Post job

What is a director program management and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Daryl Green
introduction image

Hand-eye coordination - both processes that when strong and in sync can make you a star athlete. Coordinating them? Now that's a challenge! Within a company, each team has its process to develop and strengthen, and when teams bring their processes together and get in sync, the company succeeds. You, the director of program management, like a star athlete, hone the teams' skills and synchronization to meet your company's objectives.

As the director of program management, you display strong project management skills, including competency in certain software applications, so that you can organize teams, their members, and their activities. From department to department, your exact role and responsibilities may change, so you are flexible to the needs of each team while keeping in mind the ultimate objective to align with the company's mission and success.

A bachelor's degree or further post-graduate education and experience in business and program management positions will offer you eligibility for a director role. You must have experience in team and project management. A direct program manager receives, on average, an annual salary of $152,000.

What's a day at work look like for a director program management?

Dr. Daryl GreenDr. Daryl Green LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Business, Oklahoma Baptist University

Given the on-going threats of Covid-19, recent graduates can expect varying work days. Some students are working remotely (instead of an office space). Therefore, some recent graduates may still be living with their parents. We are still adjusting to 'The New Normal.' Given this reality, students need to be flexible and adaptable to their employment situation.
ScoreDirector Program ManagementUS Average
Salary
8.7

Avg. Salary $141,289

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.72%

Black or African American 6.55%

Hispanic or Latino 9.83%

Unknown 5.19%

White 65.51%

Gender

female 30.05%

male 69.95%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Director program management career paths

Key steps to become a director program management

  1. Explore director program management education requirements

    Most common director program management degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.4 %

    Master's

    22.3 %

    Associate

    5.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific director program management skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Program Management15.63%
    Project Management9.29%
    Cloud4.95%
    Customer Satisfaction4.63%
    Product Management4.01%
  3. Complete relevant director program management training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors program management learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a director program management based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director program management resumes.
  4. Gain additional director program management certifications

    Director program management certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific director program management certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for directors program management include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research director program management duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve ISO [] and ISO [] certification within 12 and 6 months, respectively, from scratch.
    • Manage a team of designers, developers and QA engineers.
    • Monitor and manage vendor performances to ensure contractual SLA's are met.
    • Set measurable objectives for team and individual reports, providing guidance to achieve KPIs.
  6. Get director program management experience

    Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a director program management. The most common roles before becoming a director program management include senior project manager, program manager team lead and project manager.
  7. Prepare your director program management resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director program management resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a director program management resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable director program management resume templates

    Build a professional director program management resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your director program management resume.
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
    Director Program Management Resume
  8. Apply for director program management jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director program management job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first director program management job

Zippi

Are you a director program management?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average director program management salary

The average director program management salary in the United States is $141,289 per year or $68 per hour. Director program management salaries range between $102,000 and $195,000 per year.

Average director program management salary
$141,289 Yearly
$67.93 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do directors program management rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Director program management reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Project concept, execution - meeting business and Customer expectations.

Cons

Enjoy all aspects.


Working as a director program management? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Director program management FAQs

Search for director program management jobs

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.

Browse executive management jobs