Understand the typical skill and capability requirements of a project team across the project lifecycle, including supplementary specialist advisors.
The project team is essential for providing key project outputs across the project lifecycle. An effective project director will ensure the project team has the appropriate resourcing and support to achieve the delivery of these outputs.
As the requirements for each phase of the project are different, the role and requisite skill and capability of personnel within the project team may vary across the project lifecycle. The TAFE’s in-house resources may be suitable for the project needs. Where there is a gap, you may wish to engage specialised consultants to access specialist skills and additional capacity.
Typically, the project team will be established during the project definition, funding, and approvals phase, with its membership adjusting to the needs of the project across the procurement and delivery phases. The role the following categories of team members will play across the key project lifecycle phases is outlined below:
high-level functional requirements, spatial needs and concept design (if applicable)
project cost estimation
financial modelling and funding requirements, and
commercial structuring and procurement model analysis.
The project director
The project director will usually be responsible for overseeing decisions made by the project manager and providing strategic direction to the project team. The project director should have specialist skills relating to project definition as well as commercial and financial knowledge. For externally funded projects, the project director will need to understand government approval processes related to gaining funding.
For larger projects, the project director may also be responsible for managing stakeholder relationships and providing status reports to a project steering committee (PSC) or project control group (PCG) on the progress of the project.
The project director may be responsible for overseeing a range of business-as-usual (BAU) or low complexity projects simultaneously.
The project manager
The project manager will usually be responsible for managing the day-to-day project activities and coordinating work tasks across the project team, including directing the activity of consultants. For externally funded projects, the project manager will need to understand government approval processes related to gaining funding.
The project manager may be an internal resource or an external specialist advisor depending on available in-house resources.
Please note that under capital works funding agreements for projects over $5m, the TAFE must formally designate a project manager. Where an external party is engaged, they will be expected to be available to the project on a day-to-day basis.
You may require technical resources (including pedagogy and other functional design specialists, architects, engineers, and quantity surveyors) as well as commercial and financial resources to provide assistance in drafting the funding submission/business case, determining appropriate commercial structuring and preparing financial models to help support the project's funding requirements.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the level of in-house capability and capacity, you may need to address key skills gaps through the engagement of external resources.
The facilities team
The facilities team may support the project team during the project definition, funding and approvals phase by helping to ensure that project planning appropriately considers whole-of-life asset outcomes and meets future operational requirements.
Key skills required
The procurement process will typically involve preparing process planning documents, drafting tender documentation, engaging with the market, evaluating responses and selecting a contractor.
Key skills required for this stage include:
project management
stakeholder management
transactional management including an intimate understanding of the selected procurement model to develop a contract management plan (or transaction strategy) with due consideration of probity and process requirements
stakeholder management (including working with user groups to define functional requirements)
technical specification and design capability, including engineering and architectural considerations
project cost estimation, risk analysis, and financial modelling (including affordability/value for money benchmarking analysis)
commercial structuring, negotiation and execution of key project-specific commercial terms, and
legal drafting.
The project director
The project director will not necessarily be the same person as in the project definition, funding and approvals and delivery phases. During procurement, the project director will need to oversee all aspects of the procurement process. The project director should be appropriately skilled and selected based on the type of project as well as the procurement model.
For larger and more complex projects, the project director may also be responsible for delivering an internal tender evaluation plan as well as an evaluation report and continuing to provide key updates to the project steering committee (PSC) or project control group (PCG), as required.
The project manager
The project manager will not necessarily be the same person as in the project definition, funding and approvals and delivery phases. The project manager will typically be responsible for managing the day-to-day project activities and coordinating work tasks across the project team, including directing the activity of consultants. This may include coordinating the development of a procurement plan, preparing tender documentation (including transactional management coordination across various technical, legal and commercial disciplines), evaluating tenders and coordinating inputs for tender evaluation plans and the evaluation report, negotiating and executing contracts.
For larger and more complex projects, the project manager may be required to coordinate specialised working groups for the evaluation of technical, commercial and legal aspects of a tender.
Project team resources
You may require technical resources (architects, engineers, designers and quantity surveyors) to support the development of designs for use in the TAFE’s reference project and tender documentation, to undertake site due diligence and to further refine cost estimates. In addition to technical resources, you may also require commercial, financial, legal and probity services to support the development of the tender documentation, assist with the assessment of tenderers’ responses, provide support in commercial negotiations, provide legal advice including draft contract documentation as well as ensure probity is maintained throughout the procurement process.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the level of in-house capability and capacity, you may need to address key skills gaps through the engagement of external resources.
The facilities team
The facilities team may play a role in procurement, including evaluation of the operational aspects (including, for example, impact on campus operations) of a bid and whole of life considerations, providing scoring in relation to technical evaluation criteria and supporting the project team.
Key skills required
The core project team, outlined in the project definition, funding and approvals and procurement sections above, may be appropriate for the delivery phase as well. However, the key personnel and/or responsibilities of the project team may vary as the project transitions into the delivery phase.
The project director will not necessarily be the same person as in the project definition, funding and approvals and procurement phases. During delivery, the project director may support the project manager to meet deliverables and provide approval on minor changes to the program, scope and budget.
The project director should be appropriately skilled and selected based on the type of project and its relevance to their experience.
The project director may also be responsible for managing risks, managing stakeholder requirements and providing key updates to the project steering committee (PSC) or project control group (PSC) as required.
The project manager
The project manager will not necessarily be the same person as in the project definition, funding and approvals and procurement phases. During delivery, the project manager will typically be responsible for managing contractors to ensure progression of deliverables, and approving minor budget, scope and program issues in accordance with the project's approvals process. The project manager may also be responsible for contract management depending on the size and complexity of the project.
Project team resources
You may require commercial and legal services to manage the contract including resolving budget, scope and program issues. You also may be required to draw upon project management, engineering and design services to ensure designs are reviewed and works are delivered in accordance with the requirements outlined in the works contract and tender documentation.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the level of in-house capability and capacity, you may need to address key skills gaps through the engagement of external resources.
The facilities team
The facilities team may be required to report on project outcomes, manage project outputs which arise throughout delivery and begin to secure resources required for the maintenance of any asset produced through delivery. The facilities team will also support the project team where required.