15 Key Project Management Roles and Responsibilities

Learn the 15 key project management roles, how they work together, and the one tool that keeps everything on track.

As projects grow, so do project management roles. Without clear responsibilities, confusion and delays arise.

To avoid this, every stakeholder needs clarity on who does what, when, and how.

• For ambitious project leaders like Nicholas Kovacich, Head of Product at Exclusible: Growth means learning without scope creep.
• For executives like Kurt Kratchman, CEO of Virti: Success depends on knowing who is responsible for what and whom to hold accountable.

We hosted Nicholas and Kurt on our podcast. Their insights showed us exactly what each role does and how teams stay aligned.

This guide explains 15 essential project management roles, outlining each person's responsibilities and how they work together—whether you're a team member, team lead, or executive.

Project management team roles and responsibilities

15 key project team roles and responsibilities

1. Project sponsor

The role of a project sponsor is to fund the project, but that's not all. Sponsors also set goals, define strategic direction, and align the project with business objectives.

Ideally, senior executives are sponsors who link the project team to company leadership.

Example:

A software company launching a new CRM needs funding and executive buy-in. The project sponsor (CTO) secures investment, approves milestones and aligns the product with the company's vision.

What does a project sponsor do?

Project sponsors don't handle day-to-day tasks. They do these instead:

• Provide oversight on strategic decisions
• Approve budgets and milestones
• Delegate project execution to the project manager

Who do they answer to?

• Project sponsors are accountable to senior management, executive leadership, and stakeholders, especially since they're often members of the board themselves.

How Meegle helps

Using Charts (a dashboard function on Meegle), project sponsors can easily track and approve timelines, performance, and budget utilization. For granular, high-level insights on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Charts include functions like:

• Data drill-down — to view corresponding chart data on the same page
• Calculated fields — to customize how KPI success metrics are calculated
• Customized views and chart types — to display and share real-time data for different scenarios

2. Project manager (PM)

Project managers, in simpler terms, execute delegated tasks. They plan and deliver projects within scope, time, and budget.

Example:

In a website redesign project, the PM assigns tasks to the UI/UX team, sets deadlines and monitors output.

What does a project manager do?

Overall, PMs oversee team coordination, risk management, and stakeholder communication. For specifics, they:

• Define project scopes and objectives
• Delegate tasks to project members
• Track project progress and mitigate risks

Read more: How to Define and Create a Project Scope

Who do they answer to?

PMs report to two groups:

• Project sponsors — provide reports on delegated execution
• Stakeholders — provide updates on project progress

How Meegle helps

Using the Gantt View (one of Meegle's Views ), project managers can plan, assign, and track tasks. For better monitoring, there are two display settings:

• Time range — to sort tasks by 4 units, monthly, bi-monthly, half-yearly, and yearly

• Gantt bar format — to choose between content-first and color-first modes

3. Business analyst (BA)

BAs are quite similar to project sponsors. They align project objectives with business goals. The difference: BAs are the bridge between business needs and technical execution.

Example:

The BA of a game development firm will gather input from sales, marketing, and customer service teams for product alignment.

What does a business analyst do?

As a BA, you'll:

• Document project requirements
• Create business cases
• Check and confirm that features align with the company's strategy

Who do they answer to?

• Typically, BAs report to the project manager or, in product-led teams, the product owner or executives.

How Meegle helps

Using the Project Life Cycle Template, BAs can create detailed business cases by outlining objectives, ROI, and risk assessments. The template also includes collaboration functions such as:

• Dashboard and Charts — Track whether business goals are being met throughout each project phase
• Projects (node-driven workflow) — Enable seamless cross-functional collaboration with stakeholders, as well as marketing, sales, support, and development teams

4. Resource manager

Resource managers oversee personnel and tools (resources). They make sure projects are delivered on time and within budget while preventing burnout.

Example:

The resource manager of a mobile app development project will prevent the over-allocation of developers to ensure balanced frontend/backend workloads to meet a sprint goal.

What does a resource manager do?

As a resource manager, you'll:

• Analyze team capacity
• Assign personnel to tasks
• Monitor resource utilization

Who do they answer to?

• Resource managers typically report to the project manager or HR department.

How Meegle helps

Using Member Schedule (a function of the Gantt chart), resource managers can check the workload distribution of team members in multiple project spaces and various types of work items. Based on availability, they can reassign tasks to prevent overloading.

5. Project team member

Project team members are the backbone of success. They execute assigned tasks and contribute to project outcomes.

Depending on the project, project team members have different specialties. Some might work in design, product testing, writing, or DevOps roles.

Example:

A UX designer in a website redesign project handles wireframes, mockups, and usability.

