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What is a commercial project manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.

The assignment of a commercial project manager is to oversee the development of business projects across the company within several industries. A commercial project manager is responsible for harmonizing the efforts of different team members involved in a project. Your work as a commercial project manager may vary depending on the project you are working on; however, there are core duties applicable to you. This involves defining project goals. You are responsible for defining project goals by drafting out outlines of specific objectives expected from a project. To make the project successful, you must involve different team members by mapping out project goals and objectives.

After establishing this, you are responsible for planning the project. You are also responsible for developing plans for the project, like brainstorming sessions with the head of the department to get a visible picture of how the project should be successful. Plus, you must ensure that projects are delivered when due without unnecessary delays by making sure milestones are met. You are also in charge of monitoring and overseeing the scope of a project, and you will often need to work with the accounting department to analyze the budget.

A Commercial project manager must have strong negotiation skills, excellent analytical skills, outstanding communication skills, and good numerical skills. The average salary of a commercial project manager is $78,000 annually. However, you must be able to provide a bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or other related fields.

What general advice would you give to a commercial project manager?

Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.Nicole Jones Young Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Franklin and Marshall College

Be flexible. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a lot of uncertainty, but has created new opportunities in others. Staying flexible allows individuals to shift focus away from industries or occupations that may be in decline, and re-focus on employment opportunities that may be more aligned with our current moment.
ScoreCommercial Project ManagerUS Average
Salary
6.6

Avg. Salary $84,909

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.8

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 2.86%

Black or African American 3.74%

Hispanic or Latino 17.67%

Unknown 4.45%

White 70.73%

Gender

female 20.78%

male 79.22%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Commercial project manager career paths

Key steps to become a commercial project manager

  1. Explore commercial project manager education requirements

    Most common commercial project manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.9 %

    Associate

    15.5 %

    Master's

    10.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific commercial project manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Project Management22.26%
    Customer Service9.66%
    Roofing9.31%
    Construction Projects4.74%
    OSHA4.73%
  3. Complete relevant commercial project manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commercial project managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commercial project manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commercial project manager resumes.
  4. Research commercial project manager duties and responsibilities

    • Schedule and manage day-to-day activities of service and installation segments of HVAC business, including dispatching service technicians.
    • Manage several parallel infrastructure efforts with various delivery dates, team members and requiring different prioritization for disaster recovery projects.
    • Manage and conduct the development of a SharePoint base system for providing notifications of application and automation releases throughout the enterprise.
    • Train and full range of experience in all OSHA safety requirements.
  5. Prepare your commercial project manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commercial project manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commercial project manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable commercial project manager resume templates

    Build a professional commercial project manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your commercial project manager resume.
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
    Commercial Project Manager Resume
  6. Apply for commercial project manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a commercial project manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first commercial project manager job

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Average commercial project manager salary

The average commercial project manager salary in the United States is $84,909 per year or $41 per hour. Commercial project manager salaries range between $62,000 and $115,000 per year.

Average commercial project manager salary
$84,909 Yearly
$40.82 hourly

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How do commercial project managers rate their job?

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Commercial project manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros

I like to work with a team. Satisfaction of seeing the successful completion of a project

Cons

Strict deadlines, and stakeholders. Feeling undervalued or underappreciated.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

I enjoy problem-solving and identifying a path to completing a complex project. I like to ensure that moving parts come together smoothly and communicating successes and celebrating with the team.

Cons

Without the right support from project sponsors, a project manager is doomed to failure. There is an enormous amount of responsibility on a project manager to deliver a product on time and on budget, though without proper authority or backing, it's basically wheel spinning.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

I like working with Clients and challenges.

Cons

I would rather work remote with little travel.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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