How to hire a software project manager

How to hire a software project manager, step by step

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

What does a software project manager do?

Post a software project manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the software project manager you need to hire. Certain software 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

   Hiring the perfect software project manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents software project manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Software Project Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Software Project Manager	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$40-75
   Principal Software Engineer	A Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of an organization's projects. They diagnose, document, and troubleshoot systems to resolve problems identified through testing, as well as implement strategies to improve integration and efficiency.	$47-87
   Business Analyst/Project Manager	A business analyst/project manager is responsible for developing project management procedures, analyzing processes, and ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of project deliverables, following clients' specifications and requirements to meet their highest satisfaction. Business analysts/project managers manage project resources, delegate tasks to project staff, setting deadlines, and coordinating with the clients for regular updates and suggest strategic adjustments as needed... Show more	$34-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Scrum
   • Development Process
   • UI
   • Jira
   • Software Project
   • Project Scope
   • QA
   • Risk Management
   • Status Reports
   • C++
   • Confluence
   • Process Improvement
   • Client Facing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the JIRA defect log and issues.
   • Utilize CRM to manage resolution of customer issues to ensure satisfaction.
   • Lead the delivery of diagnostic GUI design and service workstation application for iGen3 (e.g.
   • Lead cross-functional teams for pre-silicon and post-silicon verification, audio and trace debugging, and software stability.
   • Manage software, system test, SCM, and QA teams in implementation, integration, and troubleshooting.
   • Used scrum methodology to manage projects for web-base and standalone software applications.

   More software project manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, software project managers' average salary in hawaii is 39% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level software project managers 46% less than senior-level software project managers.
   • Certifications. A software project manager 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 software project manager's salary.

   Average software project manager salary

   $115,181yearly

   $55.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level software project manager salary

   $84,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average software project manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$136,976	$66
   2	New York	$131,676	$63
   3	New Jersey	$130,846	$63
   4	Delaware	$128,875	$62
   5	Nevada	$122,893	$59
   6	Virginia	$118,631	$57
   7	Michigan	$116,443	$56
   8	Massachusetts	$114,359	$55
   9	District of Columbia	$112,034	$54
   10	Pennsylvania	$111,091	$53
   11	Washington	$108,935	$52
   12	Arizona	$105,816	$51
   13	North Carolina	$103,567	$50
   14	Illinois	$101,424	$49
   15	Utah	$98,483	$47
   16	Georgia	$97,275	$47
   17	Indiana	$95,240	$46
   18	Minnesota	$94,262	$45
   19	Texas	$90,705	$44
   20	Florida	$82,963	$40

   Average software project manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$185,359	$89.11	1,409
   2	The Walt Disney Company	$164,619	$79.14	210
   3	Ford Motor	$143,422	$68.95	545
   4	Nikola Motor	$143,333	$68.91
   5	Amazon	$143,292	$68.89	827
   6	Varian Medical Systems	$140,593	$67.59
   7	BorgWarner	$139,613	$67.12	1
   8	Cisco	$139,405	$67.02	372
   9	Intel	$138,188	$66.44	38
   10	Nokia	$134,919	$64.86	23
   11	Corning Incorporated	$133,991	$64.42	15
   12	Sonos	$132,421	$63.66
   13	Regeneron	$132,278	$63.60	4
   14	Natixis North America LLC	$131,465	$63.20
   15	Thesys Technologies	$130,728	$62.85
   16	Dell	$130,021	$62.51	30
   17	Magna International	$129,413	$62.22	12
   18	Teradyne	$129,066	$62.05	20
   19	Mbr Construction, Inc.	$128,765	$61.91
   20	Caterpillar	$128,477	$61.77	82

4. Writing a software project manager job description

   A job description for a software project manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a software project manager job description:

   Software project manager job description example

   At Glowforge, we help people bring home the future and make it their own. Our printer uses a laser to carve and engrave products from raw materials like wood, leather, acrylic - even cardboard. Take a look and see for yourself.
   
   We build magical products to delight our customers, and we do it while taking care of each other. We hire people who are outstanding at what they do, who thrive in tight-knit teams, and who want to make things that make a difference.
   
   Together, we've built a product we're incredibly proud of, and the reward has been incredible growth. We work together because we believe in the power of creativity. We believe we can bring about a future where anyone can print anything.
   We'd love to have you join us!
   We're a remote-first company - just let us know where you prefer to work from.
   
   Why we need you
   Software is at the heart of everything we do. From Glowforge.com and our Shopify store to the firmware, cloud, and web software that drives the printing experience our users love, to our Glowforge Premium subscription service, to the underlying infrastructure, business systems, data lakes, and internal tools that support partner teams throughout the company - our small but mighty software team continuously delivers value for our company and our customers.
   
   We pride ourselves on working fast and effectively in all of these areas, and that's where you come in. You are the oil in the gears, the chalk on the pool cue, the sharpening stone for our knives! You are out in front of our projects, ensuring we have specs approved, tasks deconstructed into bite-sized chunks, estimates prepared, dependencies identified, blockers removed, and that clear updates land in everyone's inboxes. You multiply the team's effectiveness by ensuring everyone knows what's on their plate, so they can focus on the tasks and not the task management. You prize velocity and adaptability. When you are on the job, it isn't about the perfect process or the long-range roadmap, it is about cutting through the brush and keeping the team moving forward. How did we survive without you?
   
   Here's What You Will Be DoingSupport engineering through all project phases: initiation, planning, execution, tracking, shipping, and closing. We'll count on you to work closely with engineering managers, product managers, tech leads, and other teams to continuously create and maintain project backlogs. Build, monitor, and update schedules and share those updates with collaborators Monitor all of the inputs, dependencies, resources, and costs needed for successful projects, ensuring they are ready and available on time Engage collaborators to mitigate risks to schedule, features, or cost Coordinate project documentation so it is ready for reference Rapidly adapt when business needs change
   You need these qualifications Demonstrated excellence at leading and delivering multiple high-velocity projects - often at the same time!Expertise in one or more project management tools Ability to communicate clearly and concisely verbally and in writing Experience with agile processes such as Scrum or KanbanA 4-year technical degree or equivalent experience
   It would be nice if…You are experienced in Asana or JiraYou have experience using additional software tools (such as Zapier) to simplify or automate project management You have a certification in at least one project management methodology (and will adapt it to our work environment) You have experience as an engineer, designer, or project manager You have managed long lead time, waterfall projects such as hardware or video games
   Send us a resume or a link to whatever showcases your skills the best. If a resume isn't handy, a LinkedIn profile is fine.
   
   One more, very important thing: we are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We're strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and all applicants for employment. For us, this is the only acceptable way to do business.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find software project managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your software project manager job on Zippia to find and recruit software project manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit software project managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   If your interviews with software project manager applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you 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 software project manager

   Once you've selected the best software 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 software project manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a software project manager?