How to hire a business program manager

How to hire a business program manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step business program manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a business program manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new business program manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a business program manager do?

Post a business program manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the business program manager you need to hire. Certain business program manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A business program manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, business program managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of business program managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Business Program Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Business Program Manager	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$44-78
   Manager, Strategy	A strategy manager is a professional who reviews a company's objectives for growth and works with executives to formulate actionable plans to achieve these objectives. To make comprehensive recommendations, strategy managers must conduct data analysis of the organization as well as the overall industry... Show more	$37-73
   Web Manager	Web Managers are responsible for managing websites for organizations. Their duties include managing website upgrades, testing for website performance, implement a strategy to increase web traffic and subscribers, troubleshooting website issues, and responding to security breaches... Show more	$25-60

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Program Management
   • Portfolio
   • KPIs
   • Customer Service
   • Risk Management
   • Process Improvement
   • Azure
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • HR
   • Business Operations
   • Business Intelligence
   • Digital Marketing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead and manage UAT planning and execution.
   • Manage product order-ability in ERP for all Cisco products.
   • Manage integration of customer accounts from merger and acquisition (300K+) and partner-centric (50K) activities into Salesforce.com.
   • Manage a team of 20 skil professionals supporting lean design, configuration and building a solid solution through ERP implementation.
   • Manage new requirements and change requests, system outages and emergencies (weather/upgrades), and ensure ISO and security compliance.
   • Manage SLA for account creation; invoke and manage escalations regarding incomplete/inaccurate data.

   More business program manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your business program manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A business program manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, business program managers' average salary in kentucky is 48% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level business program managers earn 44% less than senior-level business program managers.
   • Certifications. A business program manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a business program manager's salary.

   Average business program manager salary

   $122,869yearly

   $59.07 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level business program manager salary

   $92,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average business program manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$147,174	$71
   2	District of Columbia	$143,105	$69
   3	California	$141,680	$68
   4	Washington	$139,940	$67
   5	New York	$135,244	$65
   6	Colorado	$130,653	$63
   7	Virginia	$126,257	$61
   8	Connecticut	$126,000	$61
   9	Maryland	$124,187	$60
   10	North Carolina	$123,958	$60
   11	Minnesota	$122,448	$59
   12	Illinois	$121,664	$58
   13	Nevada	$120,701	$58
   14	Michigan	$118,795	$57
   15	Indiana	$116,789	$56
   16	Massachusetts	$116,164	$56
   17	North Dakota	$114,877	$55
   18	Georgia	$112,522	$54
   19	Ohio	$106,524	$51
   20	Texas	$105,129	$51

   Average business program manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$143,459	$68.97	322
   2	VMware	$139,294	$66.97
   3	Google	$136,182	$65.47	229
   4	Citi	$134,804	$64.81	27
   5	Bridgeway Capital Management	$134,596	$64.71
   6	PayPal	$130,316	$62.65	26
   7	Waymo	$129,974	$62.49	20
   8	Varian Medical Systems	$128,602	$61.83
   9	BNY Mellon	$128,224	$61.65	16
   10	HP	$128,212	$61.64	18
   11	Rambus	$126,497	$60.82
   12	Micron Technology	$125,733	$60.45	29
   13	Levi Strauss & Co.	$124,255	$59.74	8
   14	General Motors	$123,997	$59.61	25
   15	Amazon	$123,659	$59.45	1,409
   16	Nokia	$123,570	$59.41	4
   17	LinkedIn	$123,494	$59.37	22
   18	General Electric	$123,259	$59.26	167
   19	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$122,046	$58.68	443
   20	Adobe	$121,953	$58.63	61

4. Writing a business program manager job description

   A business program manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a business program manager job description:

   Business program manager job description example

   As an experienced professional in Project Execution, you thrive at managing complex technology programs that have far-reaching implications for clients, employees, and stakeholders throughout the firm. This role requires a strong grasp of the big-picture - namely, how can technology help achieve business goals - as well as a keen ability to establish priorities and manage resource and budget forecasts. You'll work closely with colleagues across the firm to identify opportunities to develop projects and programs that are broadly applicable. You'll work with Technology and Business stakeholders to facilitate priority discussions, collect book of work demand for the team, obtain funding agreements and set resource plans with the managers. Just as importantly, you'll work with your team to set goals, foster collaboration, and promote the values, culture, and brand of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
   This role requires a wide range of strengths and capabilities, including:
   
   + BS/BA degree or equivalent experience
   
   + Understanding of global and line of business project and program management standards and methods
   
   + Experience working with high-performing teams in complex program execution
   
   + Strong understanding of Waterfall and Agile methods; stakeholder management, budget management and risk management
   
   + Ability to create and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders throughout the firm
   
   + Excellent interpersonal skills, including written and verbal communication across all levels
   
   + Expert level Excel skills to manipulate and report on data
   
   + Can partner, influence and thrive in a globalmatrixed organization, embracing strong team collaboration
   
   + Active and motivated self-learner
   
   JPMorgan Chase & Co., one of the oldest financial institutions, offers innovative financial solutions to millions of consumers, small businesses and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Our history spans over 200 years and today we are a leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
   
   We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.
   
   The health and safety of our colleagues, candidates, clients and communities has been a top priority in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. JPMorgan Chase was awarded the "WELL Health-Safety Rating" for all of our 6,200 locations globally based on our operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment.
   
   As a part of our commitment to health and safety, we have implemented various COVID-related health and safety requirements for our workforce. Employees are expected to follow the Firm's current COVID-19 or other infectious disease health and safety requirements, including local requirements. Requirements include sharing information including your vaccine card in the firm's vaccine record tool, and may include mask wearing. Requirements may change in the future with the evolving public health landscape. JPMorgan Chase will consider accommodation requests as required by applicable law.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veterans

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find business program managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your business program manager job on Zippia to find and recruit business program manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit business program managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new business program manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the business program manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new business program manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a business program manager?