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What does a deputy program manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does a deputy program manager do

A deputy program manager is responsible for planning productive and engaging activities that would develop active group coordination and efficiency, helping each participant to reach maximum potential and personal goals. Deputy program managers handle the business development activities from conceptualization to execution, identifying resources and materials, finalizing participants, and allocating adequate budget to support the program objectives. They also resolve planning issues and discrepancies accordingly and set alternative resources as needed to prevent delays.

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Deputy program manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real deputy program manager resumes:

  • 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.
  • Conduct CBRNE business development liaison activities within DoD and other government sectors.
  • Perform entire subcontract, contract and DPM role.
  • Select to be the ACWA DPM for business management and collocate personnel operations.
  • Influence the COR to increase resume screening and throughput resulting in increase hiring.
  • Provide weekly status of RFP's as well as active manufacturing projects on site.
  • Verify billable time, sign and submit invoices to COR for payment of services provide.
  • Create 17 near real time (NRT) graphics monitoring Afghanistan/Iraq main supply routes ISO OEF/OIF.
  • Assist with the recruitment, screening, selection, and placement of contractor personnel in DHS program offices.
  • Draft policies and participate in corporate initiatives to secure additional contracts and to obtain ISO and CMMI certification.

Deputy program manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 18% of Deputy Program Managers are proficient in Program Management, Project Management, and DOD. They’re also known for soft skills such as Management skills, Problem-solving skills, and Communication skills.

We break down the percentage of Deputy Program Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Program Management, 18%

    Supported and developed program management plans, integrated master schedule and control mechanisms to meet contract and delivery requirements.

  • Project Management, 12%

    Created administrative policy/process and project management documents to include staffing management plans, security management, and performance reporting plans.

  • DOD, 7%

    Provided support for Homeland Defense and Federal Aviation Agency requirements for a DOD decontamination program.

  • Risk Management, 4%

    Collaborated in the development of Configuration/Change Management and Risk Management strategies for NEST design study post award.

  • DPM, 3%

    Served as DPM Operations (Unit S-3) and as Kuwait Area Manager in parallel for 12 months in SWA.

  • Customer Satisfaction, 3%

    Provided contract profit and loss management input while conducting personnel actions to ensure contractual compliance and constantly improve customer satisfaction.

"program management," "project management," and "dod" are among the most common skills that deputy program managers use at work. You can find even more deputy program manager responsibilities below, including:

Problem-solving skills. Another essential skill to perform deputy program manager duties is problem-solving skills. Deputy program managers responsibilities require that "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." Deputy program managers also use problem-solving skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "collaborated with the irs program management office and technical teams on cloud storage solutions and implementation for 5 major sites. "

Communication skills. deputy program managers are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to deputy program manager responsibilities, because "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." A deputy program manager resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "maintain open communication with government and cor toensure the compliance with the contract and the performance work statement (pws). "

Leadership skills. A big part of what deputy program managers do relies on "leadership skills." You can see how essential it is to deputy program manager responsibilities because "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical deputy program manager tasks: "established end-to-end system integration of spacecraft, launch vehicle, and control centers skills used program management leadership supervisory technical requirements managment"

Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for a deputy program manager to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what deputy program managers relies on this skill, since "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." How this skill relates to deputy program manager duties can be seen in an example from a deputy program manager resume snippet: "utilized agile project management methods, particularly scrum to ensure project stayed on time, budget, and schedule. "

Most common deputy program manager skills

Choose from 10+ customizable deputy program manager resume templates

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Deputy Program Manager Resume
Deputy Program Manager Resume
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Compare different deputy program managers

Deputy program manager vs. Associate director

An associate director oversees the daily activities and business operations within a particular area. They are primarily responsible for devising strategies that aim for growth in profit and customer satisfaction, implementing policies and standards, evaluate the workforce, providing support to various departments, and setting goals in terms of budget and sales. Furthermore, they must regularly report progress to the director and coordinate with managers and supervisors in the joint effort to reach the vision and mission of the company.

If we compare the average deputy program manager annual salary with that of an associate director, we find that associate directors typically earn a $1,471 lower salary than deputy program managers make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both deputy program manager and associate director positions are skilled in project management, risk management, and customer satisfaction.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a deputy program manager are more likely to require skills like "program management," "dod," "dpm," and "itil." On the other hand, a job as an associate director requires skills like "patients," "healthcare," "oversight," and "portfolio." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Associate directors earn the highest salaries when working in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average yearly salary of $143,618. On the other hand, deputy program managers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $120,885.On average, associate directors reach similar levels of education than deputy program managers. Associate directors are 2.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 3.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Deputy program manager vs. Project administrator

A project administrator is an individual 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. They are involved with hiring staff members for a project and creating employee guidelines based on talents, skills, and abilities. Project administrators are also responsible for providing reports on the project's progress to the top management.

Project administrator positions earn lower pay than deputy program manager roles. They earn a $62,832 lower salary than deputy program managers per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Deputy program managers and project administrators both require similar skills like "project management," "pmo," and "microsoft project" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, deputy program manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "program management," "dod," "risk management," and "dpm." Meanwhile, a project administrator has duties that require skills in areas such as "purchase orders," "customer service," "powerpoint," and "data entry." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On average, project administrators earn a lower salary than deputy program managers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, project administrators earn the most pay in the construction industry with an average salary of $66,237. Whereas deputy program managers have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $120,885.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Project administrators tend to reach lower levels of education than deputy program managers. In fact, they're 9.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 3.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Deputy program manager vs. Project director

A project director is an individual 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. They provide presentations to investors, business partners, and company executives to inform them about their progress and development. Project directors must have several years of experience and obtain at least a bachelor's degree in business economics or a related field to be hired.

On average, project directors earn lower salaries than deputy program managers, with a $8,298 difference per year.Using the responsibilities included on deputy program managers and project directors resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "program management," "project management," and "customer satisfaction.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a deputy program manager is likely to be skilled in "dod," "risk management," "dpm," and "itil," while a typical project director is skilled in "oversight," "hr," "adaptive," and "erp."

Project directors make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $106,707. On the other hand, deputy program managers are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $120,885.project directors typically earn similar educational levels compared to deputy program managers. Specifically, they're 2.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Deputy program manager vs. Manager

Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department. Managers are responsible that the department they are handling is functioning well. They set the department goals and the steps they must take to achieve the goals. They are also in charge of assessing the performance of their departments and their employees. Additionally, managers are responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for department vacancies and assessing their fit to the needs of the department. Managers also set the general working environment in the department, and they are expected to ensure that their employees remain motivated.

Managers typically earn lower pay than deputy program managers. On average, managers earn a $57,043 lower salary per year.While both deputy program managers and managers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer satisfaction, business development, and human resources, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between deputy program managers and managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a deputy program manager might have more use for skills like "program management," "project management," "dod," and "risk management." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of managers require skills like "customer service," "payroll," "food safety," and "financial statements. "

Managers enjoy the best pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $71,781. For comparison, deputy program managers earn the highest salary in the technology industry.In general, managers hold lower degree levels compared to deputy program managers. Managers are 12.3% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of deputy program manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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