How to hire a deputy program manager

How to hire a deputy program manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step deputy 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 deputy program manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy program manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a deputy program manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the deputy program manager you need to hire. Certain deputy 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 deputy program manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, deputy 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 deputy program managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Deputy Program Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Deputy Program Manager		$38-79
   Project Administrator	A project administrator is a professional who assists the project manager in the preparation, reporting, and analysis of projects. Project administrators are given tasks with administrative responsibilities such as managing the budget for supply orders, coordinating meetings with contractors, and doing site visits... Show more	$15-39
   Project Director	A project director is a professional responsible for supervising workers from various departments given specific tasks to complete a given project. They create a budget to complete a job while monitoring the amount of money spent to ensure that overspending is avoided... Show more	$33-77

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Program Management
   • Project Management
   • DOD
   • Risk Management
   • DPM
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • ITIL
   • Business Development
   • Process Improvement
   • Software Development
   • PMO
   • Financial Management
   • Program Performance
   • Technical Performance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage training and user guides for the multiple systems to mission essential personnel both CONUS and OCONUS.
   • Initiate the effort to ensure the team leads and project managers on program are PMI and ITIL certify.
   • Manage all functions of the contact as it applies to safety, construction and fire protection engineering support to NASA.
   • Utilize SharePoint to manage and store project documentation.
   • Develop DoD configuration management plans and approve and manage contractor execution of contractor plans.
   • Manage implementation of referrals, coordinate assignment of new physicians and create support network for transitioning patients during clinic closure.

   More deputy program manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the deputy program manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A deputy program manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a deputy program manager in Florida may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level deputy program manager. Additionally, a deputy program manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average deputy program manager salary

   $115,694yearly

   $55.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level deputy program manager salary

   $81,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average deputy program manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$141,074	$68
   2	Maryland	$126,968	$61
   3	Illinois	$125,125	$60
   4	New Jersey	$124,782	$60
   5	New York	$124,157	$60
   6	District of Columbia	$119,487	$57
   7	Texas	$119,432	$57
   8	Michigan	$117,736	$57
   9	Kansas	$117,007	$56
   10	Pennsylvania	$114,295	$55
   11	Virginia	$114,167	$55
   12	Colorado	$109,098	$52
   13	Missouri	$104,867	$50
   14	Alabama	$104,752	$50
   15	Florida	$98,547	$47
   16	Arizona	$95,988	$46
   17	Puerto Rico	$69,116	$33

   Average deputy program manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Earthjustice	$174,788	$84.03	1
   2	ICF	$137,273	$66.00	62
   3	QED Group	$137,212	$65.97
   4	Parsons	$134,942	$64.88	93
   5	Salient CRGT	$133,243	$64.06
   6	AECOM	$132,128	$63.52	465
   7	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$130,587	$62.78	13
   8	Cubic	$130,474	$62.73	8
   9	Oceaneering	$129,834	$62.42	5
   10	Solutions	$129,217	$62.12
   11	Future Technologies	$129,194	$62.11
   12	The MIL Corporation	$128,654	$61.85
   13	Amyx	$128,601	$61.83	51
   14	Federal Data Systems	$128,343	$61.70
   15	Jacobs Engineering Group	$128,140	$61.61
   16	ASRC Federal	$127,995	$61.54	28
   17	Burns & McDonnell	$127,992	$61.53	193
   18	Booz Allen Hamilton	$127,984	$61.53	35
   19	EMCOR Group	$127,950	$61.51	128
   20	ManTech	$127,477	$61.29	22

4. Writing a deputy program manager job description

   A deputy 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 deputy program manager job description:

   Deputy program manager job description example

   Deputy Program Manager for Mesh Reflector Design and Manufacturing program. Overall responsibilities include:
   Essential Functions:
   
   • Leading and providing oversight to a highly specialized program team that supports Special Programs Product line Activities include design, procurement, manufacturing product integration and test, deployment, and technical baseline maintenance for Space qualified hardware • Senior professional with strong knowledge of job area and broad knowledge of project management Manages complex projects or processes with general oversight Communicates within and outside of own function to gain cooperation on operational processes, practices, and procedures Makes moderate to substantial improvements to systems and processes Contributes to achievement of departmental goals and operating plans with direct impact on the departmental results • Lead internal program team and monitors all program activities to ensure compliance with product specifications, performance requirements, schedules and cost commitments, Overseeing the generation, quality and timeliness of all written customer deliverables and reports • Manage programs through the integration of Earned Value Managements (EVMS) processes and procedures, Cost and Schedule forecasting and other key elements that the support the overall Profit and Loss (P&L) of the Program Effort includes managing/measuring weekly and monthly metrics for reporting to senior management and customers using MS Excel and other tools • Support Special Programs Product Line leadership in driving project portfolio execution in order to achieve key business and financial objectives for orders, revenue, operating income and cash flow • Support New Business initiatives; leading proposal efforts for follow-on production ECPs to include kickoff, PCR, Pricing reviews and cost proposal submittal Participates in negotiations of contract changes • Lead Program Risk Management effort - Identifies existing or potential program risks and obtains solutions, such as allocation of resources or changing contractual specifications Assess impacts of changes, provide mitigation plans, proactively manage escalation of issues to appropriate stakeholders, and manage scope creep • Ensure that all required staffing resources are available for the program
   
   Qualifications:
   
   • Active Top Secret/SCI Clearance • Bachelor's Degree and minimum 6 years of prior relevant experience; Or, Graduate Degree and a minimum of 4 years of prior related experience • 2+ years' experience with Earned Value Management (EVM) • 2+ years' experience with Space Hardware Design, Qualification and Manufacturing • 2+ years' experience with Change Management and Risk Management • 2+ years' leading Cross Functional Teams
   
   Preferred Additional Skills:
   
   • PMP certification • Demonstrated skills in program management principles with the ability to excel in a cost and schedule constrained environment
   
   L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right deputy program manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with deputy program managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit deputy program managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with deputy program manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 deputy program manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the deputy 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new deputy program manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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.)

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