How To Become A Global Program Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a global program manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.,

Dr. Daryl Green

The role of a global program manager involves the coordination of teams to develop improvements for a company's program. In collaboration with international departments, you will also come up with the development of products and service modifications. You will be in charge of the management of the business system and the communication system of your company. Global program managers develop good relationships with the company's customers. You have to support production sites and monitor product metric records.

A bachelor's degree in business, management, or any other relevant field is required. Business skills are compulsory to be able to decipher how to use your client's behavior to the advantage of your company. You should be able to gather information, analyze and interpret it to reach a reasonable solution that would benefit your company. Good organizational, leadership, and communication skills are required for this role too. On average, global program managers are paid $118,143 yearly.

What general advice would you give to a global program manager?

Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Franklin and Marshall College

Be flexible. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a lot of uncertainty, but has created new opportunities in others. Staying flexible allows individuals to shift focus away from industries or occupations that may be in decline, and re-focus on employment opportunities that may be more aligned with our current moment.

ScoreGlobal Program ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.7

Avg. Salary $103,268

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 14.51%

Black or African American 6.45%

Hispanic or Latino 9.69%

Unknown 5.17%

White 63.97%

Gender

female 38.57%

male 61.43%

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

Key steps to become a global program manager

Explore global program manager education requirements

Most common global program manager degrees

Bachelor's

71.9 %

Master's

19.5 %

Associate

6.0 %

Start to develop specific global program manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Project Management	11.49%
Program Management	8.75%
Global Program	6.91%
Client Facing	6.13%
External Stakeholders	5.17%

Complete relevant global program manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New global program managers 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 global program manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real global program manager resumes.

Gain additional global program manager certifications

Global program manager 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 global program manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for global program managers include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

More About Certifications

Research global program manager duties and responsibilities

Coordinate and manage all aspects of solution delivery while leveraging SDLC and agile methods.
Manage and oversee logistics vendor in arranging mock advisory committee sessions.
Lead quarterly executive governance meetings and monthly operations review meeting for global suppliers.
Manage communications for implementation of outsource service provider for indirect sourcing activities in EMEA and APAC.

Prepare your global program manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your global program manager 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 global program manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable global program manager resume templates

Build a professional global program manager 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 global program manager resume.

Apply for global program manager jobs

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

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

How do global program managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Global program manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023

Pros

I like to work with a team. Satisfaction of seeing the successful completion of a project

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2021

Cons

Juggling multiple tasks and projects was always a constant struggle. I also felt very frustrated at times working with third party vendors and consultants remotely.

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020