A project coordinator and a project manager may seem the same to many. However, despite the similarities, these two job profiles are quite different, with distinct pay packages, audiences, control, skills, roles and responsibilities. Project managers and coordinators are in demand globally. Focusing specifically on Canada, a PMI report suggests tremendous demand for project coordinators. As per reports, nearly 90,000 new project managers will be hired in Canada alone.
Project coordinator is a great career profile in Canada and offers massive growth and development. There is no fixed project coordinator salary in Canada, as it entirely depends on your education, skills, experience, and certifications added to your resume. Also, going for Project Management trainings will supercharge your project management skills and help you boost your resume. On average, a project coordinator earns over CA$ 59,501 annually and acquiring a project coordinator job in Canada will aid in increasing your package.
Who is a Project Coordinator?
The stark difference between the job profile of a project manager and a project coordinator is the scope. Both these profiles are interlinked, and one is incomplete without the other because of the dependency of both jobs on each other. Where project managers are responsible for defining deadlines, resources, procurement, and goals, as well as budgets, it is the project coordinator’s job to organize the details of more significant categories and report them to management.
In other words, the project coordinator works on the micro level, whereas the project manager works on the macro level. The project coordinator works on various phases that make up the greater effort. A project coordinator can only work with the participation of the project manager and vice versa.
What does a Project Coordinator do?
At the most basic level, a project coordinator’s job description is to track each stage of the project life cycle. As the informal support to a project manager, the project coordinator’s responsibilities vary. It includes ensuring that key information is shared with stakeholders and team members to ensure projects run smoothly and are completed without a significant hitch. Most responsibilities include:
- Meeting, planning, and coordinating
- Organizing project schedules and budgets
- Looking after the Logistics organization
- Maintaining detailed records of the project at each stage, including summary reports for managers.
- Identifying and evaluating any problems or risks that arise and reporting them to the project manager
- Enabling effective communication with team members across the organization
- Maintaining team morale and helping build strong partnerships for the benefit of the project.
- Collaborating with team members on-site and in the field
Factors Affecting Project Coordinator Salaries in Canada
The project coordinator salary in Canada per month is projected to be approximately CA$5000. However, this pay package depends on various conditions and factors. Let us look at some of the core factors that affect the scale of salary you can earn as a project coordinator in Canada:
1. Position Type
These are the positions you can hold in an organization:
- Associate Project Manager- The Associate Project Manager’s responsibilities include communication with stakeholders, including team members and customers. He analyses projects, identifies risks, and develops risk mitigation strategies.
- Program Coordinator- Program coordinator is a beginner and intermediate job. This role is responsible for organizing the program and planning and supporting its activities. It includes tasks such as team leader and public relations.
- Junior Project Manager- Junior Project Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and managing ongoing projects within the company. They lead a team of project development departments to oversee the company’s projects and keep them on track.
- Project Manager- A project manager is a professional who plans, proposes, and executes a project within constraints such as budget and schedule. The project manager leads the entire team, defines project goals, communicates with stakeholders, and accompanies the project to completion.
- Project Superintendent- In general, the superintendent’s role is to direct all activities related to producing the company’s goods and services. For example, in the retail industry, operations managers manage all activities related to day-to-day retail space functions, as well as planning and strategic planning.
- Project Engineer- Monitor daily manufacturing and plant processes. Project Engineers analyze data to identify manufacturing weaknesses and create data reports. They identify manufacturing process issues and suggest improvements to optimize productivity.
- Leader- The product lead’s objectives include building and overseeing the right product team, strategically aligning the product, and ensuring the team has the tools and systems necessary to develop a successful product.
Project coordinator earnings in Canada of various job positions:
|
Associate Project Manager |
$70,885 |
|
Program Coordinator |
$56,532 |
|
Project Manager Junior |
$63,288 |
|
Project Manager |
$85,935 |
|
Operations Manager |
$80,000 |
|
Superintendent |
$74,999 |
|
Leader |
$42,645 |
2. Certifications
Some essential certifications can significantly affect a project coordinator salary Canada. When you add these certifications and specializations to your resume, you get a heads up as compared to other applicants and a much better project coordinator salary in Canada:
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to perform multiple tasks to meet project requirements to produce a final result in a limited time and budget.
Best Online PMP Prep Courses
PMP Training Online is the global language of project management and helps you connect with project management professionals. The PMP course is a global qualification offered by globally recognized teams. These courses give you experience in a rigorous and educational profile outlook, work experience, and an exam-based certification program. The best online PMP prep courses offer practical experience managing and directing a project and an objectively assessed level of theoretical knowledge.
