Project coordination – a demanding and rewarding task
As a project coordinator you have important key tasks. With these tasks, the success of an application and later the success of the project can stand or fall. If you have never been a co-ordinator before, we would like to provide a brief insight into the key tasks and success factors.
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Tasks before the project start
As the ‘scientific head’, you do not only have an innovative project idea, but also significant influence on the research direction and the methods applied. You know and bring together excellent scientists. During the application, you steer and moderate the creative process of designing the project and you fill leading positions. Together with the partners, you plan the research project in every detail. It is first and foremost your responsibility to meet the formal requirements and evaluation criteria of the application and, later on, to successfully complete the contract negotiations.
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Tasks after the project start
- You are the direct contact person of the EU Commission in all contractual and scientific concerns. Subject to the approval of the consortium, you, or the authorised official of your institution, are authorised and obliged to make contractually-binding declarations. You are
- responsible for the use of funds and the payments to the consortium partners.
- As the coordinator, you are the representative in chief of your project. In each project phase, you will be at the centre of the activities. Together with the work package leaders, you will be responsible for the project results and accurate reporting.
- You will chair the boards and committees of your project and will be responsible for compliance with formal decision-making rules in this capacity. You will have an extra vote in certain matters and this will enable you to make important decisions together with your partners.
- As the principal investigator, you also mediate in case of conflicts and problems. To a great extent it is in your hands to ensure a pleasant atmosphere over the 3-5 years of the project duration. You do, of course, have the possibility of being supported in these tasks by a professional project management partner.
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Success factors
- Allow enough time for your tasks as a co-ordinator. Find ways and means to delegate tasks which others can take care of for you (better).
- Fill strategic positions in a project with the best in their respective fields. Make use of core competencies or incorporate new ones into the project if necessary.
- Find a competent and highly motivated person who will support you in the scientific project management. This person should relieve you of daily project business and deputise for you if you are personally prevented for any reason.
- Do not underestimate the project administration effort. Reports, finances and organisation demand time and full concentration. Also fill the key position project management with experts. Best of all with concentris.
What our clients say
"Very many thanks for your help in this whole process. It has been invaluable and a very useful learning exercise for me."
"Overall I have to say, I have never seen an international project that was managed so well in all aspects."
“It was a pleasure to work with you over the past few months. We are very grateful for all of your help and the professionalism with which you handled all aspects of the proposal. We could not have done this without you!”
"I enjoyed working with you and looked at you as a point for our work. Thanks for all the good work you did!"
„It has been a great pleasure to prepare this application with such a great group of professionals. You have made very complicated things seem quite easy.”
“I am just thankful we have someone like you to guide us through the maze. Thank you!“
