As a project manager, one of the most important relationships that you will have is with the project sponsor. The dynamic between the project sponsor and project manager is so important when it comes to project success.
The role of a project sponsor extends far beyond tasks like approving budgets and resources. They act as a strategic guide – offering support and critical decision-making authority. The project sponsor also opens doors for the project manager by championing the project, facilitating necessary resources and navigating the organisational landscape.
Working with a disengaged project sponsor can lead to a number of challenges, such as delayed decisions and a lack of clear direction – both of which can significantly hinder project success.
This article explores how a project sponsor can influence the success of a project through strategy, resources and acting as project champion. By understanding the role of the project sponsor and how they contribute to a successful project, we can better leverage the relationship to improve our day-to-day processes and outcomes as project managers.
Contents 1. Who is the Project Sponsor? 2. What is the Difference between a Project Sponsor and Project Manager? - Roles - Responsibilities 3. How Does the Sponsor Support the Work of the Project Manager? - Providing Strategic Direction and Oversight - Facilitating Resources and Support - Championing the Project and Stakeholder Engagement 4. Building a Strong Relationship between the Project Sponsor and Project Manager - Understanding the Importance of this Relationship - Prioritising Expectations and Working Styles From the Start - Establishing the Relationship Quickly Summary
1. Who is the Project Sponsor?
A project sponsor is an influential figure who normally holds a senior executive position within an organisation. They play a critical role throughout the entire project lifecycle, with their involvement beginning before the project manager is appointed and continuing after the project manager’s role concludes.
The project sponsor is typically responsible for initiating the project and ensuring it aligns with the organisation’s strategic objectives and goals. They provide high-level direction and are responsible for any key decisions that the project manager does not have the remit to make.
Project sponsors also bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table. They offer valuable insights and guidance, helping to navigate difficult challenges during project delivery. Their involvement is instrumental in setting the project’s vision and objectives.
Although they are not normally involved in the day-to-day processes of project delivery, the project sponsor serves as a crucial advocate and ally for the project manager and team. Due to their high-level of influence, they are positioned to open doors that might otherwise block a project from moving forwards.
2. What is the difference between a Project Sponsor and Project Manager?
Seeing the differences between the roles of a project sponsor and a project manager helps to illustrate how they fit together in project delivery.
Roles
The Role of Project Sponsor:
A project sponsor is a high-level decision-maker who champions the project at an executive level. They are primarily concerned with ensuring that the project aligns with the strategic goals of the organisation.
Their involvement in the day-to-day aspects of the project is normally very minimal, dedicating only a small portion of their time to overseeing the project’s progress and delivery. The project sponsor will engage primarily at key milestones – such as project initiation, phase transitions and project closure.
Although their involvement is limited, they hold great influence and can shape the direction of the project at the strategic level. The project sponsor will hold the authority to make key decisions around project scope, budget adjustments and high-level resource allocation.
The Role of Project Manager:
A project manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project. This role involves planning, executing and closing project activities. Their focus is on ensuring that project objectives are clearly defined and achieved both on time and within budget.
The project manager typically works full-time on the project and may be specifically recruited for the project’s duration to oversee its successful delivery. They are actively involved throughout the entire project lifecycle and are the driving force behind the project’s day-to-day progression.
In terms of decision-making authority, the project manager will make operational decisions within the framework set by the project sponsor. These can include actions like assigning tasks, day-to-day problem-solving and strategic approaches to project challenges.
If you want to learn more about the role of the project manager, have a look at this article on project, programme and portfolio managers.
Responsibilities
Project Sponsor Responsibilities:
- Initiates the project, defining its scope, objectives and expected outcomes.
- Secures necessary funding and allocates resources for successful project execution.
- Provides strategic direction, guiding the project’s alignment with organisational goals.
- Makes key decisions – especially in situations requiring executive-level intervention.
- Champions the project within the organisation, building support and securing buy-in from other leaders.
- Manages high-level stakeholder relationships and acts as a liaison between the project team and senior management.
- Monitors project progress, offering guidance and support to the project manager.
- Helps in resolving conflicts and removing obstacles that may hinder project success.
- Ensures compliance with organisational policies and external regulations relevant to the project.
- Evaluates project outcomes and participates in post-project review and learning activities.
Project Manager Responsibilities:
- Develops a detailed project plan, outlining tasks, timelines and resource allocation.
- Organises and allocates project resources – including team members, technology and materials.
- Manages project risks, identifying potential issues and implementing mitigation strategies.
- Maintains schedules and budgets, adjusting plans as necessary to meet project objectives.
- Coordinates the project team, fostering collaboration and effective communication.
- Oversees the execution of project tasks, ensuring quality standards are met.
- Communicates project progress, challenges and changes to all stakeholders (including the project sponsor).
- Ensures that the project adheres to the agreed scope, time and budget constraints.
- Facilitates team meetings, ensuring clear and actionable agendas and outcomes.
- Conducts a project closure process, including documentation and lessons learned for future projects.