Prince2 Foundation & Practitioner Certification
This certification from KnowledgeHut helps you acquire industry-agnostic project management skills. You can build project management skills to tackle projects of various types, sizes, scales, and complexities across industries and geographies. In this PRINCE2 course, you’ll learn how to adapt projects to your environment, manage product delivery, control resource usage, and effectively manage project risks. Whether you are new to the role or a professional, the PRINCE2 certification will prove beneficial.
3. Education
The average pay for a Project Coordinator in Canada is CA$51,907 a year and the project coordinator salary in Canada per hour is CA$25 in Montréal, Québec, Canada. On average, a bachelor’s degree is the eligible level of education for a Project Coordinator, which can get you this basic pay package.
Take a look at the various educational qualifications you can achieve to get a hike in your project coordinator salary in Canada:
|
Doctorate |
1% |
|
Masters |
22% |
|
Bachelor |
56% |
|
Associate |
8% |
|
High School |
13% |
|
Less Than HS |
0% |
4. Experience Level and Number of Years in the Field/Profession
- Entry-level- The project coordinator pay in Canada is CA$60,078 per year, and project coordinator salary in Canada per hour is CA$30.81. An entry-level project coordinator (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of CA$70,608. Project coordinator salary fresher in Canada is CA$47,077 per year, while most experienced workers make up to CA$80,046 per year.
- Mid-Level- The average project coordinator’s gross salary in Canada is CA$100,152 or project coordinator salary in Canada per hour is CA$48. In addition, they earn an average bonus of CA$5,108.
Conversely, a senior-level project coordinator salary Canada (8+ years of experience) is CA$124,201.
5. Additional Skills and Abilities
The skills of a project coordinator are the skills that can be used to complete tasks in this role effectively. These individuals assist the project manager in managing and overseeing the project, including budgeting, delegating responsibilities, creating schedules, and managing the success of assigned tasks.
Skills for this position include knowledge of the project’s focus area, among other skills that help these professionals manage the resources assigned to complete the project. The core skills required by a project coordinator are:
- Communication
- Organization
- Budgeting
- Management
- Dispute resolution
- Problem-solving
- Initiative
- Negotiation
- Scheduling and time management
- Leadership
- Technical expertise
- Crisis management
- Regulating the flow
- Distributing work
- Project management
- Keeping records
Industries with the Highest Average Salaries for Project Coordinators in Canada
One of the most attractive aspects of this career is how many industries the project coordinator position spans. Those working in the project management and coordination profession should have access to some of the world’s top industries, with great flexibility in choosing the companies they want to work for. Demand is such that there is no shortage of vacancies in several specialized industries, including:
6. Construction
Construction is one of the industries that require a project coordinator’s expertise. Construction companies, large and small, handle hundreds of complex projects throughout the year and need a coordinator to ensure each project goes according to plan. Suppose you are a project coordinator in the construction industry. In that case, your responsibilities may include solidifying plans, executing construction work, and ensuring a steady supply of resources and materials to complete the project.
The average project coordinator construction gross salary in Canada is CA$100,152, and the project coordinator salary per hour in Canada is CA$48. In addition, they earn an average bonus of CA$5,108. An entry-level project coordinator construction (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of CA$70,608.
7. Information Technology
Information Technology (IT) is an ever-growing market, so many project coordinator positions are here. Small, large, and multinational companies often expand their operations to meet competitive markets and customer demands. Therefore, project managers and coordinators must monitor and assess modern IT systems. The national average salary for an IT Project Coordinator is CA$60,851 in Canada.
8. Energy
Some of the world’s biggest projects come from the energy industry. In this area, you can focus on developing policies and programs, finding ways to stabilize energy consumption and forecasting market potential and trends for energy companies. The average Product Coordinator Energy salary for this job is CA$92,774 per year.
9. Finance
The financial industry is always growing. As a result, project coordinators are always in high demand. Due to the nature of the work, this area requires specialists with risk identification skills. Such coordinators assist in processing mergers, acquisitions, stock acquisitions, etc. The national average salary for a Finance product Coordinator or Manager is CA$95,728 in Canada.
10. Healthcare
Another growing industry is healthcare, which is constantly looking for better ways to manage and handle medical or healthcare processes to increase efficiency. Project coordinators who can handle significant multitasking are best suited for this industry as they will likely be involved in chain networks, material supply, recruitment, technology, and resources. The national average salary for a clinical Project Coordinator is CA$58,350 in Canada.
