Project Management Roles

A few months ago, I spoke to a project manager who had just wrapped up a client project. Or rather, should have wrapped it up. The project was originally going to be for 8 weeks. Everyone agreed on the timeline upfront, shook hands, and dove in. But then the delays started: • The client needed more time to approve designs. • The vendor supplying key software missed their deadline. • Halfway through, a critical feature needed to be reworked. Suddenly, the "8-week" project stretched to 12 weeks. And the Contract? It had strict deadlines and no room for adjustments. This caused: • Frustration on both sides. • The client was unhappy about delays. • The project manager was penalized for missed deadlines. • The relationship? Completely soured. Deadlines look great in contracts. Because they are clear, concise, and seemingly immovable. But projects don’t exist in a vacuum. That's why things often go wrong: 1. Dependencies Get Overlooked Deadlines often rely on third parties - client approvals, vendor deliveries, or team availability. One missed milestone, and the entire timeline collapses. 2. No Cushion for the Unexpected Tech hiccups, team illness, or surprise feature requests can derail progress. Without a buffer, small issues snowball fast. 3. Rigid Timelines Create Tension When deadlines slip (and they almost always do), the blame game begins. Trust erodes, and disputes become inevitable. 4. The Risk of Penalties Missed deadlines can trigger financial penalties or harm your reputation - even when delays are beyond your control. 5. Misaligned Expectations Rigid deadlines assume everything will go perfectly - which rarely happens. Without clarity on flexibility, both sides end up frustrated. Let’s go back to that project manager’s situation. What if the contract had been different? Because a good contract would have: a) Buffer Periods Built Into the Timeline Adding a 1-2 week buffer to each milestone allows for delays without derailing the project. b) Clear Contingency Plans Specify how delays will be managed - who’s responsible, what adjustments are made, and how costs or timelines shift. c) Defined Flexibility Mention that deadlines may shift due to dependencies or unforeseen issues. d) Shared Accountability Be clear on mutual responsibility - clients delivering approvals on time, vendors meeting commitments, and the team staying on schedule. Imagine that same project manager with a flexible contract: • When the vendor delays delivery, the buffer period absorbs the impact. • When the client needs extra time, the contingency plan kicks in. • And when the project wraps at week 12 instead of week 8, no one is surprised. No penalties. No disputes. No burned bridges. Deadlines are important. But assuming they won’t change? Now you are asking for disaster. —— 📌 If you need my help with drafting flexible contracts for your high-ticket projects, then DM me "Contract". #Startups #Founders #Contract #Law #Business

Project management isn’t a supporting role. Period. I got off a client call last week where the COO said, “Project managers are there to support the real work of the business.” I smiled. Then realized they were serious. Let’s get this straight... Project managers don’t just schedule meetings and send reminders. We lead. We align. We deliver. We don’t support the work. We drive it forward. We create clarity when there’s chaos. We bring people together who don’t usually speak. We protect the team from distractions so they can focus. We turn vision into outcomes, and outcomes into impact. Think about the biggest wins in your organization. If a project manager was involved, chances are high that success wasn’t an accident. Instead, it was: → Intentional → Coordinated → Tracked → Delivered We’re not behind the scenes. We’re at the center of it all. What’s the craziest thing you have ever heard someone say about the role of a project manager?

Environmental Consultants & Ecologists: The Sustainability Skills That Will Define Your Career For years, environmental assessments were seen as a compliance exercise. 🔹A report to get a permit. 🔹A hurdle to clear before breaking ground. But here’s the reality: 🔹Environmental and ecological expertise is becoming central to climate strategy. 🔹Your insights don’t just inform impact statements—they shape decarbonization, resilience, and regeneration. 🔹If you care about relevance, influence, and future-proofing your work, this is the time to upskill. 🔹Because no matter where you are in your career—sustainability is no longer optional. Key Takeaways: 🔹 Environmental and ecological expertise is moving from compliance to strategic leadership in climate and sustainability. 🔹 Professionals who can connect impact assessment, nature-based solutions, biodiversity credits, and GHG accounting will be at the center of the transition to Net Zero. 🔹 Many of these skills are now embedded in major frameworks and expectations—IFC, IUCN, IPCC, TCFD, GHG Protocol—that increasingly shape project funding and approvals. 🔹 There are thousands of resources—books, free tools, paid courses, and online platforms. It doesn’t matter whether they’re free or premium. Knowledge is everywhere. The only question is whether you’ll decide where to start—and start. One step after the other. If you’ve already developed any of these skills, please share in the comments which course, book, or platform you used. Your experience might inspire someone else to begin. #EnvironmentalConsulting #Ecology #BiodiversityNetGain #NatureBasedSolutions #EIA #ClimateAction #GHGAccounting #SustainabilitySkills #ClimateResilience #EcosystemServices #NetZero #CareerGrowth #Decarbonization #ESG #FutureOfWork

