What Does a Project Coordinator Do?

Within the broader scope of project management, a project coordinator organizes and manages the various parts of a project to ensure its success. This includes assigning and monitoring daily tasks and communication, as well as creating reports and updates for the project manager and other members of management. A project coordinator serves an essential role in effective project management. 

Learn more about what project coordinators do and the important skills you'll need to develop to succeed in this career. Afterward, consider building many of those skills by enrolling in the Google Project Management Professional Certificate, where in as little as six months you can learn about quality assessment, project scoping, change management, and more. You can then add a Professional Certificate to your LinkedIn profile.

What is a project coordinator?

In most cases, project coordinators (sometimes called assistant project managers) assist project managers with specific administrative tasks related to their assigned projects. They organize and communicate all the details of projects and specific assignments to team members and serve as a liaison between those team members and the project manager. 

What does a project coordinator do?

Project coordinators for companies in different business sectors can expect to handle a number of tasks that are specific to their companies. But many of the key responsibilities are the same.

• Monitoring the daily progress of projects

• Providing detailed updates to project managers or other stakeholders

• Ensuring team members have the supplies and resources they need to complete their assigned tasks on time and within their budget limits

• Organizing reports, invoices, contracts, and other financial files for easy access

• Planning meetings and organizing project logistics

• Performing billing and bookkeeping tasks

• Ordering necessary office supplies

Differences between a project coordinator and a project manager

A project coordinator handles administrative tasks for the project manager and team members to keep the project running smoothly. This may include ordering equipment and supplies, managing deadlines and workflow, and scheduling meetings and appointments.

While a project coordinator carries out the necessary daily tasks to keep a project on track, a project manager develops the full outline for the project. This extends from the initial goal setting and planning phases all the way through to project completion and delivery to the client. This includes establishing budgets, estimating necessary resources, and plotting a timeline for completion. In some cases, project coordinators may move into project manager positions.

Learn more: Becoming a Project Manager: 6 Steps

Essential skills for a project coordinator

Regardless of the variations in projects across different industries, certain project management skills are essential. As critical members of project teams, project coordinators typically have the following skills:

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential to work closely with team members and managers, and effectively manage problems as they occur. You may also need to build presentations to communicate with stakeholders, so visual communication skills can be beneficial.

• Leadership: As the primary point of contact for team members, you must be able to provide guidance, feedback, and encouragement for achieving goals. You're the leader who keeps the group connected.

• Organization and time management: Managing the daily activities and needs of an entire team requires an excellent ability to multitask and effectively manage your time.

• Computers and data entry: Budgets and other important documents for companies are usually created on computers and sometimes maintained in databases.

• Problem-solving: Although project managers may step in to handle significant problems, you should be prepared to work through and resolve minor issues without assistance.

Project coordinator salary

According to Glassdoor, project coordinators in the US make a median total salary of $75,000 [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Why pursue a career as a project coordinator

If you are highly organized with an eye for detail and have the necessary communication and people skills to motivate others, a career as a project coordinator could be the right choice for you. Project coordinators can be found in a range of industries, including engineering, health care, technology, financial, legal, and construction. Well-known companies like Amazon and Medtronic hire project coordinators.

Getting a job as a project coordinator can also be a first step toward a career in project management. Some project coordinators go on to become project managers, program managers, or portfolio managers.

Is a project coordinator entry-level?

Yes, you may find entry-level project coordinator roles, which typically require at least a bachelor’s degree to qualify. To begin your career in project management, you may first begin as a project coordinator before leveling up to a more mid-level or senior position, such as project manager.

How to become a project coordinator

In general, landing a job as a project coordinator often requires at least a high school diploma and sometimes a bachelor's degree or technical certification. 

1. Earn a degree

Formal education is often an expectation in this career path. According to Zippia, 66.1 percent of project coordinators hold a bachelor's degree [2]. Common majors include business and communication.

Although you may not always need a degree to get started in this line of work, you may find a college diploma increasingly important as you seek advancement.

2. Develop and strengthen your skill set

Project coordinators require a combination of technical and workplace skills to succeed. You can get an idea about what skills employers most want by looking at job descriptions. Take note of the required skills in different job postings and reflect on your skill set. What areas would be valuable to strengthen? Are there any skills you need to develop?

Project coordinators often need to be comfortable using a variety of project management tools, including those for productivity, issue tracking, and communication. Some common tools include:

• Scheduling tools like Gantt charts, timelines, and calendars

• Collaboration tools like file sharing, messaging, and discussion boards

• Integrations with apps and platforms that your company already uses

• Reports that provide the project status in one dashboard

• Budget tracking tools

• Time trackers or integrations with commonly used time trackers

3. Consider certification

Acquiring a professional certification in project management can also show prospective employers that you have the necessary skills for the role. The Project Management Institute offers the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, one of the most recognized certifications in the country.

Explore free project management resources

Join Career Chat on LinkedIn to gain more insight into beginning a career and networking with other professionals, or check out these digital resources to continue your learning:

• Explore career paths: Project Management Career Paths: Explore Roles & Specializations

• Take the quiz: Project Management Career Quiz: Is It Right for You? Find Your Role

• Watch on YouTube: AI Quick Tip: Streamline Project Management with Your AI Assistant

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