Leadership roles and responsibilities in human resource projects

Project Leadership Roles

Common roles in a human resource project

Human resource in an organization plays a critical role in ensuring that the organization can accomplish its goals and meet its objectives. An effective human resource makes it possible for the organization to compete effectively, especially in a highly competitive corporate environment (Heagney, 2012). Organizations mainly use projects in order to reach their strategic goals. In order to execute a given project, the various roles are identified and assigned to the relevant human resource personnel. They mainly exist as executive, managerial, and associate-level roles pertaining to a human resource project. The fundamental roles in regards to these levels are the sponsor, project manager, and core team member (Heagney, 2012). Although each level plays a different role, the various roles work concurrently to ensure the success of the project.

Project executive sponsor

The sponsor funds the financial requirements of the project. In this way, the sponsor plays a critical role in the project since the availability or lack of funds is a critical determinant of the success or failure of the project. The project sponsor is in charge of other functions like defining protocols to be used for decision-making process, developing the vision of the project, the mission of the project, and the projected results (Kissi, Dainty & Tuuli, 2013). In addition, a sponsor is also responsible for scheduling the project activities according to priority. he/she must exhibit a high sense of commitment to the project, consult with the project leader in order to recognize and develop solutions to the forecasted challenges and barriers, and execute the identified strategies to overcome challenges, empower to the project leader in the overarching guide

Project leader/Manager

The project manager plays a focal role in the project. The project manager oversees the project's progress from the initial to the final phases of completion. The project manager supervises the project's resources, sets the direction, and evaluates the project's progress (Patel, 2008). In this way, all the roles that are identified for the project are the ultimate responsibility of the manager.

Performance Improvement Consultant

In the event that additional proficiency is necessary to augment the value of the project, a performance improvement consultant is acquired. The consultant provides insight to the project management regarding setting up of goals, evaluation of project progress and monitoring (Patel, 2008). The consultant also assists the management team in the identification and solution to some of the challenges hindering the success of the project.

Need for an additional role and its proposed impact

The additional role is that of a financial advisor/controller. This role is exclusive to financially related issues (Tuuli & Rowlinson, 2009). Various things characterize projects and obtaining, allocation and use of funds is one fundamental issue that should be given special attention (Patel, 2008). Although the project sponsor may ensure that the funds are present, there should be a person who ensures that the funds are allocated appropriately and used as allocated. The person should have expertise in financial and accounting matters. It has been identified that projects give various corrupt personnel a loophole to engage in corrupt dealings or theft.

A financial advisor/controller will advise the team on ways in which they can be efficient in as far using the least funds with maximum available outcome is concerned (Tuuli & Rowlinson, 2009). This includes proposing financial strategies that reduce costs while maximizing quality output. The controller will also ensure that he/she monitors the strategy implementation process once they are approved. Corruption and theft are made possible through various means. It is the financial controller's role to ensure that he/she keenly monitors the books of accounts. While a project leader notices that a given entity were not legitimate, the financial controller will notice that the books of accounts have been altered or falsely recorded (Tuuli & Rowlinson, 2009).

The issue of finance is a large issue in itself. A person lacking some expertise in the finance and accounting issue cannot handle it. Furthermore, a person who has other non-finance related roles cannot handle it. This issue requires special attention: the need for such a position as the one indicated previously. The importance of having this position is that the project leaders will have total control of all the significant parts of the project. It will minimize wastage and misappropriation of resources, which are misappropriated from a financial perspective (Tuuli & Rowlinson, 2009). It will allow leaders to achieve the maximum quality outcomes with the least needed financial resources. It will also allow the leaders to have an array of options that will improve the quality of the project.

The financial aspect of projects cannot be included as part of other roles in the project. It should be taken exclusively as using the funds is as relevant as gaining them (Tuuli & Rowlinson, 2009). A financial controller/advisor is a leader as he plays a significant role in leading the other parties towards gaining an advantageous financial perspective.