Project analyst
Help deliver projects by analysing information, tracking progress and identifying opportunities.
Also known as: project coordinator, pmo analyst, project support analyst
About the job
What it's like
Do you have an analytical mind? If so, you could use your expertise to help plan, monitor and deliver projects successfully. You can work in a range of industries and help project teams stay on track, on budget and focused on their aims.
You'll help define project goals and monitor progress towards them. When projects face problems, you'll help to navigate them and get things back on track. You'll look at data and project information to spot trends, identify opportunities and gather insights. By presenting your findings clearly, you'll help project managers make informed decisions.
You can work in areas such as IT, construction, finance, healthcare and engineering. The skills you rely on may vary by industry. For example, as an IT project analyst, you'll support software, digital or technology projects.
Your tasks might include:
planning and monitoring project goals
analysing project data and gathering insights
presenting your findings to project managers and stakeholders
making recommendations, such as ways to reduce costs or improve processes
spotting and helping manage project risks
planning and monitoring resources, budgets and timelines
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Association for Project Management – professional body for people working in this area
Project Management Institute – a membership association for people in project management
Knowledge Train – take a free quiz, see which project management roles suit you and get emailed a personalised career guide
Tech Future Careers – get information on all kinds of careers in IT
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Transport Creative Construction and built environment Digital technologies Healthcare Finance, law and professional services Energy
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- written communication
- time management
- resourceful
- problem solving
- positive attitude
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- analysing
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Computing Science
Maths (Mathematics)
Statistics
Administration and Information Technology
Business Management
Foundation Apprenticeship: Business Skills
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are lots of routes into this career. You can work across many different industries and the qualifications, skills and knowledge employers look for can vary.
Explore some of the routes you could take.
Work
Some project assistant, coordinator or support roles may be entry level. These can help you build skills in planning, reporting, communication and project management. After gaining relevant experience, you can move into a project analyst role.
You can use the My World of Work job search to look for job vacancies.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could build the skills and knowledge you need. Useful subjects include:
Business Management
Administration and Information Technology
Finance, Risk and Business
Computing
Engineering Systems
University
A degree could be helpful for getting into this job. Depending on the area you work in, some useful subjects to study include:
Project Management
Data Analytics or Business Analytics
Business Management and Information Systems
Data Science
Computing
Finance
Engineering
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in areas such as:
Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) allow you to learn mostly on the job while also going to university. You'll get a job, get paid and work towards a degree qualification at the same time.
You might want to consider a GA in areas such as:
project management certifications such as PRINCE2, APM or PMP
experience working on projects
knowledge of project management methods and tools
experience analysing information and presenting findings
budgeting and resource planning skills
confidence using spreadsheets and reporting software
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Project analyst'
