What Is a Project Champion? Understanding the Role
- Michelle M
- Jun 16
- 6 min read
In project management no matter how well managed a project is it will encounter obstacles such as organizational resistance, shifting priorities, stakeholder confusion, and resource battles. It’s in this volatile landscape that a key role emerges: the Project Champion. But what exactly is a Project Champion? Are they a leader, a sponsor, a cheerleader, or an enforcer? The answer is: all of the above and more.
A Project Champion is a critical stakeholder who passionately supports a project from conception to completion. They bridge the gap between the project team and executive leadership, advocate for resources, influence stakeholders, resolve conflicts, and most importantly, ensure the project remains a priority within the organization.
In this blog, we’ll explore what a project champion does, why their role is essential, the qualities that make an effective champion, how they differ from project sponsors and managers, and how organizations can develop and leverage champions for project success.
The Definition of a Project Champion
A Project Champion is a high-level individual, often part of senior management, who takes personal ownership of a project’s success. While not responsible for day-to-day execution, the champion plays a key leadership role by providing vision, advocacy, and political support.
Unlike a project manager who is focused on timelines, budgets, and team coordination, the project champion operates in the strategic realm removing roadblocks, securing buy-in from key stakeholders, and aligning the project with organizational goals.
Think of them as the internal promoter of the project, someone who believes in its value and works to make sure others do too.
Why Do Projects Need a Champion?
Many projects fail not because of bad planning or poor execution, but due to lack of organizational alignment or executive support. The project champion acts as the glue that holds the initiative together at the strategic level.
Here’s why the role is critical:
Sponsorship Isn’t Always Enough - While sponsors often provide funding and oversight, they may not be as involved or passionate about day-to-day hurdles. Champions dive deeper into advocacy.
Organizational Politics Exist - Departments have competing priorities. A champion can cut through political red tape to secure what the project needs to succeed.
Projects Need Visibility - Champions ensure that the project stays on the radar of top leadership, maintaining relevance and urgency.
Team Morale Needs Boosting - Teams thrive when they see someone influential backing their efforts. Champions provide that motivational push.
Change Requires Influence - Implementing change requires a credible advocate who can rally others and influence resistant stakeholders.
The Core Responsibilities of a Project Champion
The role of a project champion varies depending on the organization, but here are some of the most commonly observed responsibilities:
1. Securing Resources
Champions ensure the project has access to the budget, people, tools, and support it needs. When funding is tight or team allocation becomes a challenge, they step in.
2. Influencing Stakeholders
They help gain buy-in from departments, executive leaders, and end users. Their influence helps smooth over objections or resistance.
3. Promoting the Vision
Champions keep the big picture front and center, constantly communicating the strategic importance of the project to others.
4. Removing Barriers
When the team encounters bureaucratic red tape, interdepartmental conflict, or misalignment, the champion intervenes to resolve issues swiftly.
5. Acting as a Liaison
They maintain a strong relationship with the project manager and serve as a communication channel between the team and top executives.
6. Sustaining Momentum
Projects can lose steam over time. The champion’s continued enthusiasm and involvement help prevent momentum loss, especially during long or complex initiatives.
Project Champion vs. Project Sponsor: What’s the Difference?
These roles often overlap, and in smaller organizations, they may even be performed by the same person. However, there are key differences:
Role | Project Champion | Project Sponsor |
Focus | Advocacy, Influence, Promotion | Oversight, Approval, Accountability |
Involvement | Passionate and hands-on support | Strategic oversight with periodic involvement |
Location | Often within the business or functional area | Often part of executive leadership |
Interaction | High visibility, internal promoter | Provides funding and high-level governance |
The project sponsor is like the project’s owner, while the champion is its biggest supporter and advocate.
Qualities of a Strong Project Champion
Not every leader makes a good project champion. The role requires a specific blend of personality traits, political skill, and organizational understanding.
1. Passion and Belief
The best champions deeply believe in the project’s purpose and potential value. Their enthusiasm is contagious and builds momentum.
