Who Is a Project Sponsor?
A project needs sufficient resources, planning, support, and collaboration to succeed. This is where a project sponsor comes in. They are a part of the project from the start and provide resources to sustain the project from a business perspective and help prevent hurdles to ensure timely project completion. They are the reason a project exists.
Typically, project sponsors are influential or authoritative members of senior management. Each project must have at least one project sponsor. Although project sponsors don’t manage operations, they are accountable for the project and rank above a project manager.
The project sponsor varies based on the type of project. For instance, a government official can act as a sponsor for a government project, while a chief information officer can sponsor an IT project.
What Does a Project Sponsor Do?
The project sponsor role involves:
- Promoting and advocating the project
- Overseeing and supporting the entire project
- Allocating resources
- Making key business decisions
- Ensuring successful closure
They are responsible for planning, communication, leadership, and overall accountability. Even if the project manager implements a project, the sponsor remains its key driver.
A Project Sponsor in Six Sigma and Other Projects
Here’s the detailed look at a project sponsor’s responsibilities across each phase of the project lifecycle:
- Initiation
For any project, the sponsor’s role begins with a written proposal or business case, which includes the team’s responsibilities and deliverables. The sponsor ensures the project aligns with the business strategy and goals. They convince senior management of the project’s value in business goals and returns on investment. They champion the project for funding and prioritization.
They allocate resources to a project and provide guidance and support to achieve the project goals. The project sponsor selects and guides the project manager, giving them specific instructions and the project schedule. The sponsor also communicates and collaborates with the project team and other stakeholders to keep them informed each project phase and ensure progress.
From the initiation, the project sponsor acts as a link between the project team and the higher-ups, and they oversee making decisions about the project stages and development. Without a sponsor, a project may suffer due to the lack of communication, collaboration, and senior management support.
- Planning
The project sponsor creates achievable plans and acts as a point of contact for the team to resolve issues or challenges. They define project roles and support the planning process. They also make decisions and resolve problems beyond the project manager’s role.
During the planning phase, the sponsor observes the team and reviews processes to ensure maximum efficiency and value. The sponsor approves the project plan and the budget. The project manager then charts out project goals, timelines, and resources to complete the project on time.
- Execution
A project sponsor’s decision-making and problem-solving abilities are tested during this phase. The project sponsor collaborates with the project manager to resolve issues and complete project milestones. During this phase, the project sponsor oversees the progress and provides feedback to the project manager. They’re also in charge of approving deliverables in line with project goals.
- Monitoring and control
The sponsor works with the project manager to identify and manage risks or changes that can affect the project. The sponsor is also responsible for controlling and reviewing processes to maximize efficiency and value.
- Closing
In the closing phase, the sponsor evaluates the project performance and provides constructive feedback on the project’s progress. They acknowledge the completion of project milestones and help the project manager with completion formalities like handoffs. The project sponsor then closes the project with a report confirming all the deliverables have been completed and approved.
Six Sigma Tollgate Review
Project sponsors in Six Sigma projects must also manage tollgate reviews at each phase of the project. A Six Sigma tollgate review functions as a checkpoint after each phase. The project sponsor meets the team members to evaluate their progress in each phase and establish the next steps.
A tollgate review helps the sponsor determine whether the project adheres to the business goals. It allows the sponsor to adjust the processes throughout the timeline and provide suggestions to save the team’s time and effort.
Project Sponsor vs. Project Manager
A project sponsor is different from a project manager. A project manager’s role is to manage the team to ensure successful project implementation. They ensure that the project goals and deadlines are met under the fixed budget, and enough resources are allocated to the project.
A project manager’s responsibilities include:
- Planning the project
- Sticking to the plan and managing deliverables
- Recruiting, leading, managing, and motivating the project team
- Creating and managing project timelines and phases
- Assigning tasks to team members to achieve project milestones
- Communicating with the project sponsor and senior management
- Preparing reports and paperwork
- Analyzing risks and finding solutions
- Acting as a link between team members and other stakeholders
- Overseeing and implementing the project within the budget
A project sponsor selects and closely works with the project manager to empower and complete the project. They plan and oversee project implementation and help resolve issues outside a project manager’s control.
The project manager and sponsor work closely and depend on each other for the project’s success. They need to trust each other, plan together, and define roles and responsibilities during the initiation phase.
The Importance of a Good Project Sponsor
In the long run, project sponsorship can make or break a project. Project sponsorship is the much-needed support for a successful project in the dynamic business environment.
A project sponsor’s role is critical for a project. They represent the organization. Considering the vision, benefits, budget, and key drivers, they ensure that the project aligns with its business goals.
A good project sponsor is a proactive member with excellent communication, planning, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. They must have business experience and a clear understanding of corporate strategy, the business case, and project management practices. They should be dependable and have good working relationships with senior management and stakeholders to act as negotiators or escalation points.
They are a pillar of support for the project manager and the entire team. Their ability to understand the concerns of the stakeholders and evaluate the team’s performance is extremely valuable for a project’s progress. The sponsor can work with the project manager through tollgate reviews and regular communication to improve processes and achieve project goals.
Six Sigma training can help project sponsors and managers improve processes and boost project efficiency and performance.
For more insights on process improvement, check out these related articles:
Process Improvement Helps Businesses Avoid the Cost-Cutting Death Spiral
Putting Continuous Process Improvement to Work in the Demand Chain
