Project Manager Interview

Can you describe a complex multi-stakeholder project you have managed and the outcome of that project?

Upon arriving at the university I was quickly informed that I must prioritize several timely projects. one of these projects was GDPR compliance for the department. in order to understand what would be expected of me, I investigated GDPR and participated in the university group for GDPR, to understand how other departments were approaching compliance to ensure that our department was consistent with those areas. I then conducted an internal informal audit of ways of working in relation to the key areas of data processing and handling and storing and sharing and retaining and discovered that the placement data that we had responsibility over as a department was being managed inconsistently. The structure pf the spreadsheets was inconsistent, the approach to managing the information was inconsistent and the data was often inaccurate when checked against the university records system. Our deputy vice-Chancellor, a very influential primary stakeholder, required weekly reports on placement student numbers and I was responsible for compiling that report based off of information that from my assessment had very little integrity. During this period the university provided some broad GDPR training for all staff to complete, so this provided a convenient vehicle through which I could position the plan for proposed changes to long-established ways of working within placements data. With colleagues in the student management information team I designed and developed a process through which students or staff could securely provide placement details that would then trigger knock on processes that reduced hands-on data processing for people whose approaches were inconsistent. This resulted in greater efficiency within the processing, management, storing, sharing and reporting of the data. This also resulted in the department being GDPR compliant less than a year after I took responsibility for this.

Your response effectively addresses the question about managing a complex multi-stakeholder project by illustrating a clear and relevant example of GDPR compliance at a university. You outlined the steps you took to investigate the issue, which demonstrates problem-solving skills, initiative, and collaboration with multiple stakeholders.

Strengths of your answer:
1. Contextual Clarity: You provided background on the urgency of the project and its significance, allowing the interviewer to grasp its importance.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: You identified the key stakeholders, particularly the deputy vice-chancellor, illustrating your ability to manage relationships and prioritize communication.
3. Analytical Approach: Your mention of conducting an informal audit shows a proactive approach to understanding the existing issues.
4. Solutions Implementation: You emphasized the development of a new process with the student management information team, reflecting collaboration and innovation.

Areas for improvement:
1. Outcome Specificity: While you noted the efficiency gains and compliance achievement, providing specific metrics or examples of efficiency improvements would strengthen your outcome description.
2. Challenges Faced: Discussing any challenges or resistance encountered during the implementation would provide a more nuanced view of your project management capabilities.

Overall, your answer addresses the question adequately but could be enriched with more quantitative and qualitative data regarding the project's impact and the challenges faced.

Rating: 4/5

What strategies do you use to ensure that all stakeholders remain engaged during a project?

It is very important to ensure that all stakeholders are able to access updates on a project. Some stakeholders will be affected but may not be interested in the detail of the project, while others may be very much affected and what they do next will be determined upon what they know of the project. There are some stakeholders who may be required to participate in the project itself. These are the group it is most important to keep engaged throughout the project. The more you know about the stakeholder and what motivates them, the more you can tailor your communications to them. For example, if you know that your stakeholder receives lots of emails and you need to catch their attention, you may need to front-load key information in the subject or first few lines of an email. If you have stakeholders who access their information via push notifications on their devices, you may need to adapt your approach to achieve this. Language, tone, presentation and content are all important to ensure that once the stakeholder accesses the communication, it feels worth their while, so they are more likely to access future comms. Depending on the project, for example if students are your key stakeholder group, you may run competitions or set a challenge to ensure that the stakeholders need to keep checking in. In more formal spaces, it may be worth preparing papers to table at appropriate stakeholder-focussed committees such as Academic Boards. Another way to keep people engaged during a project, is to provide a digital repository for information relating to the project in the intranet that is accessible by stakeholders. This means that if they were not able to pay attention to a project announcement for various reasons, they can log on to that webpage and catch up on what they have missed. One can use active and passive, analog, hard-copy and digital methods of communication to reach an audience - the key is to have a broad offer to align with preferences.