2. Influence
Champions must have enough authority or credibility within the organization to influence others, both formally and informally.
3. Communication Skills
They need to communicate the project’s value at all levels from executives to front-line employees.
4. Strategic Thinking
They must see beyond daily tasks to understand how the project fits into broader business goals.
5. Problem-Solving Ability
Champions need to be resourceful and decisive, especially when obstacles threaten the project’s progress.
6. Resilience
Projects face setbacks. Champions must remain steadfast and adaptive, continuing to fight for the project even in tough times.
The Lifecycle of a Project Champion
A good project champion is involved throughout the project lifecycle, not just at the beginning or during crisis moments.
1. Initiation Phase
Helps shape the project idea
Influences project selection and business case approval
Lobbies for funding and executive endorsement
2. Planning Phase
Ensures alignment with organizational strategy
Promotes cross-departmental collaboration
Assists in setting realistic timelines and budgets
3. Execution Phase
Removes roadblocks that hinder progress
Advocates for additional resources if needed
Monitors key milestones and escalates concerns
4. Closure Phase
Celebrates project success
Promotes recognition for team efforts
Encourages adoption of the solution by end users
Where Do Project Champions Come From?
Champions are not always appointed. Often, they emerge organically driven by personal belief in the initiative or passion for change. However, organizations can also strategically appoint champions when launching projects that require complex stakeholder engagement or cultural change.
Champions may come from:
Business units impacted by the project
Leadership teams invested in strategic outcomes
Departments known for innovation or influence
Communities of practice or centers of excellence
Ideally, the champion is someone close enough to the problem to care and senior enough to influence outcomes.
Challenges Faced by Project Champions
While their role is powerful, champions also face considerable challenges:
1. Competing Priorities
Champions usually have day jobs and other responsibilities. Balancing champion duties with business-as-usual work can be demanding.
2. Organizational Resistance
Driving change is hard. Even passionate champions can hit walls when resistance is deeply embedded.
3. Ambiguous Authority
Unlike project managers or sponsors, champions don’t always have a defined scope of authority, which can lead to blurred boundaries.
4. Burnout
The emotional and political investment required of a champion can take a toll especially in long or controversial projects.
Developing Project Champions in Your Organization
Organizations that want to build a strong culture of delivery and change should invest in identifying, training, and supporting project champions.
Here’s how:
1. Recognize and Reward Champions
Celebrate those who go above and beyond to support projects. Recognition builds a
culture of advocacy.
2. Train on Influence and Advocacy
Equip champions with the tools they need to communicate value, engage stakeholders, and escalate issues.
3. Pair with Project Managers
Strong partnerships between champions and PMs create better alignment and shared accountability.
4. Establish a Champion Network
A network of champions across departments can create cross-functional alignment and shared learning.
Real-World Examples of Project Champions
IT Transformation - A CIO might act as champion for a cloud migration project, working across departments to overcome budget concerns and security objections.
Diversity & Inclusion Initiative - A VP of HR could champion a D&I initiative by communicating its value to executives and rallying departmental managers to support it.
Customer Experience Project - A Customer Success Director might champion a CRM overhaul, ensuring sales and support teams contribute feedback and adopt the new system.
In all these cases, the champion’s influence is what transforms the project from a "task" into a strategic priority.
Conclusion: The Unsung Hero of Project Success
The role of a Project Champion is often underappreciated, misunderstood, or misused. Yet, it is one of the most impactful roles in ensuring that a project survives the organizational gauntlet and delivers on its promise.
Champions inspire teams, influence decisions, and ignite action. They don’t just manage change they embody it. In today’s world of accelerating transformation, we don’t just need better tools or more efficient processes we need more champions.
If you're a project manager, seek out your champion early. If you're an executive, become one. And if you're passionate about a project’s potential, don't wait for permission. Step up. Champion it.
Because projects don’t just need plans they need people who believe.
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