What is a Program?
What is Program Management?
What is a Program Manager?Responsibilities for a Program Manager
What skills are required to be a Program Manager Resource Management
2. Stakeholder Engagement
3. Data Analysis and Synthesis
4. Data-Driven Decision Making
5. Change Management
What is the career path of a program manager
Program Management in an Organization
FAQIs it hard to be a program manager?
Is it a good career to be a program manager?
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We should first define program management.
What is a Program?
A program is a group of related projects that have similar goals, objectives, and resources. They all deliver a common outcome or significant change. For example, a program would include a variety of projects such as:
Implementing an electronic document management system in the Head Office
Implementing a paperless sales process in all branches and designing a paperless sales process in company shops
Launching an employee portal to electronic payslips, HR information, and other information
Launching an electronic expense management software with approval workflow
Future projects will be developed digitally.
And so on.
Each of these projects has a project manager. Together, they bring about a transformational change in the business. The overall change is managed under a program manager, who consolidates program-level risk, manages resource conflicts across all project types, controls the budget, and works with business owners in order to realize the benefits of all the initiatives.
No matter what type of program it may be, programs are more likely to achieve strategic objectives and organizational changes than individual projects. Strategic alignment is crucial for your work. You should be able see how your work drives the organization forward.
What is Program Management?
Program management is the ability of leading a program, keeping all moving parts in the right direction, and delivering the overall change.
Program management is a different skill than project management but it is often considered a career choice for experienced project managers.
Next: Project Management versus program managementWhat is a Program manager?
Program managers are responsible for leading a program to achieve change. They coordinate the work and manage multiple projects for multiple teams to ensure that the business is on its way to success.
There are some overlaps between program management and project management skills. However, the easiest way to look at it is this: A program manager sees things at a higher level than a project manager.
Multiple projects are interdependent and have different risks, timelines, and resources. There is a lot more to do. It’s a larger picture role.
Program management is my favorite type of management. It’s more strategic and lasts longer. And it’s easier to see the benefits.
You must be able to accept uncertainty and not get too stressed about not knowing the details. Trust is essential as project managers expect you to step out of the way to allow them to manage the details.
Responsibilities of a Program Manager
Let’s take a look at the day-to-day activities of a program manager. This will be a large part of your job description.
This role will require you to work largely on your own initiative. Your leadership team will provide guidance. You will be responsible for maintaining the program plan, scheduling work, and assigning tasks to others. These could include project managers or colleagues from the PMO.
Program managers are responsible for:
Including setting the approach, defining, facilitating, and completing programs. These will include a variety of projects that have clear deadlines and will have a direct business impact.
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