This occupation is found in small, medium, and large organisations within the public, private and third sectors. Associate project managers work in all sectors such as government, retail, food and drink, infrastructure, education, charities, research, and banking. The working environment can vary from being in an office, on site, at client, and contactor’s locations and working remotely.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to contribute to the successful delivery of a project, ensuring its scope and benefits are achieved as planned. They do this primarily by identifying, resourcing, scheduling, and monitoring the activities that need to happen in a certain sequence and timescale. They monitor the project objectives and milestones and adjust plans in accordance with evolving circumstances.
Associate project managers are key to enabling organisations meet their business goals by successful project delivery. Projects can be large or small and deliver a required product that either creates something new or improves efficiency and effectiveness, such as designing and constructing a new motorway or implementing a new IT system. Projects are diverse in nature and could involve anything from banking through to construction. Many organisations deliver their own projects, using in-house associate project managers to work on scope they might be already familiar with. Some associate project manager’s work on a contract basis or for specialist organisations that deliver outsourced project work on behalf of clients.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of internal stakeholders including members of their own team and other departments such as IT, legal, finance, strategy, HR, operations, commercial, marketing, sustainability, senior management, and governing decision-making bodies. They also interact with a range of external stakeholders such as members of the public, investors, customers, regulators, suppliers, auditors, and partners. They will typically report to the Project Manager who ensures the delivery of the project scope.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for identifying, defining, and delivering some or all the aspects of a projects lifecycle within the limits set by the project manager. Associate project managers work on their own and in a range of team settings.
They may contribute to the drafting of business cases that justify why a project is required. They will collaborate with stakeholders to negotiate and allocate project activities to members of the integrated project team.
The Associate project manager will be monitoring progress using relevant project tools and techniques and is also responsible for quality assuring work to completion. They will report on progress and adapt plans as needed.
They will apply codes of practice, legislation, and regulation in respect of the organisation’s areas of operation. This will apply not only to legal and ethical responsibilities but will include the central placement of inclusion and sustainability. Associate project managers manage conflicting project and current political objectives such as net carbon zero, and risk management to influence successful outcomes.
They work within agreed budgets and available resources, and work without high levels of supervision, usually reporting to the project manager. They may occasionally be responsible for decision making, but more often will guide or influence the decisions of others.
They must also escalate project issues beyond the scope of their role or when they identify significant project risks and issues.
They analyse and incorporate lessons learned into future project management and to keep their project skills up to date.
They contribute to overall project aims in line with customer requirements.
They will understand how their role supports the wider organisation and project structure.
Junior project manager
Project support
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Support the project team in delivering the lifecycle of a project. |
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Duty 2 Review, analyse, and provide feedback on a business case to ensure the project remains valid. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K13 K14 K15 K23 K27 K28 K29 K30 |
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Duty 3 Contribute to and deliver elements of the stakeholder engagement process to commence and progress project delivery, and collaborate with stakeholders to communicate the project plan. |
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Duty 4 Develop, update, and continually review, relevant sections of the project scope document. |
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Duty 5 Prepare documents or diagrams which illustrate and deliver the key milestones and stages of a project schedule. |
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Duty 6 Plan the resources required to deliver a project or the activities within the project. |
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Duty 7 Use quality management systems to ensure that project delivery meets legislative and local requirements. |
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Duty 8 Identify and manage risks and opportunities, to drive the successful delivery of the project. |
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Duty 9 Contribute to the production and presentation of the key project documents through governance to gain approval. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K7 K15 K16 K17 K30 K31 |
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Duty 10 Monitor and report on budget forecast, spend and variance. |
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Duty 11 Collate, analyse, and report on data relating to project performance. |
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Duty 12 Monitor performance trends and process change controls to support the management of project scope. |
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Duty 13 Review the project and report on lessons learned which contribute to continuous improvement for future project delivery. |
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Duty 14 Contribute to the project objectives and key performance indicators which drive and improve performance and sustainability goals. |
K1: The differences between projects and business as usual.
Back to Duty
K2: The importance of alignment between the project and organisational objectives.
Back to Duty
K3: The interdependencies between project, programme, and portfolio management.
Back to Duty
K4: Techniques used to understand the project context, such as PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental), SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities, threats) or VUCA (velocity, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity).
Back to Duty
K5: The need and benefit of the project governance structure, requirements, and process and the impact on their role.
Back to Duty
K6: The differences and comparative benefits between functional, matrix and project structures.
Back to Duty
K7: Different roles and responsibilities within a project environment.
Back to Duty
K8: The differences and comparative benefits between linear, iterative and hybrid life cycle approaches.
Back to Duty
K9: Importance, content, and purpose of a business case.
Back to Duty
K10: Approaches to the maintenance of a business case and the management of the benefits which will be achieved upon the successful delivery of the project.
