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Program managers, not to be confused with project managers, fill a critical role in many companies.
A great program manager will lead a productive team and keep projects aligned to company objectives; bad managers will struggle to keep projects on track and alienate your employees.
Since this role is so critical to an organization’s objectives, the program manager interview process is a stringent one.
Key Takeaways:
Program manager candidates should highlight their communication skills and their leadership skills in their answers to show that they are qualified for the position.
Interviewers should assess the candidates technical knowledge by asking them technical and behavioral interview questions.
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The interviewer, or interviewers, will ask you a variety of questions to determine whether or not you possess the hard skills, soft skills, and personality they are looking for.
The questions that will be asked will be a mixture of common interview questions, as well as behavioral and situational interview questions. To help you prepare, we have gathered 10 of the most common program manager interview questions with example answers to help you know what the interviewer is looking for.
Tell me about yourself. This is a common interview question often asked at the start of the interview as an icebreaker question. When you answer this question, you should highlight your background, leadership and team management skills, and how your skills align with the requirements of the position.
Example Answer:
"I am a highly motivated and experience program manager with a passion for driving successful outcomes through effective project management. I have a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on project management.
"I have been working as a project manager for the past five years and have successfully lead and delivered successful projects in diverse industries. I am adept at building and leading high-performing teams and skills with aligning team members with project objectives and fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
"I believe with a combination of my skills and experiences I would make a valuable contribution to your team and lead your organization to success."
Why do you want to work here? When it comes to answering this question, the interviewer is looking for how much you know about the company and what research you have done. Your answer should demonstrate your alignment with the organization's mission, values, and culture.
Example Answer:
"I want to work here because your organization is known for managing impactful programs that create tangible results and make a difference in people's lives. I am passionate about leading initiatives that drive positive change, improve communities, and address pressing societal issues.
"Another reason I want to work here is because of the growth opportunities your organization has to offer. I am constantly seeking new challenges and opportunities to expand my skill set. I am impressed by your organization's commitment to professional development."
When you’re overseeing multiple projects, how do you determine which is a priority? A program manager will be responsible for multiple projects at any given time. They can’t all be a priority. Setting a priority will allow you to direct resources and allocate funds properly.
The interviewer, and hiring manager, want to understand your strategy. Your response needs to lay out your decision-making process.
Example Answer:
“When setting priorities, I examine each project's dependencies, goals, budget requirements, resource constraints, and strategic value. If the answer is not immediately obvious, I would speak with stakeholders to help determine which project would have the highest potential strategic value for the company.”
What steps do you take to avoid scope creep? As a program manager, you should know that scope is the goals, deliverables, and other requirements of a project. You should also be aware of scope creep.
This refers to the sometimes inevitable increase of requirements over a project’s lifecycle. What began as a single deliverable has suddenly become four, but your budget and timeline have not changed.
This can be caused by stakeholders changing requirements, disagreements, or miscommunications. While it may be caused by outside forces, it is the program manager’s job to keep scope creep in check.
Example Answer:
“I make sure to intimately familiarize myself with each Project Scope Statement, ensuring that all parameters are well defined before the project moves forward. While every project is bound to experience some necessary adjustment, I do my best to be aware of potential scope creep risks.
“Additionally, I maintain open lines of communication with both stakeholders and team members. If requests from both sides are made through me first, I can assess each request as it comes in and determine if the adjustment is necessary.”
What is the most common reason projects fail? Nobody wants a project to fail. There was a reason the company decided to allocate resources to each project and no one wants to see those resources go to waste.
Each failure affects the company’s goals and strategies. So, hiring managers want to know that you understand what can cause it and how to avoid it.
There are plenty of reasons a project might fail. Success and failure may also be subjective; sometimes a project is considered a failure if stakeholders aren’t satisfied with the results.
But they are asking for the most common reason. Unfortunately, the most common reasons a project fails are outside of your control: a change in the organization's priorities or project objectives.
Poor communication and unclear objectives are also very common causes of project failure.
Example Answer:
“There are, unfortunately, a variety of reasons a project might fail. If I had to choose one, I would say poor communication. When there is a failure to communicate, it can cause delays in the timeline, impact costs, and add to scope creep.
“A communications management plan that puts the program manager as the main point of communication for both team members and stakeholders can help to prevent poor communication from disrupting a project and leading to failure.”
What’s your leadership style? Since this is a management position, this question may be asked. The interviewer wants to make sure your leadership style aligns with the leadership style of their company.
Your answer should highlight key aspects such as collaboration, vision, support, and trustworthiness. Be sure to also emphasize your belief in empowering and supporting your team.
