Executive Engagement: The Role of the Sponsor
Too often, the term “project sponsor” conjures up the image of a disconnected executive whose main responsibility is to secure the project funds and then come in for the victory lap when it is all over. But anengaged executive sponsor with a vested business interest in the project from kickoff to close can mean the difference between success and failure. Indeed, one of the most common reasons why projects fall short is a lack of executive sponsorship and management buy in, according to the KPMG New Zealand Project Management Survey 2010.i In addition, PMI‟s 2010 Government Program Management Study found that 81 percent of program managers at U.S. government agencies said that strong support from at least one executive level sponsor had a high impact on project success. According to Diego Nei, project portfolio manager at CEACRE, a not-for-profit institution in Salvador, Brazil, the sponsor‟s key responsibilities include:
Providing clear direction for the project and how it links with the organization‟s