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What does a project team lead do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.
What does a project team lead do

A project team lead sets up the expectations for the team members. Project team leads are in charge of setting the direction for the team members. They see to it that the members will not stray from the team's goals. They lead and engage in project works. It is their job to maintain the dynamics of the team. It is their aim not to fail in their management and leadership skills. They need to have conflict and resolution skills, communication skills, attention to detail, and patience.

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Project team lead responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real project team lead resumes:

  • Manage UAT, build test plans, regression testing, compile results, training.
  • Lead the program integration effort for a major conversion / upgrade of ERP software for military aircraft production programs.
  • Design SharePoint Wiki sites, and manage SharePoint environment.
  • Manage RFP large scale network/infrastructure relate expansion, integration, and/or decommissioning projects.
  • Lead team that develop an integrate database with a web-base user interface that allow repair crews in locating information and equipment.
  • Design and implement SQL data table setup and program financial and payroll system interfaces.
  • Optimize sway bar design by using skills of FEA
  • Used SQL to query and mine content to obtain metrics, trends, etc.
  • Involve in development of the core architecture to optimize performance of the Novell business solutions.
  • Implement new PL/SQL procedures for to change in business logic for order creation in Sinsen.
  • Develop logic for the implementation of the program used to convert to PC base field reporting.
  • Image all PC's using RIS technology; add user-specific applications, profiles, and e-mail information.
  • Project functions include building windows and web applications for corporate users, national accounts, agents and transferees.
  • Conduct FEA analysis on the turbine discs to determine maximum operating speed, and aid in material selection.
  • Used CNC (computer numerical control) machines and hand tools to custom make parts from team drawings.

Project team lead skills and personality traits

We calculated that 15% of Project Team Leads are proficient in Project Management, R, and Project Scope. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Problem-solving skills.

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

  • Project Management, 15%

    Provide project management expertise to support the professional development of team members, including problem solving and managing challenging client scenarios.

  • R, 8%

    Project Name: V 2 R (Oracle Application Implementation R 12) Project Description Implementation of Oracle Applications R12.

  • Project Scope, 6%

    Analyzed project scope to develop project timetables to execute implementation in a cost effective manner.

  • Logistics, 6%

    Tasked to promote reverse logistics operational profitability, leading multiple projects through completion.

  • Database, 5%

    Led team that developed an integrated database with a web-based user interface that allowed repair crews in locating information and equipment.

  • HVAC, 5%

    Managed a team of project managers and engineers to deliver $3M portfolio of HVAC projects in Chicago South territory.

Most project team leads use their skills in "project management," "r," and "project scope" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential project team lead responsibilities here:

Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a project team lead to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "computer support specialists must be patient and sympathetic." Project team leads often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "validated and managed changes to customer master files for the company's conversion to the peoplesoft erp platform. "

Listening skills. Another essential skill to perform project team lead duties is listening skills. Project team leads responsibilities require that "support workers must be able to understand the problems that their customers are describing and know when to ask questions to clarify the situation." Project team leads also use listening skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "communicated with all levels of management on a regular basis to provide status reports on all processes. "

Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for project team leads to perform their duties. For an example of how project team lead responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "support workers must identify both simple and complex computer problems, analyze them, and solve them." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a project team lead: "managed the edi interface to the erp solution (mfg/pro). ".

Speaking skills. A big part of what project team leads do relies on "speaking skills." You can see how essential it is to project team lead responsibilities because "support workers must describe the solutions to computer problems in a way that a nontechnical person can understand." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical project team lead tasks: "presented verified equipment packages meeting iso ts16949 standards for critical attribute documentation. "

Writing skills. Another crucial skill for a project team lead to carry out their responsibilities is "writing skills." A big part of what project team leads relies on this skill, since "strong writing skills are useful for preparing instructions and email responses for employees and customers, as well as for real-time web chat interactions." How this skill relates to project team lead duties can be seen in an example from a project team lead resume snippet: "minimized rewrites and shortened editorial and sme review time by training writers on authoring tools and writing standards. "

All project team lead skills

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Compare different project team leads

Project team lead vs. Senior analyst/project manager

A senior analyst project manager's main job is to track the milestones of their company's important projects. They also manage the clients' databases. They are responsible for distributing databases to the sales representatives. They also help in automating their company.

