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What is a manager, project management office and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.,
Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

The project management office manager oversees business projects and ensures that the projects are completed on time and within the allocated budget. As the manager of the project management office, you will collaborate with other leaders of different departments to define, develop and prioritize projects. You will analyze the financial data, which includes the project risks, project budget, and resource allocation. You will draft the new and improve existing project management office policies and processes of the company. In addition, you will evaluate projects to ensure that they meet the company's standards, adhering to budgets, and meeting deadlines. Lastly, you will provide financial reports and budget outlines to executives and management.

The project management office manager earns an average of $96,309 a year. The educational requirement for the post is a bachelor's degree in Business, administration, or related field. Certification in project management will be an added advantage. You must have strong leadership skills because you will be in charge of the project management department.

What general advice would you give to a manager, project management office?

Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.Nicole Jones Young Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

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.
ScoreManager, Project Management OfficeUS Average
Salary
7.8

Avg. Salary $106,012

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%

Asian 8.93%

Black or African American 7.57%

Hispanic or Latino 12.69%

Unknown 4.70%

White 65.45%

Gender

female 41.71%

male 58.29%

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

Manager, project management office career paths

Key steps to become a manager, project management office

  1. Explore manager, project management office education requirements

    Most common manager, project management office degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.0 %

    Master's

    23.4 %

    Associate

    6.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific manager, project management office skills

    SkillsPercentages
    PMO11.92%
    Governance6.93%
    Project Management Methodology6.92%
    Continuous Improvement4.67%
    Process Improvement3.98%
  3. Research manager, project management office duties and responsibilities

    • Lead large, cross-departmental teams implementing strategic, enterprise software application deployment and infrastructure system upgrades.
    • Streamline and centralize usage of project management tools to manage dependencies and transparent delivery milestones for highly complex SaaS platforms
    • Develop project management tracking system utilizing SharePoint to provide transparency and accountability for all strategic projects.
    • Design and implement an internal SQL database for reporting project status to management via SharePoint.
  4. Prepare your manager, project management office resume

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

    Choose from 10+ customizable manager, project management office resume templates

    Build a professional manager, project management office 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 manager, project management office resume.
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    Manager, Project Management Office Resume
    Manager, Project Management Office Resume
    Manager, Project Management Office Resume
    Manager, Project Management Office Resume
    Manager, Project Management Office Resume
    Manager, Project Management Office Resume
  5. Apply for manager, project management office jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a manager, project management office 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 manager, project management office job

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Average manager, project management office salary

The average manager, project management office salary in the United States is $106,012 per year or $51 per hour. Manager, project management office salaries range between $77,000 and $144,000 per year.

Average manager, project management office salary
$106,012 Yearly
$50.97 hourly

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How do managers, project management office rate their job?

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Manager, project management office reviews

profile
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

Cons

Strict deadlines, and stakeholders. Feeling undervalued or underappreciated.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

I enjoy problem-solving and identifying a path to completing a complex project. I like to ensure that moving parts come together smoothly and communicating successes and celebrating with the team.

Cons

Without the right support from project sponsors, a project manager is doomed to failure. There is an enormous amount of responsibility on a project manager to deliver a product on time and on budget, though without proper authority or backing, it's basically wheel spinning.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

I like working with Clients and challenges.

Cons

I would rather work remote with little travel.


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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.

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