Venture manager

The initial work is done under the direct responsibility of the Venture Manager ... 

The Project Manager usually joins the project during the project development stage and supports the Venture Manager by providing ... 

The Venture Manager, as the business representative to the team, is the leader during the business analysis portion of the FEL. 

Venture Manager has overall responsibility for the business success of the project. Overall leader from conception through startup. More about him in a minute. 

Project Manager has overall responsibility for Detailed Engineering, Procurement, and Construction. The Venture Manager and Project Manager are the two key managers in every successful capital construction project. The major part of this book is aimed at how tos for the Project Manager. 

As the leader of the Owner s project team, the Venture Manager is ultimately responsible for the successful execution of the right project. 

The Venture Manager helps the integrated team focus their energies towards accomplishing the project s goals. Specifically, these actions will be concentrated in ensuring ... 

HELPING THE INTEGRATED TEAM AVOID THESE SITUATIONS CAN BE THE HARDEST PART OF THE VENTURE MANAGER S JOB. 

Promptly after being assigned to the project, the Project Manager must contact the requester, usually the Venture Manager, to ... 

The memo of understanding should be discussed with the Venture Manager before issuing it. This will avoid potential arguments and should not take more than a brief conversation. 

Apprise the Venture Manager of the additional scope information that must be developed before a meaningful planning effort can begin. 

The initial plan of action must also address a proposed overall project execution strategy in order to promote creative thinking as early as possible. If the objectives set by the project sponsor are not realistic, it is the responsibility of the Project Manager to bring up the realities of life and, working closely with the Venture Manager, develop achievable goals. 

The scope definition provided during the initial contact may or may not be sufficient to prepare a meaningful plan of action. If not, the Project Manager must work closely with the Venture Manager to develop it. 

PROJECT MANAGERS MUST DO THE BEST THEY CAN WITH THE INFORMATION DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST CONTACT WITH THE VENTURE MANAGER. 

The Venture Manager should be aware of anything in the project that could impact these regulations. 

Often the project in question is not, by itself, the concern of the neighbors, and the public hearing will often turn out to be a sounding board for an accumulation of problems. It is important for the Venture Manager to recognize the nature of the public relations and be prepared to do some negotiating with the zoning board. 

The zoning board is bound under regulations to rule according to the laws, not the emotions of the public. However, they are not immune to public outcry. It is often in the public interest for the Venture Manager to respond to concerns, even if outside a regulatory requirement. The project team should be prepared to negotiate for additional project items that could help sell a project to the community. 

The Venture Manager must stay aware of anything that could adversely impact the neighborhood and be prepared to mitigate it. 

Risks at the business strategy level are the concern of top corporate management. Although the Venture Manager may occasionally be asked to participate in that level of decisionmaking, the main responsibility must remain with top corporate management. 

Risk analysis at the venture and project level fall, of course, squarely on the shoulder of the Venture Manager and Project Manager. Although the brunt of responsibility shifts from Venture to Project Manager as the project proceeds the team concept will prevail and both must be intimately involved at all times. 

BOTH THE VENTURE MANAGER AND THE PROJECT MANAGER MUST PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY, AND LEAD THE PROJECT TEAM. IN ALL THE RISK ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES. 

It is up to the Venture Manager to inject a dose of common sense and a healthy detachment to the initial decisionmaking discussions with the business groups and corporate management. That participation would insure the selection of the right project. 

Designating a Risk Manager with a direct line to the Venture Manager. 

On many major projects, startup is put on the back burner and not given the proper amount of planning and resources that are necessary to have a quick, successful demonstration of the operability. Although a well-planned startup will not overcome deficiencies in design and construction, a poorly organized one will seriously mar the completion of a well-designed and well-constructed plant. It is the responsibility of the Venture Manager to avoid this predicament. 

Although this sounds like common sense, once the required resources for a startup are known, the most common management response is you don t need that many people. The Venture Manager must be firm in insisting on the required resources and keep reminding management of the old Irish saying ... 

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