Program Manager

Summary

• Strategic Alignment: Responsible for managing and harmonising multiple interconnected projects (a program) within an organisation, ensuring they align with business strategies and objectives.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Acts as the prime liaison between internal teams, executives, and external vendors, ensuring clear communication and consensus across the board.
• Resource Oversight: Oversees the allocation of resources, budgeting, and scheduling across various projects within the program, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Risk and Issue Management: Proactively identifies, assesses, and manages risks and issues across the program, implementing solutions to maintain program integrity.
• Program Governance: Implements and maintains program governance to ensure best practices, standardisation, and consistency throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Skills

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to see the big picture, aligning multiple projects with business objectives and strategic goals.
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills to guide project managers and teams, fostering a collaborative and productive environment.
• Communication: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder engagement and team coordination.
• Risk Management: Proficient in identifying and mitigating risks, ensuring program and project stability.
• Financial Acumen: Strong budgeting and financial management skills for program-level resource allocation and cost control.

Standard Industry Training

1. PMP (Project Management Professional)
2. PgMP (Program Management Professional)
3. PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

Interview Questions for IT Program Manager Candidates

1. How do you align your program's objectives with the overarching business goals in a tech environment?
2. Can you give an example of a significant risk you identified and managed across your program, and how your intervention benefited the program and the organisation?
3. Describe your approach to managing and balancing the needs and objectives of multiple projects and teams within your program.
4. How do you ensure the right communication and reporting structures are in place across different projects within a program?
5. Can you provide an example of a complex program you've managed that required integrating various technological initiatives? What was your role, and how did you ensure its success?