Don’t hire another Project Manager before you read this

When choosing between an internal project manager and a contractor project manager, understanding the benefits of each is crucial.

While internal hires might offer cultural integration and long-term continuity, contractors might provide significant advantages such as unbiased perspectives, specialized expertise, immediate readiness without training needs, and considerable cost savings.

And what if instead of one project manager, your project could count with a team of dedicated professionals?

Join me in this exploration of how having a team of contractor project managers might be the best choice for many organizations aiming for flexibility, efficiency, and project success.

Before embarking on a new project, one of the most important decisions a company must make is whether to hire an internal project manager or bring in a contractor project manager.

Both options offer unique benefits, and understanding these can guide you toward the best choice for your organization’s specific needs.

Benefits of hiring an internal Project Manager

Hiring internally provides a manager deeply integrated with your company’s culture and operations.

Internal project managers are familiar with the organizational dynamics, internal systems, and long-term strategic goals.

Their existing relationships and understanding of company-specific workflows often make initial onboarding and integration seamless.

Additionally, internal hires may grow into long-term roles, contributing beyond immediate project needs and fostering continuity and organizational memory.

Challenges of hiring an internal Project Manager

Despite these benefits, hiring internally also comes with several important drawbacks:

Higher costs
Internal project managers come with additional financial obligations, including salaries, employee benefits, retirement plans, health insurance, taxes, and other overhead expenses.

Training and ramp-up time
Internal hires typically require significant training and onboarding, delaying the start of productive project work. This ramp-up period can slow down the project’s momentum and increase costs.

Liability and long-term commitment
Employees represent long-term liabilities to an organization, creating ongoing obligations even when project needs fluctuate. In situations where projects are temporary or require specialized skills only briefly, these long-term commitments can be inefficient and costly.

The benefits of a contractor Project Manager

While internal project managers have advantages, choosing to hire a contractor project manager brings distinct, highly valuable benefits that can dramatically enhance your project’s outcome.

Here are four reasons why contractor project managers outperform internal hires:

1. Objective perspective

Contractor project managers bring a fresh and unbiased viewpoint.

They’re free from internal office politics or personal agendas that can sometimes hinder progress.

This objectivity allows them to make decisions based purely on project success criteria rather than internal influences.

2. Asking the hard questions

Because they’re not tied to internal career progression, contractor project managers have the freedom to ask challenging questions that internal staff might hesitate to pose.

They’re focused solely on delivering results, and this enables them to identify and address issues transparently, driving clarity and alignment across teams.

Imagine a scenario where your project faces critical challenges, perhaps internal stakeholders are misaligned, or key deliverables are behind schedule.

A contractor project manager would confidently and objectively identify these issues, ask direct, necessary questions, and implement corrective actions swiftly, without concern for internal repercussions.

This direct approach accelerates decision-making and ensures your project stays on track.

3. Specialized expertise and immediate readiness

Contractors often come with specialized experience and best practices from multiple industries and diverse projects.

They are seasoned experts who require no extensive training or onboarding, allowing them to quickly implement tailored, proven solutions to complex problems.

This immediate readiness accelerates project initiation and reduces ramp-up time significantly.

4. Cost benefits and flexibility

Hiring a contractor is typically far more cost-effective than employing a full-time internal project manager.

Companies avoid long-term financial commitments such as employee benefits, insurance, retirement contributions, training expenses, and administrative overhead.

Contractors can be engaged precisely when needed, providing budget-friendly scalability.

The Advantages of Hiring Agile Management as a Service

Choosing to hire a dedicated team of contractor agile project managers brings additional benefits beyond a single contractor:

Continuous support

With a project management team, you typically have a primary and a secondary manager dedicated to your project. This ensures continuous, uninterrupted support, even during holidays, vacations, or unexpected absences.

Your projects maintain momentum without disruption.

Collective expertise and continuous improvement

A team of contractors brings diverse perspectives and collective expertise.

They collaborate regularly, brainstorm solutions, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement best practices learned across various industries.

This shared knowledge accelerates innovation and project optimization.

Seamless scalability

The team-based approach allows easy scalability according to project needs.

You can quickly adjust resources up or down as the project progresses, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

No Downtime

With a dedicated team, your project management remains fully operational every day, reducing the risk of delays and ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery.

Real-world Impact

Imagine facing unexpected challenges or rapidly changing requirements, a dedicated team can step in instantly, analyze situations collectively, and implement solutions swiftly.

This agility and resilience can give your organization a significant competitive advantage.

Making the Right Choice

While internal and individual contractor models have their merits, a dedicated project management team provides unmatched reliability, continuity, innovation, and cost-effectiveness.

With a team-based approach, you’re not just hiring a manager; you’re securing comprehensive expertise and consistent support.

Ready to experience Agile Management as a Service advantages?

Start your trial with Avanti Studio today and witness firsthand how our dedicated team approach delivers superior project outcomes.