Across organizations and industries, program managers and project managers help businesses with myriad tasks. These roles may be needed to keep large projects or programs operating efficiently. But what is the difference between project managers and program managers?
Are the differences as simple as the scope of their work, or is there more to it? We spoke with experts from various industries to understand the similarities and differences between project and program management.
Program Manager vs. Project Manager
Generally speaking, a program manager leads several projects (and often a department of project managers). In this context, a program is a portfolio of projects, often interconnected, that are worked on by a single team.
Meanwhile, project managers tend to lead single projects, focusing their efforts on helping larger projects meet difficult deadlines or parameters for success. There is some leadership involved, as projects tend to have people from various departments working on tasks to help the project reach its completion or deadlines.
Program managers may take day-to-day responsibility for smaller projects within their overall job duties, but their jobs ultimately focus on department budgets and leading teams.
What is program management?
Within a company’s structure, a “program” is often more permanent. Projects may have a fixed end-date, but programs are ongoing, with no clear deadline or termination. Program managers often work within larger departments, like an IT department for a Fortune 500 firm, which has several projects running concurrently (and new ones starting often).
Program management is a discipline that keeps projects running smoothly to meet various business objectives. Whether the projects are revenue-based or foundational to business operations, program managers ensure various projects are progressing as needed.
Key responsibilities of program managers
“Program managers are tasked with overseeing a set of related projects and initiatives that collectively contribute to larger organizational goals,” adds Eric Pham, member of the Forbes Business Council. “They operate at a strategic level, ensuring that individual projects align with and support broader business objectives. While they may not be directly involved in the day-to-day execution of tasks, program managers coordinate and integrate the efforts of multiple project teams to achieve overarching success.”
Often, program manager tasks include:
- Communicating status updates of programs and projects to leadership
- Budget management for projects
- Auditing projects to ensure necessary objectives are met
- Overseeing projects as needed
- Risk mitigation for projects
- Mentoring project managers
- Mediating issues within the team
- Providing balanced guidance to leadership on what is realistically achievable
Be aware that any job interview for a program manager position will dig deeply into your people skills and your ability to manage teams and complex projects.
Key skills and qualities needed to be successful as a program manager
Leadership is critical for program managers. “In tech, we are increasingly seeing program manager (and technical program manager) positions appear while project management roles decrease,” notes Brian Riggsbee, Director of Technical Program Management at Slack. “You may very well be part of a company that only has program managers. In the case where both roles exist, they will often collaborate as partners, with the program manager taking a leadership role and directing the overall program of which the project manager is a part of. For example, many complex programs have multiple work-streams that must be managed, and it may be appropriate to have a project manager (or equivalent) oversee one to two of those streams.”
A program manager must have strong project management skills, too. “A program manager may also function as a project manager, particularly in smaller organizations where roles can overlap,” Gianluca Ferruggia, General Manager at DesignRush, tells Dice. “For larger operations, these roles are usually distinct due to the complexity and scale of work.”
Ferrugia also says strategy is also critical for program managers: “The program manager's role is more strategic, focusing on long-term goals and the integration of multiple projects, whereas the project manager is more tactical, concentrating on the day-to-day management of specific projects. For our company, we make sure the overlap is minimized and define the separation clearly because we want to avoid employee burnout.”
How much can a program manager make?
This depends on the industry you find work in, the scope of the program you lead and number of projects within that program, and the company’s budget. According to Dice’s Tech Salary Report, a program manager can make an average of $139,683, up 12.9 percent year-over-year; that’s significantly more than the average tech salary of $111,348.
In addition to the Tech Salary Report, we checked a variety of sources for program manager salaries. A normal range for a program manager is $80,000 to $120,000 per year. “Your average program manager is going to get paid more than a project manager,” Riggsbee tells Dice. “Since program managers will often oversee multiple projects or programs, their role tends to be more complex, and as such, is compensated accordingly.”
What is project management?
Project management is the practice of managing a single project, often with a defined deadline or end date. Project managers focus on one project at a time, diving deep into the intricacies of that project, all with an understanding of how the project affect company goals.
Project managers may have to lead others within the project, typically form other departments. If the project is large enough, these roles may have staff assigned to report to them, but those cases are rare.
Key Responsibilities
Program managers are leaders who have a keen eye for detail, and know how to navigate issues that pop up in the management of a project.
Other duties may include:
- Communicating to a program manager or leadership the status of a project
- Building a great team for each project, inside and outside their department
- Delegating tasks as necessary
- Mitigating risks that may affect the project completion timeframe
- Holding team meetings to discuss the progress of a project
- Ensuring the team is working toward the same goals and objectives
Key skills and qualities needed to be successful in program and project manager roles
“In terms of the underlying skill sets, the roles [of program and project manager] have overlapping experiences and abilities,” notes Riggsbee. “Plus, both roles tend to attract like-minded individuals that are highly organized, thoughtful, and self-motivated. They are the types of positions where one must be comfortable in being the ‘outsider,’ where their customer is the people and teams they partner with.”
Both roles “work cross-functionally and must be able to manage scope, resources, and time, constantly adjusting based on short and long-term needs, all while assessing risks,” Riggsbee adds. “All said, if someone finds themselves going down one of those career paths—program or project management—then they may be interested in exploring the other, as many of the foundational skills are similar.”
Phan says: “Project managers are responsible for the management of specific projects from initiation to completion. Their focus is on the tactical execution of tasks within well-defined objectives, scope, and deliverables. Project managers lead project teams, ensuring tasks are completed within the constraints of time, budget, and resources. They play a hands-on role in project execution, monitoring progress, addressing challenges, and ensuring successful project completion.”
Being hyper-focused on deadlines and finding solutions to problems before they arise are key attributes, too. A successful project manager is detail-oriented, manages people well, and can find creative solutions to problems that inevitably pop up.
How much does a project manager make?
Project managers typically start at a lower salary than program managers, but their top-end earning average is similar. We find program manager roles starting at around $60,000 per year and some that have a salary range topping out near $120,000.
According to Dice’s most recent Tech Salary Report, project managers make $120,653, a 1.8 percent increase year-over-year. That’s significantly more than the average tech salary of $111,348.
Conclusion
Program managers concern themselves with the overall success of a program, not always the nuance of each project. That’s where project managers come in handy.
Both are critical, depending on company needs and the scope of projects and programs. If you’re detail-oriented and like delegating and managing tasks, program and project management are careers you should explore.
