Project management basics for first-time managers

What does a project manager actually do?

Many NGO project managers start as technical specialists: health workers, engineers, teachers or community mobilisers. They are promoted because they do the work well. Then they must manage plans, budgets, partners and reports, and no one has taught them how.

The PM4NGOs Project DPro starter site describes the role clearly: the project manager works with technical experts to write proposals, with partners and communities to make plans and carry out activities, recruits teams with the right skills, monitors progress, secures resources and asks the right questions to keep the project on track. It adds that every well-run project has a project manager responsible for overall success.

In short, your job moves from doing the work to making sure the work gets done.

What are the phases of a project?

Project DPro uses a phase model with five phases. It notes that phases interact and do not always follow a strict order.

If you join mid-project, find out which phase you are in and what documents exist. Our guide to project cycle management explains how these phases link to donor requirements.

What six areas must you manage?

Project DPro describes disciplines that help managers keep control. In plain words:

1. Scope. What the project will deliver, and what it will not. Clear scope avoids scope creep, a principal cause of project delays.
2. Time. The activities, their order and how long they take, usually shown in a Gantt chart.
3. Resources. Money, people and supplies, linked with finance, logistics and HR.
4. Risk. Problems that might happen. Record them, decide how to respond and review them.
5. Stakeholders. People and groups affected or involved. Communicate with them and manage expectations.
6. Justification. The case for the project's value to donors, communities and your own organisation, with updates over time.

You do not need to master all six in a week. Pick the area where your project is weakest and start there.

What should you do in your first month?

1. Read the core documents. Grant agreement, proposal, logframe, budget and latest report. Mark deadlines and conditions.
2. Meet the team and partners. Ask what is going well, what worries them and what they need from you.
3. Check the scope. Write a one-page summary in your own words and check it with your supervisor.
4. Review the work plan and budget. Compare planned and actual progress and spending.
5. Start two lists. An issue log and action tracker, and a risk register.
6. Set a rhythm. A weekly team check-in, a monthly review with finance and a reporting calendar.
7. Clarify roles. Who decides what, and who must be told? A simple RACI chart helps.
8. Meet your donor focal point. Introduce yourself and ask how they prefer to communicate.

If you take over from someone, see our guide on handing over a project to a new manager.

What habits help new managers most?

• Write decisions down. A short note after a call saves hours later.
• Delegate. Give clear tasks with owners and dates. Check in, but do not redo the work.
• Ask early. Raising a delay in week two is easier than explaining it in week ten.
• Keep communities in view. Plans serve people. Visit when you can, or use your feedback system when you cannot.
• Look after your own time. See our guide to time management for busy field staff.

In Myanmar, managers often work with remote teams, limited connectivity and changing access. Build slack into plans, agree communication rules for when networks fail and keep key documents in formats that work offline.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Doing everything yourself. The project suffers when you become the bottleneck.
• Skipping the grant agreement. Many surprises are written there already.
• Waiting for perfect information. Make the best decision with what you have and record your reasoning.
• Ignoring risks until they become issues. A short monthly risk review is enough.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a reliable, trusted training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We are Yangon-based, work in English and Burmese, and train online and in person across Myanmar. Our project management course is designed for managers who are new to the role. See our training services or contact us.

Sources

• The Project Model — PM4NGOs, Project DPro Starter
• A quick Guide to the DPro Suite — PM4NGOs, 2022