Project Expeditor vs Project Coordinator: Key Differences Explained

Understanding the roles and responsibilities of a project expeditor and project coordinator is crucial for aspiring project managers preparing for the PMP certification exam. While both positions play important roles on a project team there are some key differences between the two that are important to understand. In this comprehensive guide we will break down the definitions, similarities, and differences between project expeditors and coordinators.

Defining Project Expeditor

A project expeditor is responsible for facilitating communication between various parties and ensuring timely action on project tasks. As defined in the PMBOK Guide, an expeditor acts as a staff assistant and communications coordinator.

Some key characteristics of a project expeditor role

• They have little to no decision-making authority on a project. Their main role is communication, not making choices.

• They assist the project manager by coordinating logistics, gathering information, and sharing updates across the team and stakeholders.

• Expeditors are common in functional organizational structures or weak matrix structures where the project manager has limited authority.

• On large complex projects, a project manager may utilize multiple expeditors to assist with information flow.

Defining Project Coordinator

Project coordinators have some decision-making authority and take on more direct management of project activities. The PMBOK defines project coordinators as having responsibility for partial project management under the direction of a project manager or other senior manager.

Some key characteristics of a project coordinator role:

• They are given a degree of formal authority to make certain decisions related to the project.

• They take on day-to-day management of tasks, schedules, resources based on the direction of the project manager.

• Coordinators are common in matrix organizational structures where they share management of the project with functional managers.

• Large projects may have multiple coordinators assigned to oversee different portions of the work.

Key Differences Between Expeditors and Coordinators

While expeditors and coordinators both provide support to keep projects on track, there are some important ways their roles differ:

Decision-Making Authority: Coordinators can make approved decisions related to schedules, budgets, resources, etc. Expeditors have very little or no authority to make decisions.

Responsibilities: Expeditors are focused on communication and information flow. Coordinators take on planning and resource management duties.

Assignment: Expeditors are more common in functional structures while coordinators are seen in matrix structures.

Management Role: Coordinators take on project management responsibilities delegated from a project manager. Expeditors do not directly manage project work.

Level of Involvement: Coordinators are more involved in day-to-day project activities. Expeditors work mostly with administrative and logistics tasks.

Authority Level: Project coordinators have higher authority than expeditors to make certain decisions and give direction.

Similarities Between Project Expeditors and Coordinators

While their roles differ, expeditors and coordinators also share some common characteristics:

• They both provide indirect support to the project manager or management team.

• Responsibilities can vary based on the needs of the project and organization.

• They tend to have limited decision authority compared to the project manager.

• Communication and information flow are crucial tasks for both roles.

• They may both assist with general project administration duties.

• Reporting lines can vary but generally involve reporting to project manager.

Real World Examples

To understand how these roles work in practice, let’s look at some examples:

Expeditor Example

A construction project expeditor would be responsible for coordinating equipment and material deliveries to the job site. They ensure procurement orders are placed correctly and follow-up on delivery status. But they do not decide what materials are needed or manage the actual construction work.

Coordinator Example

A software project coordinator may be assigned to oversee the development team’s work. They work with programmers daily to assign tasks, monitor progress, and identify issues. But they do so based on plans created by the project manager.

Overlap Example

A large IT project may have both an expeditor and coordinator. The expeditor makes travel arrangements for on-site staff and sets up team meetings. The coordinator works with technical leads to track software development tasks and timelines.

Key Takeaways

• Expeditors facilitate communication and information flow as supporting staff. Coordinators take on project management responsibilities delegated by the project manager.

• Expeditors have little or no decision authority. Coordinators can make limited decisions within defined parameters.

• Expeditors are common in functional organizations while coordinators work in matrix structures.

• Both roles provide indirect support to keep projects on track, with expeditor focusing on information flow and coordinator more involved in day-to-day activities.

Understanding these key differences will help you distinguish between the roles and responsibilities of these positions on a project team. Keep these differences in mind when studying for the project management professional (PMP) exam. The ability to compare project roles is essential knowledge for certification.