Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is a strategic project manager and how to become one
Strategic project managers are responsible for setting feasible company goals, planning business operations, and making sure objectives are met in a profitable manner. Employing strategic project managers is the key to success for many businesses.
Taking on this position, you will be responsible for ensuring a satisfied customer base and staying on top of competitors in your field. Your eyes will be fixed on the long-term results of business decisions, and your efforts will build towards gaining sustainable profits for your company.
Working together with other managers, you will work out the best ways to align projects with the company's overall mission. Your job will also include evaluating the workflow, analyzing project portfolios, and creating priorities for tasks within the organization.
What general advice would you give to a strategic project manager?
Nicole Jones Young Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Franklin and Marshall College
Avg. Salary $105,238
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%
Asian 8.89%
Black or African American 7.54%
Hispanic or Latino 12.62%
Unknown 4.69%
White 65.59%
Genderfemale 44.14%
male 55.86%
Age - 47American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 47Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Strategic project manager career paths
Key steps to become a strategic project manager
Explore strategic project manager education requirements
Start to develop specific strategic project manager skills
Skills Percentages Project Management 25.42% Strategic Projects 7.50% Project Scope 5.89% Portfolio 5.21% Strong Project Management 3.72% Research strategic project manager duties and responsibilities
- Manage HVAC, electrical and plumbing.
- Manage 8 proposal developers responding to approximately 300 RFP's per year.
- Manage rollouts of CRM enhancements using effective implementation planning, change mgmt and training.
- Help VZB's competitive advantage by adopting technologies and methods that can reduce costs, increase ROI, and increase uptime.
Apply for strategic project manager jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a strategic project manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first strategic project manager job
Are you a strategic project manager?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average strategic project manager salary
The average strategic project manager salary in the United States is $105,238 per year or $51 per hour. Strategic project manager salaries range between $73,000 and $151,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do strategic project managers rate their job?
Strategic project manager reviews
I like to work with a team. Satisfaction of seeing the successful completion of a project
Strict deadlines, and stakeholders. Feeling undervalued or underappreciated.
keeping the company vibrant in the marketplace and returning maximum shareholder value
have to change my mindset
I enjoy problem-solving and identifying a path to completing a complex project. I like to ensure that moving parts come together smoothly and communicating successes and celebrating with the team.
Without the right support from project sponsors, a project manager is doomed to failure. There is an enormous amount of responsibility on a project manager to deliver a product on time and on budget, though without proper authority or backing, it's basically wheel spinning.
Updated January 8, 2025