The annual salary of senior analyst/project managers is $7,990 higher than the average salary of project team leads.Even though project team leads and senior analyst/project managers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require project management, project scope, and process improvement in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, project team lead responsibilities require skills like "r," "logistics," "database," and "hvac." Meanwhile a typical senior analyst/project manager has skills in areas such as "crm," "business analysis," "data warehouse," and "data analysis." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Senior analyst/project managers tend to make the most money working in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $115,212. In contrast, project team leads make the biggest average salary, $115,815, in the finance industry.senior analyst/project managers tend to reach higher levels of education than project team leads. In fact, senior analyst/project managers are 5.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Project team lead vs. Operations project manager

An operations project manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the project team, ensuring that the operations meet the clients' standards and internal regulations with maximum productivity and efficiency. Operations project managers manage the department's budget and allocate materials and resources accurately, maintaining a record of expenses and costs forecasting. They coordinate with the clients, discussing project adjustments or additional tasks as needed, and lead project execution and deliverables by determining the team's needs and concerns, and enforcing strategic procedures.

On average, operations project managers earn a $14,954 lower salary than project team leads a year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both project team leads and operations project managers have skills such as "project management," "r," and "project scope. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, project team lead responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "database," "project plan," "retrofit," and "sql server." Meanwhile, an operations project manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "business operations," "risk management," "business process," and "provide management." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Operations project managers may earn a lower salary than project team leads, but operations project managers earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $90,596. On the other hand, project team leads receive higher pay in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $115,815.operations project managers earn similar levels of education than project team leads in general. They're 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

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

Tammy Bosley Ph.D.Tammy Bosley Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator for Communication Studies, Lorain County Community College

I think we'll continue to use digital platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, and Teams. We'll likely see improved options in these platforms, such as enhanced breakout rooms, better file-sharing capabilities, and synchronous document creation/editing. If we continue to work from home, these platforms will also need to do well on smartphones.

Project team lead vs. Technical project manager

The role of technical project managers is to oversee the planning and management of projects within a company. They are considered as the lead subject matter expert in terms of technology concerns. They have varied duties that include ensuring the completion of projects within an established budget and time frame, hiring and training support members, and improving resource management and project planning. They also communicate with stakeholders and collaborate with other departments, all to attain a common goal.

An average technical project manager eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of project team leads. The difference in salaries amounts to technical project managers earning a $2,899 higher average salary than project team leads.Using the responsibilities included on project team leads and technical project managers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "project management," "r," and "project scope.rdquo;

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from project team lead resumes include skills like "logistics," "database," "hvac," and "project plan," whereas a technical project manager is more likely to list skills in "technical project," "scrum," "infrastructure," and "jira. "

Technical project managers earn the highest salary when working in the finance industry, where they receive an average salary of $107,505. Comparatively, project team leads have the highest earning potential in the finance industry, with an average salary of $115,815.technical project managers typically earn similar educational levels compared to project team leads. Specifically, they're 3.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Project team lead vs. Lead project coordinator

Lead project coordinators average a lower salary than the annual salary of project team leads. The difference is about $28,943 per year.While their salaries may vary, project team leads and lead project coordinators both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "project scope," "process improvement," and "sql server. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A project team lead uses "project management," "r," "logistics," and "database." Lead project coordinators are more likely to have duties that require skills in "customer service," "data collection," "production process," and "onsite. "lead project coordinators enjoy the best pay in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $70,467. For comparison, project team leads earn the highest salary in the finance industry.The average resume of lead project coordinators showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to project team leads. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 4.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 1.3%.

Types of project team lead

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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