Project Management and Operations Management Skills Report

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of project management skills, focusing on personal development and application within an organizational context. Part A provides a reflective analysis of the student's current skills, particularly in relation to project management, leadership, communication, and time management. It discusses the importance of these skills for career growth, especially within an engineering environment. The report outlines a methodology for improvement, including an action plan with specific goals and milestones. Part B offers a report that includes a job description for an Operations Manager, potential challenges, and solutions to address issues. The report concludes with a discussion of the impact of project management skills on operations management and overall organizational success. The student aims to enhance project management, leadership, communication, and time management abilities to improve their professional capabilities and contribute more effectively to the organization's goals.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

1
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Table of Contents
Part A-Reflective Analysis......................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 2
Background discussion.......................................................................................................4
Methodology of improvement..............................................................................................6
Outcomes........................................................................................................................... 9
Conclusion........................................................................................................................ 10
Part B-Report....................................................................................................................... 11
Introduction....................................................................................................................... 11
Job description of an Operations Manager.......................................................................11
Challenges that successful candidates can face...............................................................14
Ways to address the main issue at hand..........................................................................17
Conclusion........................................................................................................................ 19
Bibliography......................................................................................................................... 20
Appendix.............................................................................................................................. 27
Advertisement of the job description of an operations manager........................................27

2
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Part A-Reflective Analysis
Introduction
The skill that I have chosen to improve at the beginning of the course is that of
project management. Nicholas and Steyn (2017) pointed out that application of
project management require careful management. These management skills are
developed in terms of application four stages that include planning, organising,
controlling and executing. According to Kerzner and Kerzner (2017), application of
proper project management skill can assist with the growth of a company. This is
mainly because customers can trust a company that provides good quality services
and products. Hence, based on the analysis the importance of project management
can be considered. The application of project management for my personal growth
and the activities that need to be undertaken for improving my growth in my
organisation is analysed in the report. The skills that I posses and the manner in
which I can improve upon the skills are highlighted with emphasis on the
development that I may have with the application of project management. My
background is that of an engineer working in an oil refinery company for more than
20 years.
The reason for choosing project management as a skill is mainly that it helps
in the development of various other skills in the process. One such important
development that can take place with the application of project management skill is
that it can help in developing a sense of leadership. In my professional and personal
life, the effectiveness of leadership can help me to motivate the employees while
also encouraging and guiding them in trying to complete the work within time. At the
same time, project management skill can help me to maintain a clear objective.

3
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Hence, I can remain focused on the work that I am undertaking and ensure that I
provide the required guidance necessary for the development of my professional
career. Project management also provides a sense of time management, which in
my case can be useful, as most of the engineering contracts that the company
receives need to be completed within a limited time. However, I need to develop the
project management skill further so that I can continue to grow in the business.
Improvement of the project management skill can help me to continue my
growth in the business environment. The development of my skill can help me to
identify my weakness and ensure that I provide better services to the organisation.
The manner in which I can contribute to my success is that I can provide employees
with the motivation needed for the development of proper projects in the
organisation. The urgency by which projects are to be developed along with the
limitations that needs to be maintained while making a project needs to be taught to
the employees. Project management skill can help me to understand the needs and
demands of my staff and help me to provide them with proper leadership guidance
necessary for their development.
This can assist to ensure that quality of work performed reaches the required
level of standard expected. Additionally it will also assist me with my abilities to
communicate properly with my employees in terms of their requirement so that I can
make proper decisions regarding work. This can help in understanding my
knowledge as a project manager and at the same time help in developing my skills
as a leader. Apart from this, I can improve on my time management as I have often
failed to incorporate proper time management that can help me to continue with the
development of any project within the provided deadline.