Back to Duty
K11: The purpose, format, and significance of the project management plan.
Back to Duty
K12: Methods used to define, record, integrate, deliver, and manage scope.
Back to Duty
K13: The identification, analysis, and management of stakeholders.
Back to Duty
K14: Communication techniques and approaches to interact with stakeholders to meet their requirements.
Back to Duty
K15: The use of information management.
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K16: Techniques for managing conflict and negotiation.
Back to Duty
K17: Techniques for working collaboratively within a team and with stakeholders.
Back to Duty
K18: How and when to apply different estimating methods.
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K19: Configuration management and change control.
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K20: The principles of earned value management (EVM) and the interpretation of EVM information.
Back to Duty
K21: Project scheduling and maintenance, including critical path analysis.
Back to Duty
K22: Allocation and management of resources throughout the project life cycle.
Back to Duty
K23: Principles of project risk and issue management.
Back to Duty
K24: Procurement strategies and processes that are both ethical and sustainable.
Back to Duty
K25: The role and purpose of quality requirements, planning and control in a project environment.
Back to Duty
K26: Principles for evaluating project success, including how lessons learned are captured and can impact future project delivery.
Back to Duty
K27: Relevant regulations and legislation such as data protection, and how they impact on their role.
Back to Duty
K28: The impact of project objectives and how to respond to challenges around sustainability and the UK Government’s policy to achieve net carbon zero.
Back to Duty
K29: Principles of conducting project management activities which are ethical and inclusive.
Back to Duty
K30: Technology and software used in the performance of project management activities.
Back to Duty
K31: Presentation tools and techniques.
Back to Duty
S1: Use project monitoring and reporting techniques to track, interpret and report on performance.
Back to Duty
S2: Manage and engage with stakeholders.
Back to Duty
S3: Influence and negotiate with others to create a positive outcome for the project.
Back to Duty
S4: Resolve conflict as and when required with stakeholders within limits of responsibility.
Back to Duty
S5: Adapt communications to different stakeholders.
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S6: Communicate and support the project vision, to ensure buy in to the project objectives.
Back to Duty
S7: Collate and analyse information and provide input to support negotiations relating to project objectives.
Back to Duty
S8: Monitor and analyse project budgets.
Back to Duty
S9: Review and provide feedback on a project business case to ensure the project remains valid.
Back to Duty
S10: Apply change control processes to support the management of project scope.
Back to Duty
S11: Evaluate an integrated project management plan to provide recommendations on areas for improvement.
Back to Duty
S12: Prepare, monitor, and schedule activities that contribute to the delivery of the overall project schedule and objectives.
Back to Duty
S13: Evaluate and make recommendations on the risk management plan to threats to delivery and recommend solutions.
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S14: Identify and monitor project risks and issues; and plan and implement responses to them.
Back to Duty
S15: Deliver a Quality Management Plan which contributes to quality control processes.
Back to Duty
S16: Use an organisation’s continual improvement process including lessons learned to improve performance.
Back to Duty
S17: Support the preparation or maintenance of a resource management plan for project activities.
Back to Duty
S18: Work with stakeholders to deliver the project.
Back to Duty
S19: Use digital tools and software to meet project objectives for example research, collaboration, presentations, and resolution of problems.
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S20: Provide underpinning data to support the written submission through the governance process.
Back to Duty
S21: Work within the approved project budget.
Back to Duty
S22: Ensure that integrated schedules support critical path analysis, interface management, resource forecasting and risk management.
Back to Duty
S23: Apply relevant legislation, regulations, codes of practice, and ethical guidance where appropriate to their work.
Back to Duty
S24: Use data to inform decisions on actions to take to mitigate risks on project.
Back to Duty
S25: Use configuration management and change control to schedule and maintain projects.
Back to Duty
S26: Manages resources through the project lifecycle.
Back to Duty
B1: Works flexibly and adapts to circumstances.
Back to Duty
B2: Works collaboratively and builds strong relationships with others across the organisation and external stakeholders.
Back to Duty
B3: Has accountability and ownership of their tasks and workload.
Back to Duty
B4: Operates professionally with integrity and confidentiality.
Back to Duty
B5: Seeks learning opportunities and continuous professional development.
Back to Duty
English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | Occupational standard, end-point assessment plan and funding band has been revised. | 22/04/2024 | Not set |
| 1.3 | The funding band for this standard has been reviewed as part of the apprenticeship funding band review. The new funding band is £6000 | 04/03/2019 | 21/04/2024 |
| 1.2 | End-point assessment plan revised | 16/03/2018 | 03/03/2019 |
| 1.1 | Standard revised | 08/03/2018 | 15/03/2018 |
| 1.0 | Retired | 19/08/2016 | 07/03/2018 |
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