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What is a senior program coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Tamara Tranter,
Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.
introduction image

A senior program coordinator coordinates the planning, development, and implementation of various meeting, seminars, conferences, and other duties assigned by the Program Director. They ensure that everything runs smoothly and with efficiency. They oversee almost every aspect of a particular program running in the company, from budgeting, to personnel, to establishing guidelines and making sure they are implemented properly.

As a senior program coordinator, some of the functions that they perform are overseeing and directing the project team, hiring and training personnel for a specific project, scheduling events, developing the guidelines and boundaries of the project, and making sure they are adhered to in every way, so as to not go out of budget or cause harm to the organization's reputation. Qualifications include a bachelor's degree in international studies, political science or a related field; however, a master's degree will be given preference for such a senior position. In addition, relevant proven work experience of four or more years will also be required. Essential skills required include communication, research, interpersonal, computer software knowledge, and organizational.

The average hourly salary for the position is $26.27, which amounts to $54,647 annually. The career is likely to grow in the following years and create new opportunities all across the United States.

What general advice would you give to a senior program coordinator?

Tamara TranterTamara Tranter LinkedIn profile

Senior Director, The USA Hockey Foundation

Take risks, go outside of your comfort zone, and don't go into interviews with big expectations. Many qualified people have been impacted and are going to get many of the jobs because they have past experience. So be realistic, be positive, and be a team player.
ScoreSenior Program CoordinatorUS Average
Salary
5.8

Avg. Salary $74,468

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.9

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.74%

Asian 5.44%

Black or African American 11.49%

Hispanic or Latino 16.70%

Unknown 4.21%

White 61.41%

Gender

female 70.53%

male 29.47%

Age - 44
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 - 44
Stress level
7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.5

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Senior program coordinator career paths

Key steps to become a senior program coordinator

  1. Explore senior program coordinator education requirements

    Most common senior program coordinator degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.6 %

    Master's

    18.2 %

    Associate

    9.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior program coordinator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Alumni7.38%
    Excellent Organizational5.60%
    PowerPoint5.60%
    SR5.34%
    Data Entry5.05%
  3. Complete relevant senior program coordinator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior program coordinators 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 coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior program coordinator resumes.
  4. Research senior program coordinator duties and responsibilities

    • Manage co-op vendor and provide overall program direction for Toyota dealers and regional offices nationwide.
    • Report metrics associate with assign compounds to QA management, clinical development clinical development staff, and contract research organization staff.
    • Participate at PPT's and participate in the development of IEP's and strategies to meet IEP objectives.
    • Coordinate RFP policies and processes for all grant programs to ensure consistency.
  5. Get senior program coordinator experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior program coordinator. The most common roles before becoming a senior program coordinator include program coordinator, administrative assistant team lead and internship.
  6. Prepare your senior program coordinator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior program coordinator 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 coordinator 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 coordinator resume templates

    Build a professional senior program coordinator 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 coordinator resume.
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
    Senior Program Coordinator Resume
  7. Apply for senior program coordinator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior program coordinator 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 coordinator job

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Average senior program coordinator salary

The average senior program coordinator salary in the United States is $74,468 per year or $36 per hour. Senior program coordinator salaries range between $46,000 and $120,000 per year.

Average senior program coordinator salary
$74,468 Yearly
$35.80 hourly

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How do senior program coordinators rate their job?

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Senior program coordinator reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

The company I work for is it very small company but very generous to its employees. Has great benefits that start out right away wonderful training programs. And does a great service for our community.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

Interaction with a varied group of PhD students in STEM tracks

Cons

cyclical nature of the job


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Project concept, execution - meeting business and Customer expectations.


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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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