Highest Paying Cities for Project Coordinators in Canada
Below is a list of the highest-paying cities for Project Coordinators near Canada:
|
Vancouver, BC |
CA$60,828 per year |
|
Edmonton, AB |
CA$60,542 per year |
|
Burnaby, BC |
CA$60,334 per year |
|
Surrey, BC |
CA$60,030 per year |
|
Toronto, ON |
CA$59,809 per year |
|
Calgary, AB |
CA$58,108 per year |
|
Brampton, ON |
CA$56,235 per year |
|
Ottawa, ON |
CA$55,517 per year |
|
Winnipeg, MB |
CA$54,153 per year |
Here is a list of the highest-paying companies for Project Coordinators near Canada:
|
York Region |
CA$107,585 per year |
|
Metro Vancouver |
CA$94,448 per year |
|
Toronto Transit Commission |
CA$94,143 per year |
|
JUNGBUNZLAUER CANADA INC. |
CA$93,995 per year |
|
University of British Columbia |
CA$88,563 per year |
Project Coordinator Salary Comparison by Gender in Canada
A person working as a project coordinator in Canada typically earns about CAD 60,000 per year. Salaries range from CADCA$60,600 (lowest) to CADCA$183,000 (highest). This is the average annual income, including accommodation, transportation, and other benefits.
Salaries for project coordinators vary widely by experience, skills, gender, and location.
Gender shouldn’t affect wages, but it does. So, who gets paid more, men or women? Below is a detailed breakdown based on gender. On average, a male project coordinator in Canada earns 5% more than his female coordinator.
- Male – 122,000 CAD
- Female at -5% – 116,000 CAD
Will Project Coordinator Salary in Canada Improve?
A study by the Project Management Institute predicts that over the decade (2017-2027), the demand for qualified and well-trained project managers will increase by approximately 33%. Worldwide, this means 22 million additional jobs, according to the report. This growing interest in project management-oriented roles means that project management courses and certifications are now becoming a coveted program among candidates wishing to enter project management. Increased demand also means that many can now demand higher average project manager salaries.
Canadian project management courses are designed to meet the needs of companies and corporate project managers. This means providing candidates with the right skills and competencies to deal with the dynamic nature of project management across all sectors.
Project management certification courses in Canada are one to two-year programs often offered as certificate courses, diplomas, or master’s degrees.
Given the quality of project management courses in Canada, the average salary of a Project Management Professional (PMP) in Canada is high. The high level of knowledge and expertise required to fill project manager positions and other factors, such as rising demand in various sectors, all contribute to making project managers a highly paid job.
Why Should you Become a Project Coordinator?
The Project Management certification course teaches you how to lead a project in a dynamic environment by organizing and managing the resources needed to complete the project. If you are highly organized, have an eye for detail, and have the necessary communication and interpersonal skills to motivate others, you can become a successful project coordinator in Canada or any other country.
Project coordinators can be found in a variety of industries, including engineering, healthcare, technology, finance, law, and construction. Well-known companies such as Amazon and Medtronic employ project coordinators. A position as a project coordinator can also be the first step into a career in project management. Some project coordinators later become project managers, program managers, or portfolio managers.
Here are some reasons why you should become a project coordinator in Canada:
- According to the Project Management Institute, 15.7 million new project management positions are expected to be created worldwide in the next few years, most of which will be filled in Canada.
- According to the Canadian Agency for International Education, Canada had approximately 572,415 students in 2018, making him one of the most popular study destinations among international students.
- International student enrollment has increased by 154% since 2010, thanks to the quality of education in Canada.
- A work permit in Canada allows students to work in Canada for up to three years after graduation.
How to Become a Project Coordinator?
Becoming a project coordinator in any field requires a lot of problem-solving and multitasking. Coordinate multiple project aspects in a fast-paced and challenging work environment and communicate all project issues and risks. Your job as the project coordinator is to ensure everyone is on the same page and speaking the same language. Good organizational and communication skills are therefore essential.
You should be responsible for ensuring that your part of the project achieves its goals. Successful project coordinators are self-motivated, observant, and always looking ahead. Employers may require a bachelor’s degree or certification. However, industry experience may replace some of the educational requirements. Here are some simple steps to follow to become a project coordinator in Canada:
- Step 1- Research the job market.
- Step 2- Review the positions and company job descriptions that interest you and tailor your career path to those expectations.
- Step 3- Engage in enhancing your skills and knowledge by enrolling yourself in courses and PMP certifications.
- Step 4- Develop hard skills by getting an internship or starting your freelancing career as a product coordinator. The freelancing project coordinator salary in Canada is CA$62,444.
- Step 5- After you gain relevant experience, you can aim for the top-paying companies in Canada for the product coordinator job. The top companies look for 2-5 years of relevant work experience and a bachelor’s degree.
Conclusion
Success in a project coordinator career depends on your experience, certifications, skills, and inclinations. However, completing a project management course in Canada greatly increases your chances of landing a well-paid job. Enrolling for PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner certification will definitely increase your chances of getting a job with the best companies.
With Canada becoming an attractive destination for students taking internationally renowned courses, it is not surprising that Canadian project management courses have also become a popular choice among candidates. Studying abroad and earning a PMP certification can secure a well-paying job as a project manager for many.
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