🌍 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹—𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝘼𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤'𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙣—𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙒𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙖𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙙𝙜𝙚. 𝙄𝙩 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙—𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙚, 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮. Sustainability is more than a trend—it’s a mission rooted in expertise, systems thinking, and compassion. In a world facing urgent environmental challenges, we need leaders who can connect science with society and drive real change through collaboration and care. Too often, I’ve seen sustainability roles—across corporations, multilateral bodies, and governments—allocated based on visibility, political proximity, or even particular types , rather than on the capability to drive real, transformative change. When we prioritize optics over substance, we lose precious time—and trust. This is not about being negative. It’s about being pragmatic and calling for professionalism in a space that matters more than ever. Sustainability is complex, interdisciplinary, and deep science. It demands leaders who can bridge science, systems, society—and people. ✅ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 & 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀: 🔬 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 – Climate science, ESG , circular economy, carbon management, environmental policy & compliance 💬 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 – Translating climate science for non-experts, stakeholder engagement, and impactful storytelling ⚖️ 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 – Interdisciplinary insight, root cause analysis, and scenario planning 🤝 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Working across sectors, listening to communities, and building trust 🚀 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗺 – Balancing ambition with realism, staying committed through complexity 🌍 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 – Honoring local context, aligning global goals with local community realities 🧭 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗚𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 The best climate professionals lead with vision, integrity, and service—raising the bar, earning trust, and advancing solutions that last. 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀—𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻.  #ClimateAction #SustainabilityLeadership #ESG #SystemsThinking #PurposeDriven #RealChange

I've been asked to do the most ridiculous things as a project manager. "Can you make a PowerPoint about why we need fewer PowerPoint presentations?" (For a software project) "Track how long people spend on their lunch breaks." (Actual request from a founder) "Can you follow up on why Sarah seems sad lately?" (I'm not a therapist... sorry Sarah) "Just send a weekly email with green, yellow, and red dots." (Everything's on fire, but sure, dots... gotcha) Here's what stakeholders are totally missing... Project managers aren't spreadsheet jockeys. We're looking at your project through a realistic lens. We don't succeed because we color-code your Excel dashboards perfectly. We succeed because we: • Turn your vague "Er, yeah... can you make it better?" into actionable tasks • Navigate office politics you pretend don't exist • Ask the uncomfortable questions you're avoiding • Bridge the gap between what you said and what you meant Every project dies from communication breakdowns, not missed deadlines. You don't need someone to "keep things organized." You need someone who can work through the problems and get people synchronized. That's why projects succeed or fail.

When people think about the wind industry, they often picture majestic turbines spinning against the sky 🌬️⚡. But the truth is, this industry is powered by something even more important: #People 👩🔧👨💻. Behind every wind project, there’s a vast ecosystem of talent: 🔹 Engineers & designers creating next-gen blades that capture more energy with less material. 🔹 Data scientists & AI specialists ensuring predictive maintenance keeps turbines running efficiently. 🔹 Environmental experts balancing energy goals with ecological responsibility. 🔹 Project managers, logistics teams, and financial analysts making large-scale projects a reality. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, the industry will need to triple its workforce by 2030 – that’s millions of new jobs worldwide 🌎. From #offshore platforms in Europe to onshore farms in India 🇮🇳, the demand for skilled professionals is skyrocketing. But here’s what makes the sector truly special: it’s not just about jobs, it’s about impactful careers. Working in wind means your daily efforts directly contribute to: 🌱 Reducing carbon emissions ⚡ Strengthening energy security 📈 Driving sustainable economic growth And the opportunities are not limited to traditional roles. With digitalization, AI, hybrid renewable projects, and storage solutions, the industry is evolving fast – creating career paths that didn’t exist even 5 years ago. For students, young professionals, and experienced leaders alike, the wind industry offers the chance to align skills with purpose – to be part of one of the most critical missions of our time: the transition to net zero 🌍✨. So the next time you see a wind farm, remember – it’s not just a field of turbines. It’s a symbol of innovation, resilience, and opportunity. 👉 Question for you: If you were to enter the renewable sector today, what role would excite you the most?

🌍 See what Renovate Europe Campaign’s Director Adrian Joyce had to say about skills requirements to support the Renovation Wave on Sean Carroll’s new article “Mind the gap: how to turn Europe’s renovation trickle into a wave”. 🛠️ With Europe aiming to renovate 16% of its worst-performing non-residential buildings and reduce residential energy usage by the same percentage by 2030, the challenge is high. 👉 To meet these ambitious targets and successfully implement the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, we must ramp up our workforce of skilled construction workers, professionals, architects and builders. In the article, Adrian highlights the need to address the skills gap and boost labour resources. 📌 Key insights not to be missed: 👷Expand workforce: mobilising skilled workers from other projects to focus on energy renovations. 📑 Standardize qualifications: ensuring qualifications are harmonised across Europe for greater mobility of construction professionals. 🛜 Harness digitalisation: using tech advancements to attract young talent and close the gender gap in the industry. As we face pressing challenges in housing and sustainability, the call to renovate homes isn't just about aesthetics - it's about providing people with a more comfortable environment, creating jobs and building a resilient future. By investing in skills development, we can empower professionals and communities to take part in this transformative wave. Julie Kjestrup, who also contributed to the article, states that we must not only bring new talent into the sector but also upskill and retrain the existing workforce. Let's champion these initiatives and join forces to work towards a more sustainable built environment! Link to FORESIGHT Climate & Energy article in the comments below. #RenovationWave #RenovateEurope #AccelerateRenovation #PrioritisePeople

