Profiles: Batchimeg Shagdarguntev

Batchimeg Shagdarguntev

MS, Project Management 16

Tax Analyst, City of San Francisco

Project Management Alum Helps Attract a New Generation to the Profession

Batchimeg Shagdarguntev realized the importance of project management skills when she was developing an app with her peers who had recently graduated college. She soon concluded that “a strong project plan was essential to getting things done.” When she later took positions in the tech and legal fields, she saw the same challenges and opportunities to improve processes.

“The great thing about the project management field is that everyone needs a great project manager,” she says, “especially in the fields of data management and technology.” Batchimeg cites statistics from the Project Management Institute® (PMI) that 22 million new project management jobs will open up in the next 20 years along with a need for 88 million positions that demand solid project management skills.

Batchimeg is now leveraging her experience in project management, taxation, and her undergraduate degree in statistics in a single job. “My team is responsible for data analysis that helps drive the larger auditing process of companies and individuals that do business in the city. Many of the tax professionals on my floor are also GGU graduates.”

From the encouragement of GGU adjunct professor Mona Sabuco and a fellow student, Batchimeg got involved with the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the PMI®, which serves over 3,000 project managers in various fields. PMI SFBAC is one of the largest and longest-running chapters in a larger international organization with 2.9 million members in 185 countries. PMI SFBAC offers volunteer opportunities that help new project managers build their skills. On the strength of their work, the pair was invited to PMI Region 7 Summit Conference in Yosemite and PMI Leadership Institute Meeting in Chicago in 2017.

Attracting “NextGen” Project Managers

Batchimeg is driven to attract the next generation of project managers because she wants to raise awareness about a field she enjoys. For aspiring PMs, Batchimeg started the NextGen Leadership Virtual Meeting to provide access to accomplished professionals from among the thousands of PMI Chapter members nationwide. Partnering with Ramya (who rose to the position of Chief Operations Officer of PMI SFBAC), Batchimeg created the role of NextGen Leader on the SFPMI Board of Directors. After serving on the board for one year in this capacity, Batchimeg was elected as a member of the Board of Directors. This month, Batchimeg was appointed as Acting Treasurer for PMI SFBAC.

Her latest project is starting a Mentoring Program for PMI SFBAC which will start a pilot year in 2018. This program is for new project managers to become better at what they do, assist military veterans to transition to a project management career, and other project managers to improve their skills.

Results of PMI Involvement

During her most recent job search, Batchimeg got two job offers and was able to turn to her mentors for help with her decision. With guidance and advice from a PMI SFBAC leader, Tyrone Navarro, PMP® she chose a job at the City and County of San Francisco’s department of taxation in the data analysis group. The team is new for the city of San Francisco, and a “kind of startup of its own,” she says.

Batchimeg is now leveraging her experience in project management, taxation, and her undergraduate degree in statistics in a single job. “My team is responsible for data analysis that helps drive the larger auditing process of companies and individuals that do business in the city. Many of the tax professionals on my floor are also GGU graduates.”