How to hire a lead program manager

How to hire a lead program manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead program manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lead program manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead program manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lead program manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The lead program manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A lead program manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead program managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of lead program manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Lead Program Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Program Manager		$42-75
   Club Manager	A club manager is responsible for overseeing club operations, delegating tasks to the club staff, and ensuring that the team provides the highest customer service and satisfaction for the guests. Club managers inspect the stability of technical tools and equipment, including the adequacy of inventory and food and beverage stocks... Show more	$12-35
   Manager, Project Management	The role of a project management manager involves the planning, execution, monitoring, control, and closure of projects. Project managers oversee the scope of the entire project, the team, success or failure, and its resources... Show more	$35-69

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Program Management
   • Portfolio
   • Infrastructure
   • Lifecycle Management
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Azure
   • Risk Management
   • Architecture
   • Scrum
   • Process Improvement
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Business Development
   • Software Development

   Check all skills

   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.

   More lead program manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead program manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A lead program manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a lead program manager in Colorado may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level lead program manager usually earns less than a senior-level lead program manager. Additionally, a lead program manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average lead program manager salary

   $119,480yearly

   $57.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead program manager salary

   $89,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average lead program manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$142,181	$68
   2	California	$137,482	$66
   3	Virginia	$134,435	$65
   4	New York	$134,402	$65
   5	Washington	$131,506	$63
   6	Massachusetts	$126,338	$61
   7	Oregon	$123,628	$59
   8	New Jersey	$123,512	$59
   9	Pennsylvania	$121,794	$59
   10	Michigan	$118,116	$57
   11	North Carolina	$116,984	$56
   12	Texas	$114,408	$55
   13	Ohio	$114,078	$55
   14	Indiana	$112,544	$54
   15	Missouri	$111,478	$54
   16	Arizona	$110,806	$53
   17	Florida	$109,868	$53
   18	Wyoming	$105,451	$51
   19	Georgia	$104,486	$50
   20	Illinois	$102,715	$49

   Average lead program manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Airbnb	$150,715	$72.46	4
   2	Meta	$145,203	$69.81	477
   3	Google	$142,851	$68.68	482
   4	Citi	$142,405	$68.46	17
   5	Bunge	$140,746	$67.67	6
   6	eBay	$139,383	$67.01	35
   7	Nasdaq	$138,869	$66.76	2
   8	Amd	$137,537	$66.12	40
   9	Bloomberg	$137,536	$66.12	13
   10	Accenture	$136,499	$65.62	1,426
   11	Royal Bank of Canada	$136,022	$65.40	16
   12	Rivian	$135,498	$65.14	27
   13	Amazon	$134,026	$64.44	982
   14	Torch Technologies	$132,567	$63.73	2
   15	NuVasive	$132,159	$63.54
   16	Toyota Financial Svc	$132,134	$63.53	2
   17	Stanford University	$131,892	$63.41	16
   18	Nike	$131,171	$63.06	2
   19	General Electric	$130,975	$62.97	168
   20	Deloitte	$127,633	$61.36	1,563

4. Writing a lead program manager job description

   A good lead program manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a lead program manager job description:

   Lead program manager job description example

   Seeking high potential talent to make an immediate impact for fielding responsive space systems. Role will be managing an investment portfolio responsible for the design and implementation of facilities, test equipment, and hardware/software product development that support national defense capabilities.
   
   Candidate should be a self-starter that is a recognized expert with business knowledge and leadership capabilities. Communicate with contacts inside and outside of the organization on matters of strategic importance to influence executive leadership on new concepts and approaches. Recommend and implement strategies and develop operational plans/goals with direct impact to the achievement against functional strategies.
   
   Own and develop tactical and operational plans and goals for a business area or function. Recommend and operationalize strategies that have a direct impact on mid- to long-term function or business area achievements. Requires a high degree of responsibility for resources and ability to influence business decisions made by leadership.
   Essential Functions:
   
   • Accountability for overall program performance commitments to include: o Financial: Orders, sales, operating income, investment, cash flow, and program budget o Schedule: Timely, responsive, and successful completion of all program deliverables o Quality: Program deliverables meet or exceed L3Harris and customer expectations o Ability to work between and bridge program and supplier performance with L3Harris business financial performance o Responsible for managing the cost, schedule, and technical performance requirements of a program through all lifecycle phases o Responsible for program change management, controlling program performance measurement baseline of cost, schedule, and performance o Ensure that all resources such as engineering, manpower, production, and facilities are available to support the program o Solve highly complex problems with significant business impact • Prepare and provide required reports, briefings, and technical reviews to senior management as requested • Can develop broad, cooperative relationships with numerous groups and individuals, even when having no direct authority over them
   
   Qualifications:
   
   • Bachelor's Degree in STEM or business discipline and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience; Or, Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience • Experience in Earned Value Management • Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal skills for both internal and external customers
   
   Preferred Additional Skills:
   
   • DoD Secret Clearance • Project Manager Professional (PMP) certification
   
   L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right lead program manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead program manager job on Zippia to find and recruit lead program manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with lead program manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead program manager

   Once you've found the lead program manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new lead program manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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