Project Manager
Also advertised as: Change Manager, Construction Project Manager, Delivery Manager, Implementation Manager, Programme Manager, Project Manager
Takes a project from brief to delivery, owning scope, budget, timescale, risk and the people involved.
What the job involves
Project managers are accountable for delivering a defined piece of change on time and on budget. You agree scope with sponsors, build the plan, run the team, manage risk and change, and report honestly when things slip. Most people arrive here from coordination, technical or operational roles.
Typical responsibilities
- Define scope, plan and budget with the sponsor
- Lead the delivery team and suppliers
- Manage risks, issues and change requests
- Report progress to senior stakeholders
- Hand over and close the project properly
Common employers
- Consultancies
- Construction and infrastructure
- Banks and insurers
- Public sector
- Technology firms
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£35,000 – £45,000 a year
With experience
£50,000 – £70,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 to 40 hours, longer near key deadlines
Working environment
Office, site or client premises
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Planning
- Budget management
- Stakeholder management
- Risk management
- Negotiation
- Leadership
Transferable skills you may already have
- Coordinating teams
- Presenting to managers
- Managing competing priorities
Requirements employers ask for
- Planning
- Budget management
- Stakeholder management
- Risk management
- Negotiation
- Leadership
- No formal qualification required; delivery track record expected
Useful but not essential
- Coordinating teams
- Presenting to managers
- Managing competing priorities
- APM PMQ
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
- Agile Scrum certification
Helpful qualifications
- APM PMQ
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
- Agile Scrum certification
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Project Manager (Level 6)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Business
- Related subject: Engineering
- Related subject: Computing
- Related subject: Construction
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Project Manager
next
Programme Manager
next
Head of Delivery
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Well paid without needing a specific degree
- Highly transferable between sectors
- Clear seniority ladder
What people find hard
- Held responsible for delays caused by others
- Reporting and governance workload
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a project manager?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a project manager earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £35,000 to £45,000 a year, rising towards £70,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Coordinating teams, Presenting to managers, Managing competing priorities.
Related careers
Operations Manager
Runs the day-to-day delivery of a site, service or department so it hits its targets safely and on budget.
Team Leader
Leads a small team day to day, setting the pace, sorting problems and developing the people in it.
Business Analyst
Works out what a business actually needs, then turns it into clear requirements a delivery team can build.
Buyer
Chooses and negotiates with suppliers to get the right products at the right price.
Project Coordinator
Keeps projects moving by tracking plans, actions, risks and reporting for a project manager or delivery team.
Bid Writer
Writes the tender responses that win contracts, usually for public sector work.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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