What does a project team member do?

As a project team member, you'll:

• Receive specific tasks
• Deliver the work assignments within the deadlines
• Provide progress updates on all deliverables

Who do they answer to?

• Project team members report to the project manager, team or department lead.

How Meegle helps

Team members can view their deliverables, deadlines, and task dependencies in a personalized dashboard. They can also collaborate with peers and update progress directly in their workspace.

6. Stakeholder

Stakeholders have vested interests in a project's success. They influence direction through feedback and expectations. Ideally, they are decision-makers, e.g., executives, investors, customers, or department heads.

Example:

A VP of Marketing overseeing an app's branding ensures alignment with the company’s positioning and messaging.

What does a stakeholder do?

As a stakeholder, you'll:

• Provide input
• Review progress
• Approve major project decisions

Who do they answer to?

• Stakeholders typically don’t have a direct reporting line but collaborate closely with the project sponsor and manager.

How Meegle helps

With the Node-driven workflow, stakeholders will gain a holistic view timely updates on project milestones without needing constant check-ins. They can also leave comments or feedback directly in specific nodes to influence project direction.

Read more: Stakeholder Management in Project Management: Strategies & Tools

7. Product owner (PO)

POs are the voice of the customers. They typically function in Agile projects to define and prioritize product backlog.

In short, they facilitate feature alignment with business and user needs.

Example:

The PO for a SaaS platform update will prioritize new features based on user feedback and direct developers to focus on high-impact tasks.

What does a product owner do?

As a PO, you'll:

• Create user stories
• Prioritize tasks
• Collaborate closely with developers for smooth execution
• Work with scrum masters and business analysts to refine product goals

Who do they answer to?

• Depending on the organization, POs report to the product manager or senior leadership.

How Meegle helps

Using the Feature Management Template, POs can plan, organize, and track product features. It includes customizable boards for different work items, such as:

• Tasks — to manage subtasks on the node and ensure the team is aligned with feature goals.
• Bugs — to log and track issues
• Sprints — to monitor sprint progress

Quick note: The PO is not the product manager. It is a function of the latter.

8. Scrum master

Scrum masters facilitate sprints, stand-ups, and retrospectives in Agile development teams. They do so by removing roadblocks, e.g., unclear requirements from stakeholders.

Example:

A scrum master in a fintech startup ensures smooth sprint execution by tracking burndown charts and addressing blockers in real-time.

What does a scrum master do?

As a scrum master, you'll:

• Guide teams on Agile methodology
• Resolve impediments
• Optimize sprint workflows

Who do they answer to?

• Scrum masters often collaborate with project managers or product owners and may report to either depending on the organization.

How Meegle helps

Using Meegle's Agile Development Template, Scrum Masters can facilitate daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives. It includes boards for work items such as:

• Bugs — to identify and resolve blockers
• Stories — to manage the full lifecycle of user stories
• Tasks — to reassign tasks and maintain sprint velocity

9. Quality assurance tester

QA testers maintain quality across all project deliverables. This involves identifying defects and confirming that all features work as expected.

Example:

The QA tester of a healthcare app will conduct thorough performance and security testing in compliance-sensitive environments, addressing any bugs or vulnerabilities before and after the app's launch.

What does a quality assurance tester do?

As a QA tester, you'll:

• Conduct tests
• Log bugs
• Validate fixes before deployment

Who do they answer to?

• QA testers report to the project manager or development lead.

How Meegle helps

Using the Sprint boards in Meegle, QA testers can track reported bugs and test cases within task workflows, linking test outcomes to specific features or sprints for better traceability.

10. Risk manager

Risk managers identify potential project-halting risks and mitigate them before they escalate. To do that, they work closely with project managers, financial analysts, and procurement teams.

Example:

The risk manager for an e-com business will identify risks (like supply chain disruptions and resource shortages) and devise the means to mitigate them.

What does a risk manager do?

As a risk manager, you'll:

• Analyze potential threats
• Create risk response strategies
• Monitor high-risk areas
• Adjust project timelines and plans as necessary to mitigate issues

Who do they answer to?

• Risk managers often report to project managers or sponsors.

How Meegle helps

Using customized Agile formula calculation fields, risk managers can set up alerts or mitigation workflows triggered by specific risk thresholds.

11. Procurement manager

Procurement managers ensure that projects have the necessary resources, such as materials, tools, or services, at the lowest possible cost. Without a procurement manager, projects are more likely to face cost overruns.

Example:

In a software development project, the procurement manager provides cloud storage, development tools, and security software.

What does a procurement manager do?

