A project coordinator is a person that works underneath a project manager to ensure that a certain part of a project runs smoothly. This person may be responsible for managing independent contractors, or he or she may be responsible for assisting the project manager with his or her day to day tasks. There are so many duties that a project coordinator may have throughout the year, and that is why it is difficult to pinpoint a universal project coordinator job description. Nevertheless, the information below outlines some of the job duties that may come along with a project coordinator job so you can assess whether or not this is the line of work for you.
Common Project Coordinator Job Duties
As we mentioned before, every project coordinator job is a little different. Most project coordinators will specialize in a certain industry, and their job duties will reflect that. Here are some of the most popular industries for project coordinators, along with a list of possible job duties you may have in each of them.
IT Services
- Handle customer service enquiries
- Schedule the work of IT professionals
- Plan the networking for a small portion of a building
Construction
- Monitor the progression of renovations and remodeling projects
- Schedule consultations with independent contractors
- Oversee a certain part of a project, like the flooring or roofing
Healthcare
- Manage hospital employee schedules
- Oversee research programs in a healthcare facility
- Manage a specific group of healthcare employees
Public Health Research
- Communicate between project managers and research participants
- Coordinate large scale research projects
- Schedule research exams and patient consultations
Education
- Create curriculums for schools in a certain area.
- Coordinate field trips for classes and clubs
- Plan sporting events and tournaments
Your project coordinator job description should reflect the industry you plan to work in, as well as the employer that you work under. If you are able to work in multiple industries, you will be a more versatile employee and potentially a greater asset to an employer in the future. You may want to strive for that if you choose to pursue an education in project coordination.
How Job Duties Impact Pay Rates for Project Coordinators
The industry that you choose to work in may have an impact on your project coordinator salary in the future, so you need to be careful about what you select. Common salaries by industry include:
- Information Technology Services: $30,891 – $68,181
- Construction: $30,782 – $64,589
- Healthcare: $30,620 – $63,635
- Public Health Research: $30,188 – $63,469
- Education, College/University: $29,946 – $62,125
As you can see, IT professionals earn more money than other project coordinators on average, but there was a wide pay range in all industries. If you are able to work your way up to the level of a project manager, you could earn over $100,000 a year. You just have to find an industry that you enjoy working in and remain dedicated to it as long as possible.
Would You Make a Good Project Coordinator?
Now that you have an idea of the job duties you will have to tackle as a project coordinator, you may want to determine if you would do well in this career. That will prevent you from spending time training for a position you aren’t happy with in the first place. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself before pursuing one of the project coordinator jobs available to you:
- Are you good at multi-tasking?
- Are you a successful communicator?
- Can you adapt to a new work environment quickly?
- Do you enjoy working around other people on a long-term basis?
- Are you capable of managing multiple people at one time?
- Can you motivate employees to work efficiently?
If you can confidently say “yes” to all of those questions, you could do well in the field of project coordination. This is far from an easy line of work, as there will always be new things for you to do and learn. You have to be able to mold to any situation that comes your way, and you may be forced to work late hours to get a job done. Nevertheless, this may be a great line of work to go in if you have a need for adventure. If you want a career that is unpredictable and financially stable at the same time, you could be the perfect project coordinator.
