The co-coordinator is the right-hand person of the Project Coordinator, working closely with them to ensure that everything in the project is on track. Here are a few examples of tasks that a co-coordinator might handle on a daily basis.
Communicating with partners: As one of the project's main points of contact, a co-coordinator gets to interact with a diverse group of partners. They keep the lines of communication open, answering questions, addressing concerns, and making sure everyone is on the same page.
Managing project documents: A co-coordinator is like the project's “librarian”, maintaining all project-related documents, making sure they are up-to-date and easily accessible to all partners. Common platforms you can use for this are SharePoint, Google Workspace, OneDrive or Dropbox.
Tracking progress: A co-coordinator is also monitoring milestones and deliverables to ensure that everything is on schedule. They are the ones who know what needs to be done and when, keeping the project moving forward smoothly. There are several tools for this, which can help you, such as Trello, ClickUp, Monday.com, Asana.
Budget management: A co-coordinator supports the Project Coordinator with the correct administrative management of the budget and the EU funding and keeps a close eye on expenses, making sure that the project stays within budget.
Coordinating meetings: A co-coordinator acts as the facilitator for the project, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration among the project partners through regularly scheduled meetings. They are the ones who bring the team together, making sure everyone is on the same page and that the project stays on track. To schedule a meeting, you can use Zoom, Teams, Skype etc.
In short, the co-coordinator is an essential part of the project team and plays a vital role in overseeing the project's progress and ensuring everything runs efficiently. They are responsible for making sure that the project is executed without any problems and achieves its intended goals. So next time you are drafting a project proposal and would like to involve a partner as your co-coordinator, make sure you choose them wisely for the job.
Whether you’re a coordinator, co-coordinator or a partner, I invite you to dive deeper into tips and tricks on how to smoothly manage your Horizon Europe project by joining my colleagues Krisztina and Gabor in Eindhoven, for Part II of our Horizon Europe Academy. Check it out here.
