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Director, program and project management vs lead program manager

The differences between directors, program and project management and lead program managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a director, program and project management has an average salary of $127,842, which is higher than the $119,480 average annual salary of a lead program manager.

The top three skills for a director, program and project management include project management, azure and risk management. The most important skills for a lead program manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.

Director, program and project management vs lead program manager overview

Director, Program And Project ManagementLead Program Manager
Yearly salary$127,842$119,480
Hourly rate$61.46$57.44
Growth rate16%6%
Number of jobs233,335200,688
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4747
Years of experience--

What does a director, program and project management do?

A director of program and project management spearheads and oversees a company's projects and programs, ensuring quality and efficiency. They are in charge of setting goals and guidelines, organizing budgets and timelines, coordinating managers, streamlining roadmaps, and developing strategies to optimize operations. They may also liaise with key clients and external parties such as vendors and suppliers, research new business opportunities, and identify areas needing improvement in existing projects and programs, implementing solutions as necessary. Moreover, as a director, it is essential to monitor the workflow and the progress of the workforce while enforcing the company's regulations and policies.

What does a lead program manager do?

A lead program manager is responsible for coordinating departmental projects and ensuring that the programs adhere to the business guidelines and functions to achieve long-term goals and objectives. Lead program managers strategize techniques in developing business plans and managing budget allocation across departments. They also coordinate with clients for progress updates and modify program plans as needed. A lead program manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to finalize program outputs and assist the team in resolving project issues and delays.

Director, program and project management vs lead program manager salary

Directors, program and project management and lead program managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Director, Program And Project ManagementLead Program Manager
Average salary$127,842$119,480
Salary rangeBetween $84,000 And $193,000Between $89,000 And $158,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-Rhode Island
Best paying company-Airbnb
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between director, program and project management and lead program manager education

There are a few differences between a director, program and project management and a lead program manager in terms of educational background:

Director, Program And Project ManagementLead Program Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Director, program and project management vs lead program manager demographics

Here are the differences between directors, program and project management' and lead program managers' demographics:

Director, Program And Project ManagementLead Program Manager
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 69.5% Female, 30.5%Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between director, program and project management and lead program manager duties and responsibilities

Director, program and project management example responsibilities.

  • Manage legacy PeopleSoft enterprise resource planning (ERP) transition to new platform.
  • Develop full SDLC project plans, schedules, project estimates, and manage project budgets and schedules.
  • Manage and maintain all documentation utilizing SharePoint.
  • Manage PMO staff activities to ensure operational consistency.
  • Manage, monitors and measures project portfolio status, recommending corrective action as necessary and communicate portfolio status to their management.
  • Collaborate with enterprise team in RFP creation and review with resource and product vendors.
  • Show more

Lead program manager example responsibilities.

  • Track and manage SE data, team SharePoint site, status reports and worldwide communications including upper management.
  • Manage implementation of referrals, coordinate assignment of new physicians and create support network for transitioning patients during clinic closure.
  • Evaluate and report on KPIs to measure program effectiveness and value.
  • Recognize as financial systems subject matter expert for key elements of the CRM initiative.
  • Develop a short-term roadmap to the platform eventually being a full on cloud solution.
  • Work with PMO, business stake holders for matrix reporting, issue/risk identification and mitigation.
  • Show more

Director, program and project management vs lead program manager skills

Common director, program and project management skills
  • Project Management, 16%
  • Azure, 11%
  • Risk Management, 11%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 10%
  • Cloud, 9%
  • PMI, 9%
Common lead program manager skills
  • Project Management, 11%
  • Program Management, 10%
  • Portfolio, 6%
  • Infrastructure, 5%
  • Lifecycle Management, 4%
  • Continuous Improvement, 4%

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