2 areas effective project managers spend more time on than schedules 👉 Risks 👉 Relationships New PMs think success means keeping a schedule on-track. Timelines? Nailed. Tasks? Checked off. Reports? Flawless. But Senior PMs realize the real work isn't in the schedule. It's in the uncertainty around it. So they don't spend time obsessing over it. Instead they: → ID hidden risks before they become real → Navigate cross-functional politics/team dynamics → Align leadership on priorities when the project shifts → Have tough conversations that others avoid When you're operating at a senior level, you're not just managing a plan. You're managing people, change, AND the unknown. Here's how to shift your focus: ✅ Make risk management a superpower Anyone can report delays. Leaders forecast, mitigate, and build trust. Regularly review risk logs with the team. Escalate early. Offer options, get decisions, and outline/communicate next steps. ✅ Build influence, not just status updates Trust isn't built by having perfect charts or reporting dashboards. It's earned by showing up calm, driving clarity, and making a plan when things go sideways. Proactively meet with stakeholders and share what MATTERs. Connect project risks to business impact and get leadership alignment. ✅ Focus on relationships that move the work forward You can't "task manage" you way to success in complex projects. You need people aligned, informed, and empowered. Invest in 1:1s. Understand what stakeholders really care about. Don't chase, connect. Timelines don't get you promoted. Trust does. Prioritize risk management and relationships to succeed in your projects and get you where you want to go next. 🤙

The moment you realize effective project management is more than crossing things off a list or sending reminder emails is the moment you actually see how powerfully it can transform, well, just about anything. Those of us who have had these moments are all nodding in agreement. 👋 Most of the time when I see a person or organization who has built something with sustainable, long term success, there is some really good project management happening behind the scenes (whether they realize it or not). That’s because success doesn’t usually just happen. It’s intentional. It’s strategic. It’s planned one step at a time, executed methodically, and periodically adjusted with grace. Sound familiar? And, again, I’m not talking about the ability to simply use project management software or literally make a list and check things off. Tons of people can do that (no offense). I’m talking about really getting it at a deep level. Stuff like: ✅ The ability to see the big picture while also having respect for the pieces that need to come together to make it happen. ✅ Further understanding the interconnectedness of all the bits in your project: the people, the resources, the time, the ideas, and the tasks. ✅ Practicing discipline and accountability in your activities, consistently and over long periods of time. Great project managers believe in their projects and are, therefore, committed to being good stewards. ✅ And finally, actually caring about everything listed above (rare, but not impossible to find). So if you’re a project manager wondering how you can level up your skills and become more valuable as a contributor, give this post another read. And if you’re on the lookout for your team’s next project manager, consider there’s a lot more to it than a fancy resume or laundry list of certifications. As always, I'm here to help. My inbox is open 📬

Resource blocks, cashflow frozen, suppliers in limbo-how do you survive a project put on ice? No point pretending:everyone in EPC has faced a delayed project start at least once. You plan every detail. Teams are ready. Design finished. Machines, subcontracts, procurement-lined up and waiting for the green light. Then the message drops: “𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱” ... No new date.... Three months? Six? Maybe longer. Sounds routine, but the fallout is anything but. Here’s what actually happens when a project stalls: -> EPC teams sit on blocked resources. -> Cashflow stops, but fixed costs keep rolling. -> Price locks expire, delivery slots vanish, and you scramble to reshuffle project management. -> Suppliers push back production slots or cancel them outright. Material prices go back to square one. Reservation fees or conditional POs? Limited protection at best. -> Subcontractors keep staff on standby. But waiting costs money, and when the project finally starts, your best people might be long gone. -> For the IPP or developer, financing is on hold, but costs from the project company don’t pause. Every extra month drains trust-internally and externally. In my experience, these delays are never just a matter of logistics. They are a test of trust across the whole value chain. What actually helps? - Split-NTP or Early Works Letter: limited scope for design, geotech, or long-lead items-always with a hard cost cap. - Suspension/Restart clauses: define standby costs and remobilisation up front. - Flexible procurement: secure production slots, but with floating windows and indexed pricing (copper, aluminium, FX). - Dual-sourcing and long-lead management: transformers or MV equipment now have 2–3 year lead times. Miss the slot, risk project paralysis. - Transparent communication: fixed update routines. No silent months. Partners who get regular, honest updates are more likely to stick around. Bottom line: you can’t eliminate every risk. But you can choose how professionally you deal with them. What’s your view-do you buffer, renegotiate, or pull the plug when a project gets put on ice? #AndreasBach #SolarEnergy #Renewables #EPC #BESS #ProjectManagement #SupplyChain