have all of the time to do everything – so much that they’d need to be working around the clock to keep up.
The job must be large enough for an Assistant P.M. to do the work outlined in our bullet list above.
Do All Assistant Project Managers Eventually Become Project Managers?
Not all Assistant Project Managers become Project Managers. Many don’t mind doing the work of an A.P.M. – it does come with less responsibility and therefore more peace of mind. This is offset by the substantial difference in pay between an Assistant Project Manager vs. a Project Manager (via Indeed).
Others may lack the aptitude or desire to truly become a Project Manager. The Assistant Project Manager position is still a busy one and it usually serves as a proving ground for aspiring P.M.s.
Most often, Assistant Project Managers are counting the days until they get assigned their first project as a full-fledged P.M.
In Summary
If you came here wondering “What is an Assistant Project Manager?”, I hope we’ve addressed any questions you have. The role of Assistant Project Manager is vital to the successful outcome of a larger project and serves as the perfect training ground for Project Managers in the making.
Thanks a lot for reading.
