Program Manager Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post presents exhaustive information on the program manager job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the program manager role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Program Manager Do?

A program manager is responsible for taking charge of particular projects within an organization/firm.

The program manager job description entails planning and coordinating a set of specific projects. It also involves providing documentation on every aspect of a project being worked on.

A program manager might work alone as an individual or be part (usually the head) of a team.

He/she has to work hand-in-hand with senior management to make sure that the progress of the projects that are being embarked upon is planned or scheduled.

He/she also works with other departments for support so as to get the job done. In most cases, a program manager does not work on individual projects; rather he/she organizes and supervises teams that work on related projects.

Most times, a program manager tends to work with the top management team of a company to set the general methodology and objectives for a particular set of projects, thereby streamlining the outcome of the project(s) with the company’s overall goals/objectives.

The manager has to communicate the methodology to the project managers and also make sure that the separate project goals are in line with the general methodology.

Also, in relaying the methodology for carrying out a project, a program manager makes sure that the separate project teams have the required resources with which to effectively execute any given project.

He/ she also tends to establish priorities or preference scales within the company’s whole program and then allocate resources according to the priorities being established.

The program manager role also entails making sure that wastes are avoided via the identification of duties that are similar across a line of projects, and also making sure that the different project teams (with similar tasks) do not duplicate their work(s).

His/her work description also involves arranging trainings for the program team members in a bid to enhance their skills for the job being executed.

A program manager establishes a report-structure that enables him/her get necessary information for the coordination of individual projects.

He/she reviews dates or time frames that were set for each project to make sure that they are right on schedule.

Program managers serve as a communication link, or put differently, they stand in the gap between top level management and individual project managers and constantly provide updates on changes in company-wide methodology and priorities to the different managers.

The job of a program manager is one that takes place in a standard office setting, and involves the use of necessary office equipment to carry out assigned duties; and it also requires travelling in some aspects.

Program Manager Job Description Example/Template

A program manager performs various functions to see to the successful completion of assigned projects.

The job description example below highlights typical tasks, duties, and responsibilities that program managers carry out in most organizations where they work:

• Participate actively in the planning and designing of programs, and also in monitoring their progress
• Develop back-up/recovery plans in the case of unplanned set-backs in project delivery
• Facilitate and ensure effective communication amongst functional bodies/representatives, that is, between top management team and individual project managers, and also make sure that the information/directives being passed down are diligently carried out
• Oversee the facilitating and delegation of individuals to different project teams
• Make sure that there is effective allocation of common resources amongst the individual projects under the program
• Manage the dependency of individual projects on each other to avoid mix-ups or duplication of projects
• Manage all forms of risk that may hinder the progress of on-going projects.

Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for Program Manager Role

If you are applying for the program manager job, the following are common requirements you may be expected to meet by the majority of employers to qualify for an interview:

• Good leadership skills are required to carry out this role effectively. A program manager must be able to show his/her ability when it comes to leading and managing of people
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills are very crucial for a program manager to have. This is vital in ensuring that there is a smooth flow of activities within a company and avoidance of conflicts
• Good knowledge of project management methods
• Ability to find ways of solving problems
• Ability to manage time and meet/beat deadlines
• Good analytical skills are also needed to be able to solve daily work issues
• Ability to work in a team or be a team player
• A Bachelor’s degree in any management course/field; MSC is a plus
• A certificate and a strong background in project management
• 2-5 years experience in a similar role.

Conclusion

If you are an employer needing a job description to use in hiring for the program manager role, the sample copy and tips provided in this post will assist you in creating one for your organization.

Having a great description for the position, which you can easily and quickly produce with information presented in this article will help you find and attract the best qualified candidates to your company.

Also, if you are interested in this job and what to get into the career, you will find this post useful in learning about it.