How to hire a program/project manager

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

Here's a step-by-step program/project 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 program/project manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new program/project manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a program/project manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the program/project manager you need to hire. Certain program/project manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   This list presents program/project manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Program/Project Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Program/Project Manager	A Program/Project Manager is responsible for organizing and coordinating various programs and projects. They prepare and implement action plans, apply production, productivity, and quality standards, determine system improvements, and manage the program’s budget.	$35-66
   Manager, Program Management	A program management manager is a professional who guides project managers and oversees and coordinates an organization's projects, products, and other strategic initiatives. The day-to-day responsibilities of a program manager include planning the overall program, managing the program's budget and the main program documents, and defining the program governance... Show more	$39-74
   Project Manager/Scrum Master	Project Managers or scrum masters are experienced employees who lead an agile team. They are in charge of managing a specific project in terms of the agile model... Show more	$33-61

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Program Management
   • PMP
   • Status Reports
   • Infrastructure
   • Portfolio
   • Project Scope
   • Risk Management
   • Scrum
   • Process Improvement
   • Logistics
   • Resource Management
   • SharePoint
   • PMO

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Plan and manage infrastructure installations and enterprise hardware and software upgrades of classify systems while balancing resources to manage troubleshooting/maintenance actions.
   • Facilitate daily scrum meetings and collaborate with product owners to prioritize and manage backlog.
   • Utilize SharePoint, the company's document repository engine to manage access and documentation reviews.
   • Manage, monitors and measures project portfolio status, recommending corrective action as necessary and communicate portfolio status to their management.
   • Promote to positions base on demonstrate skills in business analysis, project management, portfolio management and customer relationship management.
   • Provide program and project management support for applications and infrastructure systems monitoring as well as enhancements and maintenance of existing systems.

   More program/project manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your program/project manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A program/project 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 program/project manager in Indiana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level program/project manager usually earns less than a senior-level program/project manager. Additionally, a program/project 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 program/project manager salary

   $101,850yearly

   $48.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level program/project manager salary

   $74,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average program/project manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$128,021	$62
   2	Wisconsin	$112,816	$54
   3	New Jersey	$110,884	$53
   4	Pennsylvania	$108,482	$52
   5	Connecticut	$105,422	$51
   6	Texas	$103,732	$50
   7	Georgia	$103,721	$50
   8	New York	$102,537	$49
   9	North Carolina	$102,492	$49
   10	Massachusetts	$101,402	$49
   11	Washington	$101,334	$49
   12	Delaware	$101,129	$49
   13	Ohio	$100,662	$48
   14	Michigan	$99,720	$48
   15	Oregon	$98,118	$47
   16	Missouri	$97,924	$47
   17	Kansas	$97,710	$47
   18	Minnesota	$96,108	$46
   19	Virginia	$95,632	$46
   20	District of Columbia	$94,860	$46

   Average program/project manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$140,022	$67.32	494
   2	Accenture	$139,092	$66.87	808
   3	Capgemini	$136,560	$65.65	118
   4	Point B	$136,141	$65.45	5
   5	Apple	$127,472	$61.28	161
   6	ON Semiconductor	$122,100	$58.70
   7	Yahoo	$121,407	$58.37
   8	Amazon	$120,761	$58.06	923
   9	Hexaware Technologies	$120,159	$57.77	6
   10	Accenture Federal Services LLC	$118,764	$57.10	2
   11	SunPower	$117,830	$56.65
   12	Family Dollar	$117,477	$56.48
   13	Virtusa	$117,331	$56.41	6
   14	CITGO Petroleum	$117,213	$56.35
   15	Data	$117,012	$56.26	1
   16	TALENT Software Services	$116,025	$55.78	1
   17	Atos	$115,332	$55.45
   18	Dell	$115,081	$55.33	7
   19	Gannett Fleming	$114,135	$54.87	54
   20	Amd	$113,619	$54.62	33

4. Writing a program/project manager job description

   A good program/project 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 program/project manager job description:

   Program/project manager job description example

   We are currently seeking a dedicated Program/Project Manager I to participate in Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) Fellowship Cohort 23-1 with USAA.
   
