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What is a senior program and engineering manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Yi Yang PhD,
Dr. Daryl Green

A senior program and engineering manager supervises all teams involved in software engineering projects for a company. You are in charge of the execution, design, and maintenance of software engineering applications. You have a lot of administrative and managerial duties, which involve drafting budget proposals for each project, ensuring projects run according to schedule, and hiring and training staff.

Some of your real-life job responsibilities might include leading a team to re-write product reliability, testing procedures and maintaining UL agency certification compliance. You must also be able to utilize your expertise and experience to train junior managers and develop performance strategies.

Your salary ranges from $134,000 to $169,000 annually, with an average rate of $64.55 an hour. Some skills must be included in your resume, and they include project management, cloud, software development, and product development. Most employers require a minimum qualification of a master's degree for this position.

What general advice would you give to a senior program and engineering manager?

Yi Yang PhDYi Yang PhD LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University - Abington

For new graduates beginning their careers in engineering, I would advise them to consider the broader impact of their work and look for opportunities to expand their management potential. While engineering is a highly technical field, it's important to recognize the value of leadership roles in preserving a culture of innovation. By taking on these positions, you can help ensure that companies prioritize long-term innovation over short-term gains (cutting R&D to boost the balance sheet), thus preserving the engineering culture that drives meaningful progress.
ScoreSenior Program And Engineering ManagerUS Average
Salary
8.4

Avg. Salary $129,613

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 16.71%

Black or African American 2.89%

Hispanic or Latino 8.08%

Unknown 4.55%

White 67.62%

Gender

female 17.07%

male 82.93%

Age - 48
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 - 48
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Senior program and engineering manager career paths

Key steps to become a senior program and engineering manager

  1. Explore senior program and engineering manager education requirements

    Most common senior program and engineering manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.3 %

    Master's

    19.5 %

    Associate

    9.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior program and engineering manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Program Management12.47%
    Project Management11.73%
    Cloud8.23%
    Software Development7.72%
    Architecture4.92%
  3. Complete relevant senior program and engineering manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior program and engineering managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior program and engineering manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior program and engineering manager resumes.
  4. Research senior program and engineering manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage high-value, high-complexity programs for critical DoD customers.
    • Lead multiple concurrent SharePoint development projects utilizing offshore development teams.
    • Manage projects focuse on upgrading internal engineering processes and OEM deployment projects.
    • Lead high-volume DOD operations for the manufacture of advance control/sensor/information systems and technologies.
  5. Get senior program and engineering manager experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a senior program and engineering manager. The most common roles before becoming a senior program and engineering manager include senior project manager, program manager team lead and engineering program manager.
  6. Prepare your senior program and engineering manager resume

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

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior program and engineering manager resume templates

    Build a professional senior program and engineering manager 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 senior program and engineering manager resume.
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
    Senior Program And Engineering Manager Resume
  7. Apply for senior program and engineering manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior program and engineering manager 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 senior program and engineering manager job

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Average senior program and engineering manager salary

The average senior program and engineering manager salary in the United States is $129,613 per year or $62 per hour. Senior program and engineering manager salaries range between $96,000 and $173,000 per year.

Average senior program and engineering manager salary
$129,613 Yearly
$62.31 hourly

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How do senior program and engineering managers rate their job?

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Senior program and engineering manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022
Pros

Able to see ideation to fruition and achieve success together as a team.

Cons

If company is not supportive of new technology advancement.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Project concept, execution - meeting business and Customer expectations.

Cons

Enjoy all aspects.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Being able to solve technical problems and manage staff for work

Cons

Less pay and not being able to freely speak what's on my mind


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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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