Sample Project Charter PROJECT CHARTER Project Title: Project Management Resource Training and Deployment Scope and Objectives: The XYZ Corporation has determined that it is understaffed in relation to fully trained and appropriately deployed project managers. There is an urgent need to identify potential candidates internally and create training programs to develop their project management skills. Further, project managers within the corporation must perceive a career path through the project management function to promotion to higher corporate levels. Overview: Since 2015, business-related commercial projects have increased by 55%, resulting in average resource commitment of 31 hours per week on project-related activities. Average project performance since 2015 has been significantly degraded: average cost overrun = 28%, average schedule overrun = 34%, and quality failure mitigation costs have increased by 24%. Project man- ager resources have decreased in real numbers from 112 in 2012 to 87 in 2017 (a loss of 22%). The Human Resources department projects that we will see an additional 41 project managers retire within the next three years. The XYZ Corporation cannot continue to sustain the losses from project ventures, coupled with the loss of senior project personnel. This project was initiated to begin identifying and training a replacement cohort of project managers. General Objectives: 1. Identify potential project managers from within Engineering, Commercial, and Supply Chain functions. 2. Determine the critical skill set that successful project managers need at XYZ. 3. Develop training programs to promote the critical project management skill set. Specific Objectives: 1. Identify potential project managers. a. Determine strong candidates through mentoring and experience on projects. b. Enlist their willingness to commit to project management as a career path. c. Develop “candidate ready” list and “potential future candidate” list. 2. Determine critical project management skills. a. Survey leaders and team members of past successful projects. b. Work with local university faculty to create a database of critical skills. 3. Initiate project manager training program. a. Secure top management support and funding. b. Identify appropriate HR staff and university faculty for training. Defining Conditions and Constraints: The project management resource training and deployment program must be operational within six months of approval. The program will occur in three phases: (1) project management skill survey, (2) candidate identification, and (3) program development. All elements of the survey and candidate identification must be completed before formal approval of the training initiatives. The final phase will be collaboration with industry experts and university faculty on formal training. Project Organization: Key members of the project team are: 1. Sponsor: George Blankenship, VP of Human Resources 2. Project Manager: Sarah Hughes, Senior Engineer 3. Disciplinary Representatives: Teresa Connelly, Supply Chain a. Teresa Connelly, Supply Chain and Procurement b. Vince Walters, Commercial c. Evan Telemann, Engineering 4. Team members: No more than two additional team members from the disciplinary functions will be appointed, based on recommendations from the disciplinary representatives. All team members will be 100% dedicated to the project for a period of not less than 90 business days. Project Manager Responsibilities: 1. Staffing – The project manager is ultimately responsible for the performance of all members of the team and will be granted authority, in collaboration with each person’s current disciplinary manager, to complete a performance appraisal for the calendar year. The project manager is authorized to use one member of the clerical staff on a half-time (20 hours) basis per week for the duration of the project. Additional staff support may be available upon request. 2. Budget – The estimated budget for this project, including fully loaded personnel charges, is $240,000, to be charged against the Human Resources budget in three equal monthly installments. Additional budget money may be available upon formal request submitted jointly by the project manager and sponsor to the executive committee. 3. Status Updates – All communications on project status must be made to the chief executive officer. Additionally, monthly updates on the project status will be made at executive committee meetings. 4. Planning/Tracking – The project will use standard corporate tracking software (MS Project) and will report on schedule, exception reports, slippages, and cost performance. Additionally, earned value metrics (SPI and CPI) will be employed throughout the project duration. 5. Change Control and Configuration – The project manager will have authority to make changes to the project provided they do not exceed $2,500 and have no negative impact on the project schedule. Otherwise, changes to the project scope or development must receive sponsor approval. 6. Project Plan – A formal project plan, including Statement of Work (SOW), risk assessment and mitigation, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), schedule, and budget must be submitted to the sponsor no later than June 15. Authority: The project manager will have full authority to identify necessary tasks and resources needed to help complete these assignments. Where resource conflicts occur, the sponsor and other disciplinary VPs will resolve them. Approvals: Vice President Engineering ___________________________________ Vice President Supply Chain and Procurement ___________________________________ Vice President Commercial ___________________________________ Vice President Human Resources ___________________________________ President and CEO ___________________________________ Source: Pinto, J. K. (2019) Project management: achieving competitive advantage. Fifth Edition. New York, NY: Pearson.
