Title Role
Project Sponsor The person who commissions others to deliver the project and champions the cause throughout the project. They will normally be a senior member of staff with a relevant area of responsibility that will be affected by the outcome of the project. They are involved from the start of the project, including defining the project in conjunction with the Project Manager. Once the project has been launched they should ensure that it is actively reviewed. The Project Sponsor is usually the one who has to negotiate a path through the tricky diplomatic areas of the project!
Responsibilities
· Acts as champion of the project.
· Is accountable for the delivery of planned benefits associated with the project.
· Ensures resolution of issues escalated by the Project Manager or the Project Board.
· Sponsors the communications programme; communicates the programme’s goals to the organization as a whole.
· Makes key organisation/commercial decisions for the project.
· Assures availability of essential project resources.
· Approves the budget and decides tolerances.
· Leads the Project Steering Board.
· Ultimate authority and responsibility for the project.