4
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Background discussion
According to Walker (2015), project management is the practise that initiates,
plans, executes and controls specific goals and meets the success criteria required
for organisations to be successful. The unique experience that projects normally
provides help in identifying the goals and objectives that need to be developed while
completing a project. Project management can help me to improve my skills in
setting up systems for an increase in the efficiency of the refining capabilities and
identify clearer and proficient ways to enhance the business. As stated earlier,
project management requires the development of four stages of enhancing the
business. Hence, it can be said that in my case, planning, organising, controlling and
executing can be done based on the engineering capabilities that are provided to me
by the customers. Harrison and Lock (2017) stated that planning is considered as
the most crucial stage in a project management and my skill in planning for effective
events are crucial for the development of the organisation. The various sub skills
related to the development of project management can be analysed.
Some of the skills and sub skills that can be associated with project
management is that of the leadership skills, communication skill as well as the time
management skills. In my case, I need to develop my leadership skills so that I can
motivate and guide employees to work in a united manner. This is mainly because
the leadership is required to motivate the employees so that they can continue to
work with a positive mindset and in increasing the productivity of the organisation.
According to Mir and Pinnington (2014), the leadership needs to be such that it
provides an understanding of the situation of the employees and help in the
development of the employees within the organisation.

5
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Apart from this, the communication skill that needs to be developed includes
understanding the needs and demands of the employees. This can help in
maintaining an understanding of the requirements of the employees and as a leader;
the communication skill is an important part for project management development as
well. Along with this, time management skill can be considered as a related skill with
project management as the aim of project management is to ensure that every task
provided are completed within the deadline.
The importance of project management along with its related skills such as
leadership, communication and time management is important for the operations
management of an organisation. In a general context, these skills can be applied in
the field of work so that extra benefit in the form of promotion or satisfaction of work
can be gained. At the same time, Turner (2014) stated that the application of these
skills could help in providing training to the candidates that are in need so that
reputation and experience as a trainer can be gained. Thus, it can be said that the
development and application of project management skills along with its sub skills
can have a huge impact on a person. Moreover, the operations management of a
company can improve with the effective application of project management. Hence,
the application of project management in my situation can be made based on the
effectiveness of the application of project management.
As stated by Larson and Gray (2015) in order to ensure that success is
gained in an organisation it is necessary for an organisation to ensure that the skills
of the employees be developed. In my case, I can apply these skills to improve the
efficiency process of the organisation for which I work. This can help in creating a
positive effect on the desired refinery production. In addition to this, I can use the
skills to enhance my effectiveness as an individual so that I can make contributions

6
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
in maintaining or increasing the levels of production in the organisation. This can be
done by proper application leadership as well as communication skills. One of the
effectiveness of the skills is that it can be used at various levels depending upon the
work requirements of an organisation (Marchewka 2014). In my case, the
improvement of my project management skills will improve my guidance of the
employees and ensure that I can complete projects within the given time.
Methodology of improvement
According to Meredith et al. (2016), skills are important for the success of an
organisation as well as an individual. At the same time, an improved skill can help in
increasing the efficiency of the individuals. Hence, it is necessary to understand the
methodology that can be adopted by which the skills can be developed so that an
improvement of the organisation in which an individual works can take place. As
stated by Fleming and Koppelman (2016) the improvement needs to be based on
the abilities and responsibilities of an individual and the manner in which it can be
applied in an organisation. In my case, various relatable things needed to be taken
into consideration for the development of my skill as a project manager. The
methodology that I used for the commencement of my project management skills
includes refining my leadership abilities as well as my communication abilities. The
focus was mainly on these two skills as these are related to the project management.
As I had stated previously, I am a project engineer working in an oil refining
company. My skills as a project manager can be used for guiding employees after
monitoring their strengths and utilising or enhancing their skill sets appropriately so
that they can be successful. This can provide them with an opportunity to continue to
gain experience and increase their expertise in project activities. For this, my
communication skills need to be developed so that I can ensure that I get to express

7
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
my ideas and thoughts. As a leader, I need to ensure that I am able to communicate
my thoughts to the employees and guide them in a proper manner. This also
includes understanding time set for every project and the minimum time required for
the completion of the projects. In this regard, I can set up an action plan that can
help me to identify my goals and develop methods so that I can achieve the
improvement of the required skills for becoming a successful project manager.
Goals Milestone Expectation Action taken for
improvement
Improvement of
leadership skills
Need to be
developed within 2
months
To be able to
provide proper
guidance to the
staffs and the new
recruits so that they
can continue to
develop in the
organisation
For my leadership
skills, I undertook
classes that can be
related to the
learning about the
different leadership
styles so that I can
understand its
applicability in the
organisation. The
classes helped me
to identify the
theoretical aspects
of every challenge
that can help me to
become an

