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What does a project consultant do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Brian Simmons
What does a project consultant do

A project consultant is responsible for communicating with the clients for their specific needs, develop strategic plans, and determine project resources to achieve their business goals and objectives. Project consultants are employed across various industries, offering their knowledge and expertise to facilitate clients' requests and propositions. They also collaborate with different development teams to discuss project parameters and analyze opportunities to improve plans and progress efficiency. A project consultant must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, responding to clients' inquiries and concerns, and providing recommendations to ensure successful project completion.

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Project consultant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real project consultant resumes:

  • Lead a pilot project to introduce strong document management features to support document repositories in SharePoint.
  • Manage a team responsible for designing service-orient application architecture, standards and best practices guidelines, security and data access frameworks.
  • Create SQL scripts to implement test unit cases and ensure data quality.
  • Gather all systems, applications and processes documentation into one repository on SharePoint to enable incoming vendor education.
  • Implement strategic initiatives for operational transformation, including SDLC processes, role specialization, order tracking and labor tracking.
  • Develop amendment projection and confirmations user interfaces using JavaScript and XML and develop PL/SQL procedures and packages to handle business logic.
  • Retain and attract visitors by updating site content regularly through the CMS.
  • Utilize and identify opportunities to enhance CRM and CMS systems while supporting internal team with ad hoc projects.
  • Perform periodic technology``refresh"by upgrading both hardware and/or software to POS applications.
  • Launch and direct an information technology governance structure for senior leadership team.

Project consultant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 16% of Project Consultants are proficient in Customer Service, Project Management, and Client Facing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Interpersonal skills.

We break down the percentage of Project Consultants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 16%

    Manage process improvement projects from inception to completion while maintaining budgetary constraints, project team performance and superior customer service.

  • Project Management, 12%

    Recruited to provide project management and lead initiatives for the procurement and project oversight of enterprise software selection and implementation thereof.

  • Client Facing, 6%

    Designed and developed client facing applications and collaborated with key stakeholders to identify and organize data sources.

  • Project Scope, 5%

    Established proposed system functionality, project scope and user requirements.

  • Process Improvement, 5%

    Represent departmental key stake holders on projects to implement investor program requirements, updates, company technology enhancements and process improvement.

  • Healthcare, 4%

    Unified Health Care System is for Department of Defense (DOD) VA and MHS (Military HealthCare system).

Most project consultants use their skills in "customer service," "project management," and "client facing" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential project consultant responsibilities here:

Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a project consultant to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "management analysts must be able to interpret information and use their findings to make proposals." Project consultants often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "assisted company in implementing a new erp system by reviewing purchasing and accounts payable procedures and testing data. "

Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform project consultant duties is communication skills. Project consultants responsibilities require that "management analysts must be able to convey information clearly in both writing and speaking." Project consultants also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provided advice and recommendations on employee, hr and operational communications. "

Interpersonal skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of project consultants is interpersonal skills. This skill is critical to many everyday project consultant duties, as "management analysts work with managers and other employees of the organizations for which they provide consulting services." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "designed new courses in leadership development, interpersonal skills, performance management, team development and conflict management. "

Problem-solving skills. For certain project consultant responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of a project consultant rely on this skill, as "management analysts must be able to think creatively to solve clients’ problems." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what project consultants do: "sap erp, worked on sap application to support honeywell canada/usa building solutions sales business. "

Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for a project consultant to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what project consultants relies on this skill, since "management analysts often work under tight deadlines and must use their time efficiently to complete projects on schedule." How this skill relates to project consultant duties can be seen in an example from a project consultant resume snippet: "directed short-term project portfolio (36 programs) during healthcare program expansion and migration phase on time and on budget. "

See the full list of project consultant skills

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Compare different project consultants

Project consultant vs. Project officer

A project officer provides vital support to a project by monitoring deadlines for each project task and closely monitors the project schedule. They work with the project manager and other team members to reach the project target. They can work in almost every field of industry, such as construction, communications, education, and even sales. They can also do administrative tasks, including arranging team meetings, file project documents to the database, and technological skills, and they report directly to the Project Manager to assess project progress and to discuss future steps.

