Project Coordinator

Thanks for your reply Rami. So, how do you define "large" - by the size of the project team? Any thoughts on at what point having a coordinator becomes beneficial and efficient, e.g. when the project team is 50 people?

Also, one additional question - in your experience is the Coordinator dedicated to a project, to a PM who is running more than one project or do they often serve multiple PMs?

Of course the duties and responsibilities should be clear but what is meant by a laughing pad ?

Rami:

I'll give you my perspective based on my experience both AS a Project Coordinator (PC), and as a Senior Project Manager leading large ($200MM) projects that utilized Project Coordinators. As an external consultant brought in as a PC, I developed and evaluated earned value metrics, prepared and presented weekly, monthly and quarterly project reviews, risk reviews, and tailored custom presentations to numerous stakeholders in support for the lead Project Manager. Since I already had considerable experience as a PM I brought a significant level of value to my client that was appreciated and recognized by the stakeholders. The Lead PM (an internal employee) was able to concentrate on strategic project issues, capitalizing on their deep corporate and organizational knowledge. We functioned as a synergistic team that resulted in more added value than either individual. I'm a strong proponent of bringing in an experienced EXTERNAL Project Coordinator that has the experience and skills to supplement the internal PM, rather than be relegated to the so-called "menial tasks".

As the Lead PM for many projects of various levels of complexity and cost, I utilized project coordinators for a range of functions dependent on the projects needs. The higher the complexity or cost, the greater the Project Coordinator's skillsets and experience required in the job description. Tailoring the PC experience level requirements to the project was key to developing the "synergy" that always resulted from this approach.

These are just a few of my thoughts on the subject.

Walter Yasiejko, PMP

This is one of the best discussions, I think PC is the entry point to any big project / big company to learn everything about the project then he can be Assistant PM or J PM in few years.
It is all about the culture/structure of the company/project. The PC can gain a lot of experience if the pm is informative and knows how and what to delegate.
I think PC in a big project is an organic step into the company/project and it is a good career path.

Yes, the PC does add a value even if doing the menial work. Imagine the menial work haven't been done, what results do we get?
However, PC role varies from project to project and from type of project to others. for example the technical project coordinator does add a lot of value in coordinating between the technical/engineering team and the contract/procurement department as the design/technical team may not imagine the commercial impact for every change they are doing and they may have scope creep by applying additional features/details.. the PC keeps his eyes on any contradiction, deviation from the requirements/scope which the PM most of them time won't recognize it or in other words may not have the sufficient time to do.
Also, it depends how far are the responsibilities and authorities of PC. Sometimes, he can play as project manager role in the absence of the actual PM.
I stated a slice of example about PC.. there are a lot of things.