Difference between Associate Project Manager and Assistant Project Manager

Project management consists of different types of roles and the two of them include associate project manager and assistant project manager. Both of them have to report to the project manager regarding the task they have accomplished. The roles of both of them are different and in this article, we will see the difference between associate project manager and assistant project manager.

What is an Associate Project Manager?

An associate project manager is a role which is handled by professionals who do not have any experience in project management. They have to support the project manager so that plans related to a project can be easily made. They also help project managers in executing and closing a project. This is a very responsible post and project associates may have to handle the project on their own sometimes.

What is an Assistant Project Manager?

An assistant project manager can be considered as a role who has to perform the administrative tasks as assigned by the project manager. The main aim of assistant project managers is to provide administrative support to the project manager and also take up the responsibilities related to a project. An assistant project manager is a role who can be promoted to a project manager and then he can go for senior level roles.

Difference between Associate Project Manager and Assistant Project Manager

The table below shows the difference between an associate project manager and an assistant project manager.

Conclusion

Project management has different roles and associate project managers and assistant project managers are the two of them. An associate project manager is inexperienced and he has to work with the project manager to gain more experience so that he can go for the senior posts. An assistant project manager has to work with the project manager. He first has to go for the role of project manager and then he can go for the other senior roles.

FAQs on Associate Project Manager Vs. Assistant Project Manager

1. What should be the educational qualification of an associate project manager?

A bachelor's degree in project management along with other advanced certifications can help a candidate to become an associate project manager. A bachelor's degree in other fields like business, or engineering can also lead to the post. After the education, the candidate has to get experience in managing and supporting projects. A project management certification will also be beneficial.

2. How much experience should a candidate have to become an assistant project manager?

To become an assistant project manager, a candidate should have experience of 0 to 3 years in project management. Candidates can get the experience through internships, or working on entry-level roles.

3. What are the responsibilities of an associate project manager?

The responsibilities of an associate project manager are as follows ?

• Providing support to the project manager
• Creating project plans
• Making schedules
• Dealing with resources and stakeholders
• Checking the progress of the project
• Tracking the performance

4. What should be the skills of an associate project manager?

An associate project manager should have the following skills ?

• Project management
• Project documentation
• Risk management
• Customer service
• Project scope

5. What should be the skills required to become an assistant project manager?

An assistant project manager should have the following skills ?

• Ability to handle administrative tasks
• Provide information to the team members by doing research
• Reporting about the progress of a project
• Dealing with stakeholders to know their needs