Occupation intelligence

project support officer

Role lens

Are you organized, detail-oriented, and enjoy supporting teams to achieve ambitious goals? As a project support officer, you'll be the backbone of successful projects, ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Summary

Project support officers work within a project management office, providing vital administrative and operational assistance to project managers and teams. Your role is crucial for maintaining project momentum, ensuring adherence to standards, and facilitating clear communication. You’ll be involved in a range of tasks, from managing documentation and schedules to assisting with resource planning and reporting, ultimately contributing to the successful delivery of projects.

Key responsibilities
  • • Provide administrative support to project managers and team members.
  • • Manage and organize project documentation, ensuring accuracy and accessibility.
  • • Assist with project scheduling, resource planning, and tracking progress.

Are you organized, detail-oriented, and enjoy supporting teams to achieve ambitious goals? As a project support officer, you'll be the backbone of successful projects, ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Management & Entrepreneurship Short-cycle tertiary education
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Day in the life

What people in this role usually do

Management & Entrepreneurship

Day in the life

A typical day as a project support officer

09
09:00 · Morning
create a financial report
Finalise project accounting. Prepare an actual budget, compare the discrepancy between the planned and actual budget, and draw final conclusions.
10
10:30 · Mid-morning
carry out project activities
Carry out project activities based on the project work plan and schedule. Assist in the development and execution of project plans.
12
12:00 · Midday
draft project documentation
Prepare project documentation such as project charters, work plans, project handbooks, progress reports, deliverables and stakeholder matrices.
14
14:00 · Afternoon
manage administrative systems
Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.
15
15:30 · Late afternoon
manage project information
Provide accurate and relevant information to all the parties involved in a project on time.
17
17:00 · Wrap-up
document project progress
Record the project planning and development, the work steps, the required resources and the final results in order to present and keep track of the realised and ongoing projects.

Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.

Software & Technologies & Knowledge areas
Software & Technologies
3M Post-it AppAdobe AcrobatAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopADP Workforce NowAirtableApple KeynoteApple macOSAsanaAtlassian BambooAtlassian ConfluenceAtlassian JIRAAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DBentley MicroStationBlackboard softwareBlinkCisco WebexDropboxEkoEvernote
Knowledge areas
  • Agile project management

    The agile project management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.

  • lean project management

    The lean project management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.

  • Prince2 project management

    The PRINCE2 management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.

Cross-sector skills
  • office software
  • project configuration management
  • project management methodology (PM²)
Essential skills
preparing financial documents, records, reports, or budgets
  • create a financial report

    Finalise project accounting. Prepare an actual budget, compare the discrepancy between the planned and actual budget, and draw final conclusions.

  • provide cost benefit analysis reports

    Prepare, compile and communicate reports with broken down cost analysis on the proposal and budget plans of the company. Analyse the financial or social costs and benefits of a project or investment in advance over a given period of time.

maintaining operational records
  • manage project information

    Provide accurate and relevant information to all the parties involved in a project on time.

  • document project progress

    Record the project planning and development, the work steps, the required resources and the final results in order to present and keep track of the realised and ongoing projects.

managing information
  • maintain a central project repository

    Store project files and documents in a central repository accessible to the project manager and to all the project teams. Use available online tools and dedicated software.

performing general clerical and administrative tasks
  • manage administrative systems

    Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.

building and developing teams
  • introduce new employees

    Give new employees a tour in the company, introduce them to the colleagues, explain them the corporate culture, routines and working methods and get them settled in their working place.

directing, supervising and coordinating projects
  • monitor the conformance to the project methodology

    Evaluate the activities carried out in the execution of a project (from initiating to closing) in order to ensure the compliance with a given methodology which aims to ensure that projects are run effectively within the defined constraints. It can be supported by the usage of a standard quality assurance checklists customized for the use of the specific organization.

planning events and programmes
  • organise project meetings

    Organise project meetings such as the project kick-off meeting and the project review meeting. Plan the meeting agenda, set up conference calls, address any logistical needs and prepare documentation or hand-outs needed for the meeting. Ensure the participation of the project team, the project client and other relevant stakeholders. Draft and circulate the meeting minutes.

estimating resource needs
  • estimate duration of work

    Produce accurate calculations on time necessary to fulfil future technical tasks based on past and present information and observations or plan the estimated duration of individual tasks in a given project.

Career progression

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Career landscape

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What skills are most important for a project support officer?
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, excellent communication (written and verbal), proficiency in project management software, and the ability to work effectively within a team are all essential. Problem-solving and adaptability are also highly valued.
Is this role suitable for someone transitioning from an administrative background?
Absolutely! Many project support officer positions welcome candidates with strong administrative experience. The key is to highlight your organizational abilities, attention to detail, and willingness to learn project management principles.
Can I work as a freelance project support officer?
Yes, while this role is commonly held as an employee, freelancing is also a viable option. Many organizations seek freelance support for specific projects or to supplement their existing teams. You'll need to be self-motivated and adept at managing your own workload.