8
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
effective leader.
Improvement of
communication skill
Need to be
developed within 3
months
To be able to
communicate
properly with the
employees and
understand their
needs and desires
To be able to
express personal
thoughts and ideas
so that I can
motivate them to
work properly
In order to develop
my communication
skills I managed to
make
conversations with
my senior and
junior colleagues.
This helped me to
be free and full of
confidence while
making effective
communication in
the form of
delegating work
and instructions.
Improvement of
time management
skill
Need to be
developed within 6
months
To ensure that
every task is
completed within
the deadline and at
the same time
make the customer
satisfied
I tried to set myself
long time goals so
that I can try to
reach it within a
limited time but
with quality.
Gradually, I
reduced the time
line so that I can be

9
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
more accurate as
well as finish the
work within the
limited time
Table: Action plan
(Source: Created by author)
Outcomes
The outcomes of the methodology used were effective, as I could understand
the required skills that are necessary for the development of projects. The action
plan that I had made helped me to understand my priorities so that I can develop the
skills and sub skills one at a time. As stated by Kerzner (2018) development of
related sub skills can help in the development of the major skill. Hence, in my case
the development of the sub skills such as leadership skills, communication skills and
time management skill have helped me to embrace project management in a proper
manner.
Measurable evidence can be provided that outline the effectiveness of my
personal skills. An example can be provided based on the early days of my skill
development. I was assigned with a task that needed to be completed within 2
weeks and due to the urgency I had instructed the staffs about the method to be
used for approaching the task. However, initially I faltered but managed to use the
theoretical concepts of leadership in a practical manner that helped me to complete
the work on time. Thus, it can be said that the application of the skills and sub skills
are measurable and can be developed with time.

10
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
In my case, the project management skills are directed towards the
development of the engineering techniques for projects in the refinery. I can use my
improved project management skills to ensure that activities done help in the efficient
operation of the facility and at the same time access direct report in order to
ascertain their skill sets and identify training requirements. For example, I need to set
periods in which a project needs to be completed keeping in mind the crucial
elements required for project completion. At the same time, the experience that I
have gained over the course of the years can help me to motivate the employees.
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded that in order to succeed in an organisation it is
essential that every individual develop a set of skills that can help him or her in an
organisation. These skills need to be applied in a professional manner so that an
individual can grow in an organisation as well as aim for the better development of
the company. The skills help in identifying the required elements and capabilities that
exist in an organisation so that development in a professional manner can take
place. Hence, my skill as a project manager can be considered as exceptional for the
development of the organisation as well as its success.
I have seen that in order to succeed it is essential that I continue to develop
my personal skills so that an assessment can be made of the situation that exists in
the market. My skill as a project manager can help me to excel further in the
organisation with an extra effort of providing guidance to the employees that work at
the place. Furthermore, I managed to continue with my managerial courses so that I
can continue to develop my skills further. I needed to find a motivation that can help
me to continue with my journey in the company.

11
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The effect that I had on the organisation with the implementation of skills is
that I managed to inspire the employees that work in the organisation. I had
managed to create a sense of responsibility within them and subsequently, the
productivity of the organisation increased. For my personal growth, I understood the
importance of the development of my skills so that I can become a good leader and
effective in making communication.
Part B-Report
Introduction
The part provides a detailed description of the job that is undertaken by the
Operations Manager. As stated by Anand and Gray (2017) operations manager is in
charge of the planning and execution of the functions and activities that take place in
an organisation. The functions of operations manager is to ensure that the
production process is kept under control and redesigning of the business strategies
are made so that effective goods and services can be manufactured and rendered
by an organisation. In this case, it is necessary to understand the job description of
an operations manager based on the analysis of an advertisement. At the same
time, the challenges that successful candidates can face in an organisation while
managing operations is taken under consideration. Hence, the methods by which the
issues at hand can be addressed are also identified so that an organisation can be
successful in the operations of management.
Job description of an Operations Manager
According to Swink et al. (2016), the job of an operations manager in a
business is pivotal in any form of business. It is necessary for every operations
manager to depend upon the nature and size of an organisation before providing