The Job

Today at work, I didn't really do anything myself, just kind of followed the girl who is training me around. She is a Project Manager and she is training me to be a Project Manager also, doing the same things as she does.

She has six clients (ie. Wachovia, Chase Banks, Liberty Mutual, etc) who she manages the accounts for. For each of those six clients she has 60-100 open locations at all times. For each of those 60-100 locations for each of those 6 clients she does the following:

1.Gets a call from the Branch Location manager that they want x number of new signs, of approximately this color and size.
2. Calls the landlord and checks to see if this basic idea is okay.
3. Same with Statewide Manager of Wachovia
4. Same with the National Manager of Wachovia
5. Call and find out the regulations for signs from the city.
6. Call and find out regulations for the signs from the state.
6.5 Prepare a price quote for total price.
6.6 Get approval from accounting and supervisor to send quote out.
6.7 Send quote to three levels of client managers.
7. Get approval from her supervisor to make a drawing of each sign (up to 30-40 per site, including all exterior, directional, exit, entrance, interior including name plates, restroom signs, etc)
8. Writes up, for each sign, a memo to the architectural design group what to design...listing the size, paint colors, sign material, raised letters or not, lit or not, how high off the ground, etc.
9. Takes the memo to her supervisor for approval.
10. Takes the memo to architectural design.
11. Waits for them to design first rendering.
12. Take first rendering to her supervisor to approve.
13. Scan renderings into computer, file in client file and email to Site Manager, Landlord, State Manager, National Manager and City Sign representative.
14. Wait for and track down approval from all people.
15. If there is not approval, go through steps 7-14 again, with second drawing, then third, etc.
16. Make 15 copies of the sign renderings (up to 100-200 pages, depending on number of signs) and distribute them to the various areas through the shop (factory) and ask them to inventory what they will need but do not have to complete the design.
17. Wait 2 days.
18. Get (and/or track down) lists from each of the 15 factory departments as to what they will need and make a composit list.
19. Research where to purchase these items, getting no less than three estimates for each item.
20. Get approval from your supervisor to purchase lowest estimate on each item.
21. Same with accounting.
22. Then take the list of where you're going to get it from to each of the 15 factory departments and make sure they are okay with the vendor/item.
23. If everything is approved, fill out a purchase order for each item.
24. Get all purchase orders okayed by the supervisor.
25. Take purchase orders to accounting.
26. Place orders.
27. Sub contract with a local vendor to do an onsite survey of the area, with pictures.
28. When pictures arrive send them to all internal departments as well as all three levels of clients.
29. When items arrive, get notice from Receiving and go physically inventory and quality control item.
30. Take item to department that ordered it.
31. When all items are in, send out work order to 15 factory depts to start production.
32. Wait for products to be completed.
33. Go to shop and physically quality control all items.
33.5 Take photographs of finished signage.
34. Taking total dimensions and amounts of signage, research the best way (cheapest and fastest) to ship each part. A shipment to one location may go partially via Fed Ex, partially UPS and partially DHL.
35. Prepare purchase orders for the shipping.
36. Get approval from supervisor.
37. Get approval from accounting, and leave there.
38. Tell shipping how to package items and how to ship, giving them shipping labels and billage info.
39. Send photos to three clients and landlord.
40. Send email of completion, shipping and with shipping info to three clients.
41. Estimate and schedule local contractor to install signage.
42. Estimate and schedule electrician for install.
43. Schedule permit inspector's inspection.
44. Get local signage installer or location manager to take photographs of installed sign (making sure it is after any landscaping that is showing in final exterior photos and after furniture and artwork is in place for any interior).
45. Make hard copies of the photos for the location file, the client file, the production department and the art department.
46. Prepare final invoice and submit to supervisor for approval.
47. Give to accounting for approval and final invoice.
48. Get final invoice from accounting and mail to client.
49. Wait for 30 days and if they don't pay, hound them.
50. When check comes in, get it from accounting.
51. Make copies for the file, accounting, and scan it in and email it along with the final invoice to the national client and the location client.
52. Prepare check requests for any parts, labor, outsourcing, installing, etc that was done and send to supervisor for approval.
53. Send to accounting for drafting of checks.
54. Get checks from accounting and send out to vendors.
55. File in computer and hard file.
56. Send thank you letter to state, city, landlord, three client managers.
57. Pull paper file and scan whole thing into computer, filing documents in appropriate folders within location folder.
58. Close file in several places on computer.
59. When all checks have cleared, tell accounting to close their file on the location.
60. Take paper file to closed file storage.
61. Call location manager and ask if they are satisfied or if , God forbid, they want anything else.

These 70+ steps are going on constantly with each of the up to 600 location clients. And the Project Manager has to know at what stage each one is at, what needs to be done next and when as well as kick other peoples butts into action when they're holding up the process.

Needless to say I'm tired and have a headache.

She got over 200 emails today and got probably 50 phone calls (inbound only).

We'll see if I ever grasp this and beyond that if I could willingly make myself do this day after day.