How to hire a program manager/project leader

How to hire a program manager/project leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step program manager/project leader hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your program manager/project leader job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a program manager/project leader for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A program manager/project leader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, program managers/project leader 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of program managers/project leader.

   Type of Program Manager/Project Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Program Manager/Project Leader		$37-69
   Information Technology Project Manager	An information technology project manager is responsible for supervising the technology department, ensuring that all tasks are being done by following technological strategies and solutions. Information technology project managers' duties include monitoring the technology team's daily operation, handling team members' concerns, managing customers' inquiries and complaints, helping team members' in achieving their professional growth, creating reports, sharing updates during team and board meetings, and maintaining effectivity of operational procedures... Show more	$36-71
   Operations Project Manager	An operations project manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the project team, ensuring that the operations meet the clients' standards and internal regulations with maximum productivity and efficiency. Operations project managers manage the department's budget and allocate materials and resources accurately, maintaining a record of expenses and costs forecasting... Show more	$31-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PMI
   • Project Management
   • Project Delivery
   • Status Reports
   • DOD
   • Product Development
   • FAA
   • Metrics
   • National Security
   • Project Scope
   • User Acceptance
   • Process Improvement
   • Software Development
   • Project Charter

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Convert many HTML base websites to content manage based sites.
   • Manage, monitors and measures project portfolio status, recommending corrective action as necessary and communicate portfolio status to their management.
   • Work with PMO office for defining organization and structure.
   • Support QA end-to-end / regression testing with end users and stakeholder project teams.
   • Support for UAT measurable through Tenrox, to prove turnaround time has less customer changes and quicker to market.
   • Collaborate with QA to implement automate testing tools and processes improving quality and consistency in delivery.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your program manager/project leader job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A program manager/project leader can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, program managers/project leader' average salary in nebraska is 35% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level program managers/project leader 47% less than senior-level program managers/project leader.
   • Certifications. A program manager/project leader with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a program manager/project leader's salary.

   Average program manager/project leader salary

   $106,279yearly

   $51.10 hourly rate

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   Entry-level program manager/project leader salary

   $77,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a program manager/project leader job description

   A program manager/project leader job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a program manager/project leader job description:

   Program manager/project leader job description example

   Join the industry leader to design the next generation of breakthroughs
   
   Join the industry leader to design the next generation of breakthroughs
   
   Innovate to solve the world's most important challenges
   
   Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company that invents and manufactures technologies to address critical challenges linked to global macrotrends such as safety, security, productivity, global urbanization and energy. With approximately 129,000 employees worldwide, including more than 19,000 engineers and scientists, Honeywell has an unrelenting focus on quality, delivery, value, and technology in everything they make and do.Honeywell has been named a Top 100 Global Innovator for seven years in a row, recognizing the company's global reach of portfolio and invention influence.
   
   Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (FM&T) manages and operates facilities for the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA), in Albuquerque, NM as well as the Kansas City National Security Campus.Honeywell FM&T - New Mexico Operations provide state-of-the-art engineering, manufacturing, transportation technologies, emergency response and sourcing facility produces a wide array of intricate components to deliver trusted national security products and government services primarily for the NNSA. Honeywell FM&T's culture of integrity, commitment and continuous improvement enables them to deliver responsive, collaborative, and innovative management and technology services and products that translate into cutting edge solutions to complex national security issues.
   
   Summary of Duties:
   
   Negotiates, evaluates, determines, and executes department specific projects and program management activities to manage one or more significant, complex program or components for NNSA sponsor(s) supporting Emergency Response
   Leads, directs, influences, and exercises extensive technical knowledge and expertise to evaluate and resolve significant technical issues pertinent for key project(s) or program(s)
   Exercises extensive knowledge of programs and business processes to negotiate and establish achievable cost and schedule parameters
   Leads multiple aspects of financial planning, monitoring, reporting, scheduling, network analysis, and preparation of technical/schedule information required for program/project planning within Emergency Response
   Performs primary, first point of contact, technical, administrative, and logistical liaison role with company, Department of Energy, design agencies, laboratories, integrated contractors, and other government agencies for one or more key weapons, growth, and/or business process development/execution programs
   Integrates customer needs with business competencies to drive growth in both existing and emerging markets
   Participates in strategic and market planning
   Leads teams and matrix reports to manage day-to-day program requirements
   Represents senior program manager as delegated for some management responsibilities
   May assist the selection and development of technical program employees
   May provide management leadership for functional/divisional project leads
   Ensures that the right projects are prioritized and then managed to a successful completion
   Guides the effective use of program/project resources including personnel, tools, and methods
   May lead KCNSC or NSE-wide programs and activities to standardize and execute best business processes
   
   You Must Haves:
   
   Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Scientific, or Business-related field
   Master's degree in Engineering, Scientific, or Business-related field preferred
   Extensive knowledge and expertise in complex engineering and/or program management processes, principles, and architecture with progressive history of responsibility
   Expertise in estimation methods, critical path analysis, and contemporary program management trends and practices
   Expertise in integrating multiple, complex business and technical/engineering processes
   Ability to interpret, negotiate and capture customer requirements
   Proven excellence in effective communication, interactive presentations, and negotiation skills
   Ability to routinely represent program management and company to stakeholders
   Proven ability to mentor, coach, and lead program management personnel and other staff in a matrixed management environment
   Ability to be company spokesperson for key programs
   PMI certification preferred
   EIPM and IPDS experience preferred
   
   We Value:
   
   DOE NA-80 Nuclear Incident Response knowledge and/or experience
   
   FMT2021
   
   Additional Information
   
   Category: Business Management
   Location: PO Box 5250,Albuquerque,New Mexico,87185-5250,United States
   Exempt
   Must have or be eligible for a security clearance due to contractual requirements.
   
   Honeywell FM&T Overview
   Honeywell is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, religion, or veteran status.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right program manager/project leader for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with program managers/project leader they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit program managers/project leader who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with program manager/project leader 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a program manager/project leader applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   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 program manager/project leader

   Once you've selected the best program manager/project leader candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new program manager/project leader. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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