One of the questions I’m asked most often is whether it’s difficult to move between industries as a project manager.

Having spent my career managing projects across research, higher education, defence, and consultancy, I think that the principles of good project management are universal. While every industry has its own terminology, regulations and ways of working, the core skills remain the same. Successful project managers need to know how:

• To build strong relationships wth stakeholders.
• Communicate clearly and consistently.
• Plan effectively while remaining adaptable.
• Identify and manage risks before they become problems.
• Keep teams focused on shared objectives.
• Deliver outcomes rather than just outputs.

When I first started managing projects in research, I quickly realised that collaborative research success was about bringing together people with different technical skills and creating a structure that will help move everyone towards a common research goal. This ability to keep projects moving forward is what makes an effective project manager, regardless of the sector.