The fields of intervention of the Project Manger are as extensive as the fields in which he is brought to work. The projects he is in charge of correspond to his fields of expertise and interests, because this function is present in all types of companies and sectors. The Project Manager is called upon to define, implement and manage a project with the aim of obtaining an optimal result in accordance with the business requirements formulated and validated by or for the client. These requirements concern the various facets and transverse criteria of the project : quality, performance, cost, deadline, security, etc.
The conduct and management of international projects also imposes numerous challenges, which can, if the Project Manager works on them, turn into real opportunities:
In addition to the knowledge and skills inherent to project management and the field of application of his mission, the project manager who works on an international scale must have a perfect command of English and possibly another language depending on the different partners involved.
He/she is capable of bridging the gap between distant corporate and/or work cultures by building on certain commonalities and federating each stakeholder around the project. He or she acts as a conductor, able to compose a balanced melody, with a place for every player.
His listening skills, his ability to think of solutions, and his agility to connect different elements and innovate often make all the difference. He is able to maintain the motivation and involvement of each collaborator or partner by creating a proximity via the various modes of communication that best correspond to his mission and the personality of his interlocutors, while working most of the time at a distance.
International Project Manager positions require a Bachelor's degree. Masters courses leading to international project management are available in Business Schools, as well as in Universities. They obviously include a period abroad.
Masters of Science such as the MSc project management or international project management allow students who have graduated in a particular field to acquire expertise in project management.
These Masters are accessible to different types of students:
Salaries for International Project Managers in french companies start at €40k per year and reach €65k per year after several years of experience. These salary ranges depend of course on the type of project and company involved.
The Project Manager can evolve towards many areas and functions in the company : he/she can take on more and more responsibilities by becoming a Program Manager, a Customer Base Manager, an Operations Manager but also a Consultant.
