Project coordinator leaving mid-project - What should I expect to come?

TL_time

I work as an evaluator for project which has been managed or coordinated abysmally. The project coordinator (after doing minimal work for months) has just announced suddenly she will be leaving for a new job within a month and that there are no particular plans to replace her role. The project has been beset by a host of problems including:
- The PC taking a month of holiday leave at a time and claiming to be unwell when due to return
- a lack of steer when present including missing update meetings
- Telling stakeholders and employees delivering on the project different things at different time-points without updating everyone (essentially telling everyone what they want to hear making it a nightmare for all around her to keep track of changing expectations).
I've been told that her role is unlikely to be replaced (The project coordinator very interestingly has been dropping hints about how we don't need her for a few weeks, trying to prime us to feeling less shocked or disappointed in her leaving).
I would like to know what I should expect in the coming months and wondered if anyone has any experience of this?

agrinnall

I think you'll need to explain your role, I've worked on many projects in the last 34 years and I've never heard of an evaluator as a project position.

xapprenticex

Is that you Tom?

patman99

I think you may well have written your evalution of the project in your opening post.

Lack of steering, improper reports and no control would be a good evelution.

As for your role? As an evaluater surely your role is to provide an evaluation of how the project is progressing based on the information you have available. This should not change.

TL_time

I am a 'researcher and evaluator' for a social care project designed to lead to better outcomes for families.

The project coordinator is also my line manager.

getmore4less

Though this was familiar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5330341

Generali

It sounds like you need a scapegoat OP. The person who is leaving sounds like an ideal candidate for the job.

TL_time

getmore4less wrote: »

Though this was familiar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5330341

Yes, so her news doesn't come as much of a surprise as working with her has been quite surreal.

TL_time

getmore4less wrote: »

Though this was familiar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5330341

Generali wrote: »

It sounds like you need a scapegoat OP. The person who is leaving sounds like an ideal candidate for the job.

I don't want a scapegoat - I'm asking what possible outcomes are likely to exist for a failing project when the project manager leaves and isn't going to be replaced. I wanted to hear from people who have experienced this before, because it could be that things went unexpectedly well or that things went very badly. I'd like to hear more about this.

theoretica

I see three options:
1) Someone already busy and competent gets this added to their workload - I have experienced this and she pulled the rabbit out of the hat.
2) The project staff get told to carry on by themselves, with some redistribution of roles. I am in the middle of something like that at the moment.
3) Depending on the funding, legal requirements etc the project could be dropped or greatly changed.

Nebulous2

I can't see that your better outcomes will be easy to evidence if the project has been that chaotic.

What has been happening to ensure better outcomes? What are you evaluating it against?