Do You Really Need a Project Manager? Maybe Not (Yet).

As your MSP grows, so do the number of projects your team manages. This includes client onboardings, server migrations, internal initiatives - you name it. At first, these can be handled informally, with engineers or team leads stepping in to “keep things moving.” Eventually, project workloads will become too complex to run off spreadsheets, sticky notes, or memory. You may even drum up a project board in your PSA. But as projects, and their complexity grow, you may find even that falling short. You’ll eventually start to contemplate if you need a person to own the project madness.

When an MSP reaches this growth phase, it is common for leaders to assume it’s time to hire a full-time Project Manager (PM). But the truth is, you might not need one just yet.

Many MSPs bridge this gap by appointing a Project Coordinator (PC) instead. With the right tools and preparation, a PC can successfully manage an entire early-stage project portfolio without the expense of a PM hire.

Project Manager vs. Project Coordinator: Is There a Difference?

Yep, there is a difference, but not as big of one as you’d think. A Project Manager (PM) owns project methodology. They strategize and own their team’s entire project lifecycle, which includes managing scope, mapping dependencies, determining and mitigating risks, and overseeing communication within the entire portfolio. They’re “big picture” thinkers, who keep portfolios and project teams aligned with overarching business goals, ensuring processes are as profitable as possible. Often times a common marker of an experienced PM is tenure working with projects as well as popular certifications like the Project Management Professional (PMP).

A Project Coordinator (PC), on the other hand, is more tactical. They manage schedules, day-to-day assignments, task tracking, executing all of their work within a pre-determined framework. They might have less experience or training compared to a traditional PM. A PC might even be a recently promoted helpdesk or operational contributor. However, a PC’s role is not to be overlooked! When supported by good processes, they can deliver strong results and play a crucial role in their team’s success.

For an MSP in growth mode, a PC is often a means to achieve project success and   stay productive before adding a more costly headcount. Especially when projects are generally repeatable (like client onboarding, for example), and when processes are consistent across teams (often achieved through templatizing work).

Which Makes More Sense for Your Team, a PM or PC?

This is the million-dollar question. When you’re considering hiring a PM or a PC, take a look at how your project team currently functions. If your team is in the early stages of project maturity, it might be valuable to ask yourself...

1. Are your projects recurring and/or similar in scope?

2. Do you have a large portfolio of overlapping projects (yet)? This could include multiple projects running concurrently for one client.

3. Is your team willing to and following a defined process set in place by leadership?

4. Are you willing to consider technology that makes project management more accessible for an employee who is new to managing projects?

If you answered yes to 1, 3 and 4 but haven’t quite hit number 2 yet and you are ready to “put your foot on the gas” with a full-time employee dedicated to project methodology, then a PC will get the job done without overextending your budget in the near term. Then, as your MSP continues to grow your project count and project success, you can review these questions again for when you’re ready to graduate to the next level.

How to Set Up a Project Coordinator for Success

A PC can thrive without years of dedicated project management experience or certifications. However, team leadership must set them up for success first. Important areas of focus include: 

Provide Project Frameworks: Standardized timelines, task ownership, dependency mapping, and structured task assignment keep projects consistent. Templates are a great way to achieve this. Start with a base template including the 80% of work that your team consistently completes during the project lifecycle. The other 20% can be customized as you prepare each template for a specific customer.

Automate Oversight: It’s 2025... automate what you can! This could include risk detection, deadline monitoring, progress tracking, or whichever areas of your project process feel manual. Each of these areas could unleash overwhelming issues for a new PC. Modern MSP specific project management tools can fill this gap, so let them!

Teach Best Practices in The Wild: The quickest way to upskill is learning by doing. It may be helpful to use project management tools that expose a PC to a clear-cut project timeline and template, guiding them through real-world scenarios of project management best practices. Moovila Perfect Project incorporates this through its AI coach Carmen, ensuring project risks are minimized without more damage to the timeline.

Centralize Your Project Communications: It’s easy to miscommunicate when your team tracks project progress in different systems. Consider using one hub for tasks, deadlines, and deliverables to prevent confusion and “who owns what” authority struggles. Bonus points if your project system directly integrates into other key tools for your MSP like your PSA – minimizing duplicate entry and potentials for errors.

Monitor Project Portfolio Health: Project visibility is key to maintaining high project margins and client satisfaction. Having a cadence to sit down and review your portfolio health could be what saves you from losing an important customer and helps your PC stay aligned with company priorities

Preparing for the Future

Eventually, your MSP will be managing enough projects to a point where adding a Project Manager is a worthwhile investment. But if you’ve already given your PC repeatable systems and processes, that new PM won’t be walking into chaos. They’ll inherit organized projects and a team that understands the basics of structured project management.

Even better... your PC may have developed the skills, through internal project work and outside training, to step into the PM role themselves, creating a natural career progression inside your business!

How Moovila Helps Your PC

While people and process are the foundation, technology makes the project coordinator model work. A strong project management platform like Moovila Perfect Project can automatically surface risks and timeline issues before they escalate, suggest adjustments when schedules or resources change, provide in-platform learning to teach project management skills, and centralize communication so everyone knows what’s due, when, and by whom.

These pillars of support can turn a PC (or even an “accidental project manager”) into someone who can manage projects with confidence and accuracy. A Project Coordinator, when equipped with strong processes and the right tools, can run projects effectively and grow into a strong Project Manager over time. By setting up your project and team structure early, you’re prepping your MSP for smoother growth while keeping today’s projects on track.

Curious about which Perfect Project features pair well with a Project Coordinator? Check out the Perfect Project for MSPs page or take a tour of our tool.