What does it mean to be a project sponsor?

At Brookes projects exist to deliver the University's strategic aims. The key role and responsibility of the project sponsor is to ensure the projects deliver benefits which are aligned to supporting the University's corporate objectives and the project is delivered in a way which maximises the achievement of those benefits.

Projects may be large-scale University-wide projects which directly contribute to corporate objectives (semesterisation for example). Alternatively projects may indirectly contribute to corporate objectives through supporting a school or directorate business plan, which in turn has been aligned to the corporate objectives. The exceptions to this are projects which have been conceived to meet compliance with new regulatory requirements.

The business case is a key document which articulates the project's rationale and benefits. The sponsor owns the project on behalf of the University and is accountable to the senior management for delivery of the business case. If the project cannot achieve its business case then it becomes unviable and it is the sponsor’s duty to prevent further resources being expended.

There are three spheres in which a project sponsor needs to be able to confidently operate:

  1. Strategy

    2. The sponsor needs to understand how project will contribute to the University’s strategic goals . The sponsor also needs to be able to see where the strategy is going in response to a changing world, and be able to link that to the on going viability of the project

  2. Influence

    3. The sponsor needs to be a highly influential person. Projects involve change and this creates friction. The sponsor needs to have the position and influence to deal with those tensions, smooth away impediments and manage organisational politics. The sponsor needs to be involved with the management of key stakeholders and act as a champion for the project at senior level.

  3. Governance

    4. The project sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the project is set up and managed in a way which delivers the benefits set out in the business case and operates within the University's overall framework of governance. Project viability is a key issue which needs to managed throughout the project life cycle.