3. How Does the Sponsor Support the Work of the Project Manager?
Now that we can see the clear differences between the roles of the project sponsor and project manager, let’s look at some of the key ways in which a project sponsor can support the project manager and influence the success of a project.
Providing Strategic Direction and Oversight
The project sponsor plays a critical role in setting the strategic direction of a project. This directly supports the project manager in aligning the project with the organisation’s overarching goals. By having a clearly defined strategy, the project manager can focus their efforts and resources more efficiently by ensuring that every task contributes to broader objectives.
The project sponsor offers valuable high-level insights and guidance without becoming involved in any of the day-to-day management. This approach enables the project manager to maintain operational autonomy in overseeing the processes of project delivery. At the same time, the project manager will have the assurance of support and direction from the project sponsor when faced with critical decisions or deviations from the planned course.
Facilitating Resources and Support
A crucial way in which the project sponsor supports the project manager is in securing essential and additional resources. By ensuring the availability of funding, staffing and technology, the sponsor enables the project manager to execute the project without resource-related constraints. This support is crucial in preventing delays and maintaining project momentum.
In addition to this, the sponsor empowers the project manager by delegating necessary decision-making authority within a defined remit. This streamlines the process of project delivery and reduces bureaucratic delays when a decision must be made quickly. This not only accelerates the project’s progress, but also instils confidence in the project manager – creating a more decisive and efficient management approach.
Championing the Project and Stakeholder Engagement
As the project’s champion, the project sponsor plays a crucial role in maintaining stakeholder confidence and support. This directly benefits the project manager by creating a positive environment and wider support for project execution. The sponsor’s communication of the project’s value and progress to key stakeholders ensures ongoing organisational support, which can reduce potential roadblocks for the project manager.
The sponsor’s involvement in stakeholder engagement is also key in supporting the project manager. By managing expectations and addressing concerns at the higher levels, the sponsor ensures that the project manager can focus on operational aspects without being burdened by stakeholder management. This division of responsibilities allows for more efficient project execution and mitigates the risk of stakeholder-related issues that might affect the project’s progress.
4. Building a Strong Relationship Between the Project Sponsor and Project Manager
Clearly, the project sponsor plays a key role in supporting the work of the project manager. It is therefore essential that a strong relationship is built here. Let’s look at how this relationship can be established and why the timing of this is critical due to the temporary nature of projects.
Understanding the Importance of this Relationship
The success of a project is deeply dependent on the strength of the relationship between the project sponsor and project manager. A strong relationship, built on mutual respect, is essential for clear communication, trust and a shared vision.
For project managers, having the ability to communicate openly with the project sponsor is crucial. In turn, project sponsors appreciate being promptly informed about major developments or issues. This two-way communication – grounded in trust and transparency – will support in the smooth delivery of the project.
When the project manager and sponsor work effectively together, it leads to aligned decision-making, better risk management and consistent strategic direction. These factors play a critical role in ensuring that the day-to-day tasks and long-term objectives are met cohesively.
Prioritising Expectations and Working Styles from the Start
Initial open and honest discussions about the project’s objectives, expectations and potential challenges will set the foundation for effective communication and collaboration throughout the project’s lifecycle.
Some key aspects that the project sponsor and project manager should discuss and agree on at the beginning of the project include:
Communication preferences: Understanding each other's preferred methods of communication, such as email or messaging platforms like Microsoft Teams. Frequency of communication: Determining how much information the sponsor wishes to receive and how often the project manager requires touch-points for guidance or updates. Level of involvement: Clarifying whether the sponsor wants to be updated on day-to-day progress or prefers a more hands-off approach initially. This should be matched against the project manager's need for support or autonomy. Emergency protocols: Establishing a clear process for how the project manager can quickly reach the sponsor in urgent situations.
Establishing the Relationship Quickly
Given that projects have defined timelines and are temporary endeavours, there’s an inherent urgency in establishing and maintaining a strong relationship between the sponsor and manager.
The quicker this relationship is solidified, the more efficiently the project can progress. Delays in forming a solid working relationship can lead to miscommunications, misaligned objectives and project delays.
Therefore, both the project sponsor and manager should prioritise their relationship, investing time and effort at the beginning into understanding each other’s roles, challenges and ways of working.
This investment not only enhances the immediate project’s chances of success but also contributes to a foundation of trust and cooperation that can benefit future collaborations.
Summary
The distinct roles of the project sponsor and project manager, along with how they work effectively together, are fundamental to the successful delivery of a project.
The relationship between these two roles must be established early in the project lifecycle and very quickly. Trust should be built on clear communication, regular updates and a mutual understanding of roles and expectations. Both parties should work in unison towards the project’s objectives.
If the project sponsor and project manager do not work well together, this will be felt at all levels and is likely to lead to the ultimate failure of the project. Have you ever experienced a poor dynamic between these roles? Feel free to share your insights or stories in the comments below.
If you're new to project management or interested in learning more about the role, you might want to check out why I love working in project management.