As a procurement manager, you'll:

• Handle supplier contracts
• Compare bids
• Approve purchases
• Collaborate with financial analysts and project managers to ensure budgets stay on track

Who do they answer to?

• Typically, procurement managers report to the finance team or the project sponsor.

How Meegle helps

With Work Item Association, procurement managers can manage vendor tasks, contract deadlines, and purchase approvals in one shared workspace, making collaboration with other roles seamless.

12. Change manager

Change managers help teams transition smoothly to new tools, processes, and structures. Without one, project team members, particularly, might resist new workflows.

Example:

A company introduces Meegle as its PM tool. The change manager organizes onboarding sessions, showing all team members how to use Meegle’s dashboards and templates. They also adapt training materials for different departments and collect feedback to refine the rollout.

What does a change manager do?

As a change manager, you'll:

• Develop training programs
• Set expectations
• Measure adoption rates
• Help employees understand the purpose behind the transition

Who do they answer to

• Change managers report to senior leadership, the project manager, or a transformation office.

How Meegle helps

Meegle streamlines change management by enabling configurable approval workflows that help maintain control during sensitive project phases. Change managers can set up rules to block unauthorized changes, initiate approval processes for updates to nodes or schedules, and define conditions that must be met before changes are applied.

Using the Change Management plug-in, change managers can:

• Prevent changes to node schedules or subtask estimates once critical milestones are reached.
• Configure multi-condition triggers for initiating change approvals—based on project roles, field values, or completion status.
• Set up Meegle approval flows, allowing cross-platform integration and stakeholder review before changes go live.
• Use dynamic conditions to automate checks and streamline complex approval logic.

13. Communications manager

Communications managers manage the information flow within a project. They oversee everything from internal updates and stakeholder reporting to crisis communication.

Without one, teams and stakeholders may face miscommunication and missed expectations.

Example:

During a marketing rebrand, a communications manager sends weekly reports to all stakeholders. These updates provide visibility into what's been completed, what's delayed, and what decisions are needed next, helping teams make informed calls and stay aligned.

What does a communications manager do?

As a communications manager, you'll:

• Develop messaging strategies
• Send out reports
• Maintain stakeholder engagement

Who do they answer to?

• Communications managers report to the project manager, chief communications officer, or senior executives.

How Meegle helps

Meegle offers centralized dashboards and role-based views, which allows communications managers to easily consolidate project updates across departments. Visual workflows help track progress in real time, while automation features ensure that reports are sent on schedule, minimizing manual effort and avoiding information gaps.

14. Financial analyst

Working closely with PMs and procurement teams, financial analysts help ensure financial feasibility and control. They monitor expenses, forecast budget needs, and analyze financial risks.

Without one, teams may exceed their budget or struggle to allocate resources effectively throughout the project.

Example:

In an enterprise software migration project, the financial analyst tracks expenses, forecasts budgets, and plans cash flow to avoid overspending on licensing and infrastructure.

What does a financial analyst do?

As a financial analyst, you'll:

• Create financial reports
• Track cost variances
• Provide financial insights to decision-makers

Who do they answer to?

• Financial analysts report to the CFO, project sponsor, or finance director.

How Meegle helps

Using the Project Life Cycle template, financial analysts have ready-to-use cost analysis tables and reports. This will help track and limit overruns at every point during project execution.

15. IT support specialist

IT support specialists manage project-critical systems, software, and integrations to keep technical operations running smoothly. Without one, projects risk software failures or security issues that can cause costly delays and downtime.

Example:

In a remote work environment, IT support ensures all team members have secure access to a PM tool like Meegle by handling user provisioning, VPN setup, and integration support to keep systems running smoothly.

What does an IT support specialist do?

As an IT support specialist, you'll:

• Troubleshoot technical issues
• Set up the necessary software
• Manage integrations

Who do they answer to?

• IT support reports to the IT manager, chief technology officer (CTO), or project manager.

How Meegle helps

With Meegle’s role-based access controls, IT specialists can grant secure, tailored permissions to users across functions. They can also streamline onboarding using automation for provisioning access and managing updates.

For developer teams, Git Integration ensures seamless syncing of tickets and pull requests, reducing manual troubleshooting.

Meegle’s centralized dashboards give IT a clear view of developing status and performance across the project.

Best practices for effective project execution

Executing a project successfully requires clear roles, efficient communication, and the right tools to track progress. Here are key best practices to ensure smooth execution:

1. Define roles clearly: Each team member should know their responsibilities. Meegle's role and member assignment help clarify accountability and prevent confusion.
2. Monitor task dependencies: Delays often occur when tasks depend on others. Using Meegle's visual workflows, project managers can track bottlenecks and keep work flowing.
3. Use data-driven decision-making: Regularly analyze reports and insights. Meegle's risk mitigation feature (project life cycle template) helps teams make informed decisions.
4. Enhance collaboration: Encourage open communication between project managers, stakeholders, and team members using automated updates and real-time dashboards.
5. Adapt to changes: Projects evolve, so having change managers in place ensures smooth transitions, with tools like Meegle's automation helping manage updates efficiently.