If we compare the average project consultant annual salary with that of a project officer, we find that project officers typically earn a $27,363 lower salary than project consultants make annually.Even though project consultants and project officers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require project management, project scope, and data collection in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between project consultants and project officer. For instance, project consultant responsibilities require skills such as "customer service," "client facing," "process improvement," and "healthcare." Whereas a project officer is skilled in "press releases," "project proposals," "logistical support," and "dod." This is part of what separates the two careers.

On average, project officers reach similar levels of education than project consultants. Project officers are 1.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Project consultant vs. Project specialist

A project specialist's role is to ensure that a project or program's completion is within the allotted time and budget. They are primarily responsible for devising plans and strategies to quicken the pace of production or processes involved, creating a comprehensive schedule, monitoring the progress and producing reports, tracking the budget and expenditures, and coordinating with all department personnel. Moreover, a project specialist may also schedule and attend meetings, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.

A career as a project specialist brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a project consultant. In fact, project specialists salary is $20,661 lower than the salary of project consultants per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Project consultants and project specialists both require similar skills like "customer service," "project management," and "client facing" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, project consultant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "healthcare," "financial statements," "business process," and "strategic plan." Meanwhile, a project specialist has duties that require skills in areas such as "project proposals," "strong customer service," "telemarketing," and "powerpoint." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Average education levels between the two professions vary. Project specialists tend to reach lower levels of education than project consultants. In fact, they're 8.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for project consultants in the next 3-5 years?

Dr. Brian SimmonsDr. Brian Simmons LinkedIn profile

Associate Provost, Columbia International University

COVID 19 has necessitated a rapid academic response to the educational needs of students. Teaching and learning that was conducted in a F2F mode of content delivery were thrust online last spring. Today, much teaching and education continue to be offered, either online or in a blended format. When we get beyond the pandemic, we will engage in reflective practice to glean from our experiences. My hunch is that there will be a new standard and more willingness to engage students online via learning management systems.

Project consultant vs. Implementation consultant

An implementation consultant is an individual who travels to various job sites to help clients with the installation of different software and hardware solutions. Implementation consultants must be knowledgeable of the software application so that they can conduct training sessions for internal and external customers. They develop system teaching aids such as training handbooks, demonstration models, and multimedia visual aids. Implementation consultants must also obtain technical certification, particularly on the specific software and hardware they install.

On average scale, implementation consultants bring in lower salaries than project consultants. In fact, they earn a $6,459 lower salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on project consultants and implementation consultants resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "customer service," "project management," and "client facing.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, project consultants are more likely to have skills like "data collection," "financial statements," "business process," and "strategic plan." But a implementation consultant is more likely to have skills like "technical support," "implementation process," "custom reports," and "enterprise resource planning."

When it comes to education, implementation consultants tend to earn lower degree levels compared to project consultants. In fact, they're 6.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Project consultant vs. Project associate

A project associate (PA) is an individual who ensures that the activities of a project are running smoothly and properly implemented. Project associates are required to provide administrative coordination support to assigned projects and maintain project pending lists and meeting agendas. They must review and process invoices from consultants, subcontractors, and vendors to ensure that they are according to the project's requirements. In collaboration with the senior project officer, project associates should also assist in tracking and documenting project deliverables.

Project associates typically earn lower pay than project consultants. On average, project associates earn a $30,131 lower salary per year.While both project consultants and project associates complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like project management, data collection, and sharepoint, the two careers vary in some skills.While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "customer service," "client facing," "project scope," and "process improvement" are skills that commonly show up on project consultant resumes. On the other hand, project associates use skills like powerpoint, data entry, meeting minutes, and excellent interpersonal on their resumes.project associates reach similar levels of education compared to project consultants, in general. The difference is that they're 1.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of project consultant

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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