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What my typical day looks like:

I don’t have a typical day — and I like it that way! That’s the beauty of managing the small projects portfolio for a global biopharmaceutical company… and a 12-year-old.  I’m an organized person by nature, so I think that helps me process chaos, but I appreciate that my days are never the same.

My non-negotiable is an early alarm, but I’m usually checking email in bed before it goes off anyway. Then, it’s attempting a healthy breakfast before school drop off (but sometimes leftover takeout just has to do).

Like most project managers, I keep a notebook at work organized by project to keep track of the to-do list for each. This includes a “Who Owes Me What” list to help me follow up on outstanding items so I can progress my projects.  There are always meetings.  If I’m running them, I try to keep them brief, and I try to bring snacks for everyone involved. In part because I also typically forget to eat lunch.

Before leaving each night, I try to set my priorities for the next day.  These almost always change because of the nature of the job, but it’s good to have goals and some direction! When I’m home, I try to shut down for the night, but it’s pretty common to find me on my laptop while I’m waiting for a never-ending load of laundry to dry.

My main responsibilities are:

When it comes down to it, my job is primarily customer service. Did the client get what they asked for when they wanted it? Was it for the quoted price?  Most importantly, was the project delivered safely and at a high quality? Making sure the answer to these questions is “yes” involves managing people, resources, and priorities.  It’s great when clients ask to work with me again on their next project.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I FACE EVERY DAY ARE:

Managing priorities. Having multiple projects means collaborating with multiple clients, and each is equally important to me. So I prioritize by safety and urgency.  If there are safety concerns, my day is at a full stop until those issues are resolved.  After that, I pay the most attention to the items that will affect schedules or potentially delay jobs.  We can’t have that!

Another challenge is communicating tough news. It’s an inevitable part of the job. Uncontrollable aspects, such as delayed material or equipment shipments, can lead to adverse impacts on project schedule. Typically, I work quickly with the construction managers or vendors to see what can be done to minimize the impacts of the issue. I think it’s important to have a mitigation plan (or plans) in hand before delivering any information to the client

One key learning from my last project was:

Always check equipment heat load and noise levels prior to installing in smaller spaces. People don’t like it too hot or too noisy!

The biggest keys to my success:

I like to make sure all parties agree on what a successful project looks like from the get-go. If something didn’t go exactly as planned, I encourage constructive criticism, so we can learn from mistakes and implement changes while managing future projects.

“We can’t control people or things. We can only control how we react to them.”

Equally important is being flexible and kind.  Your day will never be perfect and rarely go exactly according to plan, but I believe everyone you work with deserves the best version of you. I want people to feel comfortable approaching me and be confident that we will find answers and solutions together.