   We’re looking for those who share our values of honesty, integrity, loyalty, and service. By using HOH Fellowship Programs our goal is to build an extraordinary experience for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses that increases competitiveness and improves opportunities to find meaningful employment by providing development, skills, and exposure to corporate working environment and private sector business operations. HOH Fellowship Programs are best-in-class workforce development programs that range from six to eleven weeks.
   
   USAA values a culture that is highly collaborative, and we have found that a hybrid work type helps employees gain the best of both worlds – collaborating in-person in the office and working from home when needed to achieve focused results. The actual onsite days are resolved between each employee and manager. This role is available Hybrid from one of the following HUB locations; San Antonio TX, Phoenix AZ, or Tampa FL
   
   Facilitates and engages in the planning, execution, and delivery of low to moderately complex non-IT work efforts intended to accomplish business goals and objectives within prescribed timeframes and budgets. Demonstrates a proficient understanding of how activities contribute to the achievement of strategic business goals and operational objectives. Collaborates with key stakeholders, vendors and project/program teams to identify mutually beneficial outcomes for competing priorities and negotiate timelines to ensure objectives are met.
   
   USAA knows what it means to serve. We facilitate the financial security of millions of U.S. military members and their families. This singular mission requires a dedication to innovative thinking at every level.
   
   Identifies and manages existing and emerging risks that stem from business activities and the job role.
   
   Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled.
   Follows written risk and compliance policies, standards, and procedures for business activities. Works closely with cross-functional teams and resources to achieve multiple program and project milestones within established timeframes. Assists in the planning and coordination activities for low to moderately complex and work efforts through the development of plans intended to accomplish goals and objectives within prescribed timeframes, scope and budgets. Assists in ensuring consistent visibility for teams by monitoring and reporting business objectives, /work efforts achievements, and key indicators. Identifies and removes obstacles and impediments to ensure team objectives are met. Develops and tracks project budgets that may include necessary capital expenditures, operational expenses, and labor funding requirements. Ensures compliance with company and regulatory policies and procedures. Assists in the creation of the master work efforts plan from the underlying plans (if applicable). Supports senior Program / Project Managers in scheduling, prioritization and sequencing for work efforts. Establishes overall cadence for communication with impacted stakeholders, and provides framework for underlying work efforts(s) communication plans. Participates in creation and adherence to business case. Participates in work effort closure activities to determine benefit / business impact realization. Assists in managing risk by using risk management practices to address execution challenges associated with quality, schedule and cost, in adherence with risk management framework. Adheres to EPMO processes, procedures, controls, standards, tools and templates (as required). Adheres to governance rigor required for work effort. Supports driving the adoption and sustainment of changes within the organization in compliance with USAA’s Change Management methodology. Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s degree; OR 4 years of related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree 4 years of experience in project or program management, including planning, tracking and delivery. Knowledge and demonstrated application of project management tools and methodologies. Possess an understanding of scope definition, process and solution mapping; process structures and components; and standard project planning methodologies. Understanding of risk management policies and procedures. Preferred Experience: Current participant in the Cohort 23-1 Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship Programs Program/project level reporting; data analysis/extraction experience and statistics Experience developing insightful analysis/commentary for Executive management Experience in aggregating information from diverse sources to inform and support an opinion or view with superior organizational skills and attention to detail Advanced presentation development and communication skills Advanced level user of Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint and Visio Demonstrated experience in business process development and improvement Agile experience PMP not required but willing to obtain it The above description reflects the details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job. Compensation Hiring Our Heroes fellows are paid by the HOH program. If selected for a full-time role, USAA has an effective process for assessing market data and establishing ranges to ensure we remain competitive. You are paid within the salary range based on your experience and market data of the position. A geographic differential and/or shift premium may be applicable for this role, depending upon where and when this job is performed. The salary range for this position is: $72,900 - $131,400 . Employees may be eligible for pay incentives based on overall corporate and individual performance or at the discretion of the USAA Board of Directors. Relocation assistance is not available for this position. USAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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5. Post your job

   To find program/project managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any program/project managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level program/project managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting program/project managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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/project manager

   Once you've selected the best program/project manager 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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How much does it cost to hire a program/project manager?