Clarify the project and the authority
Describe the type of work, its stage and the stakeholders involved. Explain whether the role owns planning, coordination, supplier management, budget control or overall delivery accountability. Identify the sponsor and the decisions that require escalation.
A project manager joining a well-established delivery function faces a different task from someone expected to create the governance from scratch. Be clear about the maturity of the environment and the resources available. Do not expect one appointment to compensate for an absent sponsor or unresolved business ownership.
Explore a project that did not go exactly to plan
Ask the candidate to describe scope changes, dependencies or a missed assumption. What did they notice, what options did they present and who made the decision? Look for a clear distinction between reporting a problem and helping stakeholders act on it.
Discuss how the candidate maintained an accurate plan and communicated uncertainty. A polished status report is less useful if it hides unresolved decisions. Ask what they would show a sponsor when a deadline is at risk and how they would keep the team working on the most useful next steps.
Assess handover and business adoption
Explore what happened when the project moved into operational use. Ask about ownership, training, acceptance and unresolved issues. A delivery story that ends at launch may omit the work needed for the business to use and support the result.
For IT projects, involve relevant technical colleagues in the assessment while keeping the project manager’s responsibilities distinct from architecture or engineering. Certifications and methods can provide context, but the candidate should explain how they used an approach in practice and adapted it to the project’s needs.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
A scenario that exposes judgement
“A supplier dependency is late, but the sponsor still expects the original launch date. The team has two possible workarounds with different risks. What information do you gather, how do you frame the decision and who needs to approve the next step?” Assess the decision process rather than the confidence of the delivery promise.
Your practical checklist
- Define scope, authority and sponsor involvement.
- Assess a real example of change or uncertainty.
- Look for useful escalation and decision communication.
- Include operational handover and adoption.
Take it forward
A strong project manager makes delivery decisions visible and actionable. Hire for the judgement your environment needs, supported by clear authority and realistic sponsorship.