By following these best practices and leveraging Meegle's features, teams can execute projects seamlessly and drive successful outcomes.

How project management roles collaborate using Meegle

Everyone, from project team members to stakeholders, has a role in making a project successful. Meegle makes it easier for them to share updates, stay in sync, and make timely decisions.

Share updates

1. Personalized dashboards

Each role, from team members to project sponsors, gets a dashboard customized to their responsibilities. These dashboards display assigned tasks, deadlines, priority items, and relevant project updates.

• How it aids collaboration: Team members can share progress in real time, while project managers and stakeholders get instant visibility without sending emails or requesting status updates.
• Example: An email marketer marks a task as complete on their dashboard. The project manager sees the update reflected in the team dashboard, and the stakeholder receives an automated summary notification.

Check out Meegle's Email Marketing template to oversee the entire email marketing lifecycle.

2. Automation triggers

Automation triggers allow teams to set up notifications or actions based on project events like task completions, deadline changes, or milestone achievements.

• How it aids collaboration: Everyone stays informed without manual follow-ups. Stakeholders and managers can react quickly to changes, while contributors stay focused on work.
• Example: When a developer completes a critical backend task, Meegle automatically alerts the QA tester and sends a progress report to the sponsor.

Interested in seamless app development? Use Meegle's App Development Project Management Template to streamline and organize the entire app development process, from initial feature ideation to final delivery.

Stay in sync

3. Gantt View + Member Schedule

The Gantt View lets project managers plan and visualize timelines, while the Member Schedule overlays availability, workloads, and time-off data.

• How it aids collaboration: Project managers can coordinate tasks without overbooking team members, and resource managers can shift workloads to avoid burnout.
• Example: The PM notices a UI designer is overbooked for the week. Using the Member Schedule, they shift some tasks to another available designer. Everyone involved, including the BA and communications lead, is automatically notified of the new schedule.

Read more: Mastering Time: A Comparative Evaluation of Project Scheduling Techniques

4. Node-driven workflow

This groups related tasks, conversations, and decisions into a single visual "node." It helps product owners, BAs, stakeholders, and change managers work in context.

• How it aids collaboration: Rather than switching between tools or threads, teams can discuss changes, make decisions, and assign follow-ups within the same workflow.
• Example: A stakeholder suggests changing a key feature. The BA and PO review the request within the same node, provide feasibility feedback, and the change manager adjusts the internal training task all in one place.

Make timely decisions

5. Charts + Calculated Fields

Real-time charts with customizable calculated fields help teams track KPIs, budgets, and performance metrics. Financial analysts, sponsors, and PMs use these to monitor the health of the project.

• How it aids collaboration: When metrics dip or trends shift, teams can act fast on adjusting budgets, timelines, or resources.
• Example: A chart shows marketing ROI dropping below target. The financial analyst flags it, the communications manager shifts strategy, and the PM reallocates time to optimize the next campaign phase.

6. Risk mitigation + alerts

Meegle's risk management system includes templates for identifying, scoring, and responding to risks. This comes along with automated alerts for threshold breaches.

• How it aids collaboration: Risks are noticed early, and cross-functional teams can coordinate responses before problems escalate.
• Example: A missed vendor delivery sets off a risk alert. The risk manager triggers a mitigation plan, the procurement lead contacts the vendor, and the change manager adjusts rollout plans — all within hours.

Everything we just covered, from real-time updates to personalized dashboards, is available for teams of up to 20 at zero cost. Use them to stay in sync and achieve your project goals faster.

Try Meegle for free!

FAQs

What are the 4 main roles in a project team?

The four main roles in a project team are the Project Manager, who oversees execution; Project Sponsor, who provides resources; Team Members, who complete tasks; and Stakeholders, who influence decisions.

What are the five key roles in project management?

The five key project management roles include Project Manager, Project Sponsor, Business Analyst, Resource Manager, and Stakeholders, all working together to ensure project success.

What are the roles of a project manager?

A project manager defines objectives, assigns tasks, tracks progress, mitigates risks, and communicates with stakeholders to ensure timely and successful project completion.

What are the four types of project management roles?

The four types of project management roles are Strategic (e.g., Sponsor), Tactical (e.g., Project Manager), Operational (e.g., Team Members), and Support (e.g., Analysts, Risk Managers).