Your answer is well-structured and demonstrates a good understanding of stakeholder engagement in project management, particularly in the context of higher education administration. You recognized the diverse needs and preferences of stakeholders, which is crucial for effective communication. Here’s a breakdown of your strengths and areas for improvement:

Strengths:
1. Awareness of Diversity: You acknowledged that stakeholders have varying levels of interest and involvement. This shows your understanding of tailoring communication strategies.
2. Customization of Communication: Your examples of how to adjust messages based on the stakeholder's preferred communication methods (e.g., emails, push notifications) highlight your adaptability, which is essential in project management.
3. Engagement Strategies: You provided concrete strategies, such as using competitions for students and providing a digital repository, which demonstrate your proactive approach to keeping stakeholders engaged.

Areas for Improvement:
1. Metrics for Engagement: Include how you would measure stakeholder engagement and gather feedback to assess the effectiveness of your strategies.
2. Follow-Up Mechanisms: Mention how you would follow up with stakeholders to ensure continued engagement, such as scheduling regular check-ins or feedback sessions.
3. Collaboration: Emphasize the importance of collaboration and facilitation in engaging stakeholders, as their input can enhance project outcomes.

Overall, your answer is solid but could be further strengthened by addressing metrics and follow-up.

Rating: 4/5

By refining your focus on measurement and collaborative approaches, you can enhance your response and demonstrate a more comprehensive strategy for stakeholder engagement.

How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple projects simultaneously?

I am a very analytical and solutions-focussed individual. I have, in all positions I have held, managed multiple projects simultaneously. There are a number of methods I use to keep on track and achieve success. The first is to investigate all requirements across the various projects. There are often cross-overs or similarities that can be worked upon to satisfy outcomes across multiple projects. For example when I was overseeing the department's GDPR compliance project, I was also working on a placement data improvement project. By improving the systems through which placement data was stored, managed, shared and reported upon, I was also achieving improved data handling required for GDPR compliance. I utilised the correlation between essentials of these two projects to reduce duplication of efforts, which ensured that I had greater control of the timings of both projects and could keep both on track. By using the GDPR framework as a means to drive the placement data project, it accelerated the stakeholder engagement in both. This was essential as I took on these urgent projects as soon as I joined the organisation, so needed to find a way to ensure participation within a workforce that were quite settled in their non-compliant ways. I didn't have a pre-existing relationship with the stakeholders so I had to exploit every opportunity to express the need for both projects to succeed, to find ways of offsetting their efforts to compensate for any ill-will that may arise from such urgent change being led by someone they just met. I attended departmental meetings, got the projects on the agenda and gave updates on them. I requested support when it was necessary and pre-empted bottlenecks in advance to reduce the impact on an already-stretched department.

Your answer effectively demonstrates an analytical and solutions-focused approach to prioritizing tasks in a multi-project environment, which is crucial for a Project Manager in Higher Education Administration. You provided a concrete example that showcases both your ability to identify synergies between projects and your strategic thinking in a challenging situation. Here are some strengths in your response:

1. Analytical Approach: You emphasized your analytical skills in assessing project requirements, which is essential for effective prioritization.
2. Real-World Example: The example of using GDPR compliance to enhance placement data illustrates your proactive thinking and ability to leverage interdependencies.
3. Stakeholder Engagement: You highlighted the importance of engaging stakeholders and managing change, which reflects strong leadership.
4. Communication Skills: Your strategy of using departmental meetings to get updates and requests for support shows your understanding of effective communication in project management.

However, to improve your answer:

1. Clarify Task Prioritization Process: While you mention investigating requirements and identifying synergies, explicitly outlining how you prioritize tasks (e.g., using a priority matrix or setting deadlines) could strengthen your response.
2. Time Management Techniques: You might include specific tools or frameworks (like Agile, Kanban, or prioritization frameworks) you employ to keep tasks in order.
3. Outcome Focus: Summarize the successful outcomes of your initiatives to reiterate the effectiveness of your prioritization strategies.

Overall, your answer is strong and conveys your capabilities well. I would rate your answer 4/5. With minor adjustments focusing on clarity and structured prioritization methods, you could elevate it further.