Example Answer:
"I believe having a collaborative work environment helps team members feel empowered to contribute their ideas and expertise. I do this by encouraging open communication, active listening, and creating a safe space for diverse perspectives. I have found that promoting collaborating, I am able to harness the collective intelligence of the team and lead them to innovative solutions and stronger outcomes."
Describe your risk analysis process. The interviewer will ask this question to get an understanding of how you handle managing risks and ensuring program success. Your answer should be your risk analysis process as a program manager and what steps you take.
Example Answer:
"I start by identifying potential risks that could impact the program's objectives. I engage with stakeholders, team members, and subject matter experts to gather insights and perspectives. Once the risks are identified, I will develop risk mitigation strategies to minimize their potential impact.
"Throughout the program lifecycle, I will monitor identified risks and their mitigation process. I establish a robust monitoring system that tracts that status of the risks, evaluates the effectiveness of mitigation measures, and identifies any emerging risks.
Once the program is complete, I will conduct a comprehensive review to capture lessons learned from the risk analysis process."
If you’re working on a project and the company changes its goals, how do you adapt? When you are a manager, being able to adapt quickly is important. Your answer should showcase your flexibility, problem-solving, and ability to navigate transitions.
Be sure you highlight your ability to communicate effectively, collaborate with teams, and maintain a positive and supportive work environment during changing times.
Example Answer:
"I start by assessing the new goals and try to understand the reasons behind the change. This can involve gathering information, consulting with key stakeholders, and seeking clarification on the revised objectives. I would then review the existing program plan to identify areas that need adjustments to align with the new goals.
"Throughout the process, I ensure that there is clear and open communication with stakeholders to clearly communicate the revised goals, address any concerns, and ensure alignment. Throughout the new program, I will monitor the progress of the changes and any issues they may have."
How do you ensure the quality of the program’s results? Your answer to this question should emphasize your commitment to clear objectives, robust planning, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and quality assurance.
Be sure that you highlight your ability to establish measurable metrics, engage stakeholders, and conduct thorough risk management assessments. Doing this demonstrates your attention to detail, dedication to excellence, and your ability to deliver high-quality program outcomes.
Example Answer:
"I make sure to work closely with stakeholders to establish clear and measurable objectives for the program. These objectives are specific, realistic, and align with the organization's goals. I always create detailed program plans including timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
"proactively managing risks is essential for maintaining the quality of the programs results. I conduct thorough risk assessments, identify potential risks, and develop mitigation strategies. By following these steps, I am able to deliver high-quality outcomes."
When do you know the project is off-track? As a manager, it's your responsibility to know when a project is no longer on track. Your answer should highlight your awareness of key indicators such as milestone delays, budget overruns, stakeholder feedback, lack of team engagement, and communication breakdowns.
Example Answer:
"If tasks are behind schedule or milestones are being misses, it is often an indicator that the project is off schedule. I will also keep a close eye on the projects budget to make sure that things are running smoothly.
"I also ensure regular communication and feedback from project stakeholders to get insights on how the project is running. By monitoring key indicators and taking proactive steps to address off-track situations, I am am able to identify and navigate any challenges and work towards a solution."
What value is created by grouping several projects into a single program?
What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced when overseeing a team of project managers? How did you overcome it?
Tell me about a time when one of your projects fell behind schedule. What did you do to recover?
How do you prevent communication breakdowns among team members?
Tell me about a time where you and a project manager you were overseeing disagreed. How did you handle it?
How do you make use of technology to keep a program on target?
Tell me about your biggest project success. What about your biggest project failure?
Have you ever had to negotiate with a difficult stakeholder? How did you handle it?
Can you tell me about your management style?
Tell me about your delegation strategy.
What steps do you take to determine how to allocate a program’s budget?
Once you identify project risks, how do you mitigate them?
If two stakeholders provide you with conflicting requirements, how do you determine how to proceed?
Which of your traits do you feel best equip you to work as a leader?
How would you determine if a project is at risk?
If two team members disagree about how to proceed, how do you get them both on the same page?
What steps do you take to get the best deal from a critical vendor?
Which metrics do you use most frequently?
What’s your experience with program charters?
Tell me about the biggest challenge you’ve faced while managing a team of project managers.
Have you ever had to deal with a program that was falling behind schedule?
What technology and tools do you find are necessary to be successful in your role?
Why is change management important for this role?
What’s your communication style?
If the project is not adhering to schedule, how do you get it back on track?
Do you seek help outside of the project team?
How do you prioritize tasks on a project?
Have you worked in this industry before?
What resources do you use to stay on top of industry trends?
Do you use a different approach for small programs than large ones? Why or why not?
When you have a chance to build your team, how do you put one together?
