Functional managers oversee performance reviews for a department or organization, and may also manage specific projects. They typically work closely with project managers and ensure alignment with overall goals. When the two roles are combined, the manager is responsible for both organizational and project needs.
Functional managers, also known as line managers, can manage performance reviews for a specific department or an entire organization. Project managers generally report to managers at this level, although some organizations combine the two positions. In this situation, the manager would also oversee specific projects in addition to the general needs of the organization.
One’s duties and responsibilities in this job depend on whether there is a project manager in the organization. Individuals in these two positions tend to work closely together, but their role involvement will vary based on the culture and needs of a particular company.
Typically, a project manager will report to a functional manager, who will provide a link to senior management. This top-level manager also usually manages and controls the resources needed to complete a project. For this reason, strong cooperation and communication between workers in both positions is crucial to the timely and effective completion of any open project. It is also important that managers clearly understand their specific roles in order to prevent unnecessary conflicts from developing.
If there are two types of managers in an organization, the functional manager will typically oversee all projects rather than play a specific role in completion. In this role, he or she will ensure that all projects are aligned with the organization’s overall goals and philosophy. An organization with both positions is often referred to as highly functional.
These managers may also oversee a specific department. An individual in this role would monitor one or several projects for adherence to the organization’s overall needs and department-specific requirements. This typically includes properly allocating and organizing resources so that there is a healthy balance between the needs of all parties involved, from executives to the workers assigned to the project.
If the two roles are combined, the position can involve everything from ensuring compliance with organizational needs to the nitty-gritty of departmental requirements and the project itself. There may even be multiple projects for which the functional manager would have responsibility. When there is no separate position, the organization is often referred to as highly engineered.
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