Project Sponsor roles in each project phase!

A project sponsor is a person or organization that owns the project and provides resources and support to ensure its success.

At least one project sponsor is required for every project. They are the project's driving force. While they are not responsible for the day-to-day operations of a project, they are in the project hierarchy above the project manager. The project sponsor has most likely been involved with the project from the beginning. They were the ones who came up with the idea and pushed for it.

While a project sponsor may be visible from the start and then disappear, the best project sponsors are involved in every phase of the project.

·        Initiation Duties

During the initiation phase, project sponsors play an important role in selecting the project manager, as well as providing that project manager with a clear mandate, context for the project, and authority levels.

In addition, the project sponsor ensures that the project is appropriate for the organization by providing input on the project charter and attending the kick-off meeting. During this phase, the sponsor assists with decision-making.

·        Planning Duties

During the planning phase, the project sponsor verifies that the project plan is feasible and realistic. This takes into account time constraints and whether or not the team is tasked with meeting unrealistic expectations.

If issues arise that are beyond the scope of the project manager, the project sponsor can assist. If there are other projects involved, the project sponsor ensures that they all work together rather than against one another.

·        Implementation Duties

The project sponsor should collaborate with the project manager during the implementation and control phases, but not overstep his or her bounds. The project sponsor assesses the project's actual progress in comparison to the original plan and provides necessary feedback to the project manager.

Sponsors also assist the project manager and team in working more independently to address issues as they arise while ensuring that procedures are followed. They look for underlying causes of problems and celebrate when milestones are reached.

·        Closing Duties

The project sponsor participates in the post-mortem evaluation of the project's performance and other aspects during the closing phase. They ensure that all handoffs and signoffs are completed correctly. Sponsors of projects assist in the discussion that determines whether a project is a success or failure.

A project sponsor, in general, aids in the streamlining of communications. They foster trust and collaboration while preventing problems from becoming more serious. They created the instrument to identify problems with the schedule, cost, and quality. In that sense, they're also in charge of ensuring the success of risk management. Finally, they promote the keeping of records in order to store historical data.

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