If you were assigned a program with an 8-month deadline, how would you go about planning and delivering the outcome?
Imagine you’re halfway through the completion of a program when there’s a change in the company’s business strategy or objectives. How would you handle this?
Are you familiar with the PMI code of ethics?
What would you use six sigma for?
Describe the most recent program you managed. What was your contribution?
How did you measure the success of deliverables in your last program? How did you choose the best metrics?
Have you ever faced a communication problem while managing a program? Who with and how did you resolve it?
Tell me about a time where you managed a project that didn’t go as planned. What happened? What would you do differently if given the chance?
Do you leverage a code of ethics that enables you to be a better manager?
How do you properly define/document and control the goals for each program that you execute?
How do you evaluate a project’s performance?
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As a Candidate:
Highlight your communication skills. When you are a program manager, you need strong communication and presentation skills. Be prepared to come up with examples of how you can effectively communication with stakeholders, present complex information, and influence decision-making.
Provide examples of relevant experiences. Prepare examples of successful program management initiatives you have led such as project scopes, budget, timelines, and outcome achieved. Having examples ready will help you answer questions relating your experience.
Brush up on program management principles. Review program management frameworks, methodologies, and best practices such as the Project Management Institute's (PMI) and Program Management Professional (PgMP).
As an Interviewer:
Assess technical knowledge. It's important to assess the candidates technical knowledge by asking them technical question related to program management principles, methodologies, tools, and best practices.
Assess communication and leadership skills. Program managers need strong communication and leadership skills for them to be successful. Ask candidates about their approach to leading teams and resolving conflicts.
Review the candidates resume. Before the start of the interview, review their resume to get an understanding of their skills and qualifications. This will also help you create resume based questions.
Program managers are responsible for overseeing a company’s projects, interconnected through a common strategic goal, and supervising the project managers who lead them.
They should uphold the three pillars of program management: communication, collaboration, and multitasking. It is their job to keep everyone on schedule, maintain communication between teams and top-level management, and adapt strategic goals as the projects move along.
Typically employed in educational institutions, program managers will be found throughout the public sector and in some larger private companies. Salary for this position is dependent on the company or organization, but can easily be upwards of $100k.
Despite their similar-sounding titles, there is a distinct difference between a program manager and a project manager. The first being that program managers supervise project managers.
A project manager is responsible for the day-to-day activities within an individual project. They lead the project team, manage scheduling and deliverables, and track the progress of a given project.
A program manager, on the other hand, is responsible for overseeing multiple projects — and project managers — and serves as the line of communication between project teams and top-level management.
Many interviewers will ask you to explain the difference between these two roles, so make sure that you are apprised of the responsibilities attributed to each role separately. The interviewer will be looking for the big-picture thinking they want in their project manager. Ensure that you also highlight the importance of communication, collaboration, and multitasking.
This question can be asked in a variety of different ways, but they will all be asking the same thing. You may hear:
What is the difference between a program manager and a project manager?
What does a program manager do that project managers don’t?
How do your responsibilities differ from those of your project managers?
Preparing a list of questions to ask the hiring manager at the end of your interview shows that you are motivated and interested in this position. Be sure to come prepared with a setlist of questions beforehand.
If the hiring manager answers your questions throughout the interview, make sure to mark the response as you go along. You want them to know that you were paying attention and listening throughout your interview.
It is also a good idea to write down any questions that you think of during the interview. The hiring manager may mention something that you want to investigate further or you may think of something you hadn’t previously considered.
Your questions should relate to the company as a whole as well as the job itself. Some will ask questions of the interviewer to try and glean any insight into the company culture. You may want to ask things like:
How does this project/program tie into the company’s bigger vision?
How would you measure my success, and what could I do to exceed your expectations?
What kind of stakeholder support do these projects have?
Which KPIs do you use to track your teams and why?
Is there room for growth and advancement?
Arrive on time. Give yourself more than enough time to reach your destination with time to spare. You should also familiarize yourself with the offices you’ll be visiting so you know the security procedures and general location of the hiring manager’s office. You don’t want to show up late or stress yourself out trying to find your way.
Dress for success. Even if the office has adopted a casual dress code, you want to dress up for your interview. Dress professionally and look presentable.
Do your homework. You should never walk into an interview unprepared. Do your homework on the company and make sure that you’re familiar with the job description.
Avoid negativity. It doesn’t matter if you despise your previous boss with the intensity of a thousand suns. You should not speak negatively during your interview. It says more about your character than it does about whoever or whatever you’re speaking about.
Be clear and concise in your responses. You want to give them enough details to answer their question thoroughly without rambling. Make sure that you speak clearly and use language common to the industry.