Project sponsorship is an integral part of successful project management. A sponsor is a person or group within an organization that provides the leadership, funding, resources, and support needed for a project to be successful. Sponsorship involves securing the necessary resources, providing oversight and direction, and using their influence to ensure the successful completion of a project. It is important for organizations to understand project sponsorship and the role that sponsors play in successful project delivery.
This blog post will provide an overview of project sponsorship, the important role of sponsors, and the key activities and responsibilities that project sponsors should consider when supporting a project. The blog post will discuss the benefits of having a dedicated project sponsor and provide advice on how to identify an appropriate sponsor for a project. Finally, the blog post will provide guidance on how to ensure successful project sponsorship.
Project Management: Project Sponsors | What is the role of a project sponsor?
Roles of a project sponsor
Here are several specific project sponsor roles.
Executive sponsor
An executive sponsor is the highest-level project management executive. This person typically initiates a funding model and approves funding sources to sponsor the project’s direct funding. Additionally, they oversee change management and guarantee that problems raised by the project are resolved at a higher organizational level.
Business analyst
A business analyst is another project sponsorship role. This senior management individual uses their technical training to assess and record the entire value chain of the project delivery cycle. The business analyst also ascertains the project’s business requirements. By establishing and enforcing performance standards and conducting data analysis, this person raises the project team’s performance levels.
Technical advisor
A project sponsor can also be a technical advisor. This person performs the roles of a technical leader and consultant, developing and sustaining the organization’s technical infrastructure for the project, and making choices regarding the use of technology throughout all project phases. Planning and changing requirements for system capacity and architecture are part of this.
Strategy lead
A strategy lead is the last position a project sponsor can take on. This position entails planning, coordinating, and promoting the project’s implementation schedule. The strategy lead decides the project scope and change management procedure in conjunction with the project manager. This person plans the business case’s components, chooses which projects to work on first, and helps to create requirements. Additionally, they establish and enforce project delivery guidelines and standards and monitor the project’s progress.
What is a project sponsor?
A senior manager who supports a project with resources and encouragement is known as a project sponsor. This person serves as a crucial link between the organization’s executive team and the project managers. The sponsor offers top-tier project support through funding, consulting, and leadership. Additionally, this person defuses tense situations and facilitates communication with the organization above the project manager level. The project sponsor makes sure the project produces high-quality results while maintaining the project’s budget and schedule.
The project sponsor is in charge of the project’s overall vision, governance, and value-creation. The major responsibilities of the project sponsor are to:
Typically, the project sponsor is involved from the beginning until the final product is delivered. At each stage of the project, the project sponsor is responsible for the following:
Initiation phase
Planning phase
Execution, monitoring and controlling phase
Closing phase
Effective project sponsorship maintains the project’s alignment with the organization’s business and cultural goals throughout the project. This individual also plays a significant role in fostering durability by ensuring that the systems and personnel are in place to maintain the project’s results after it is finished.
Project sponsor versus project owner
The role of the project sponsor is distinct from that of the project owner. Unlike the project owner, who is an organization, the project sponsor is a role that a person fills. In general, the project owner employs the project sponsor.
FAQ
Who is a project sponsor?
Project sponsors are typically members of senior management who support projects and have respectable levels of influence and authority. Various terms, such as “product sponsor,” “project director,” “account manager,” or “business unit manager,” are frequently used to refer to project sponsors.
What is the role of a sponsor?
The project sponsor can vary according to the project. For instance, a state official will serve as the project sponsor for a government project and collaborate with the project manager of the construction company. However, the chief information officer might serve as the project sponsor in an IT project.
What is the difference between project sponsor and project manager?
Business executives who serve as sponsors are essential to advancing, supporting, and forming project work They are in charge of managing projects and programs and are responsible for ensuring that the promised benefits materialize over time.
