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The differences between directors program management and lead program managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a director program management has an average salary of $141,289, which is higher than the $119,480 average annual salary of a lead program manager.
The top three skills for a director program management include program management, project management and cloud. The most important skills for a lead program manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Director Program Management | Lead Program Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $141,289 | $119,480 |
| Hourly rate | $67.93 | $57.44 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 142,312 | 200,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | - |
The duties of a director of program management depend on one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the operations in particular areas, ensuring efficiency and productivity that will translate to sales. They are also responsible for devising strategies to optimize existing programs, spearheading new projects, setting goals and budget, resolving issues and concerns, and evaluating workforce performance. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Directors program management and lead program managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Program Management | Lead Program Manager | |
| Average salary | $141,289 | $119,480 |
| Salary range | Between $102,000 And $195,000 | Between $89,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a director program management and a lead program manager in terms of educational background:
| Director Program Management | Lead Program Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between directors program management' and lead program managers' demographics:
| Director Program Management | Lead Program Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.9% Female, 30.1% | Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 Percentage | 11% | 10% |