Program Manager

Definition

Program Manager

the role that is played when a person performs administrative management tasks on a program of related projects

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Program Manager is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Concrete
• Superclass: Manager
• Subclasses:
  • None

Responsibilities

The typical role-specific responsibilities of a Program Manager are to:

• Manage the program’s:
  • Costs and budget.
  • Communications, both internally and externally.
  • Delivery of work products and services.
  • Planning efforts.
  • Personnel.
  • Relationships with other organizations.
  • Resources.
  • Scope in terms of mission, objectives, and requirements.
  • Schedule in terms of dates and milestones.
• Monitor and manage the program’s risks.
• Take part in program and project debrief walkthroughs.

Program Manager typically inherits the general role responsibilities from the Role method component.

Expertise

To fulfill these responsibilities, program managers typically should have the following expertise, training, and experience:

• Deep knowledge of and expertise in using management tasks, techniques, and patterns.
• Solid knowledge of and expertise in using management tools.
• Solid knowledge of and expertise in risk management, configuration management, and disaster recovery.
• Basic knowledge and expertise of quality engineering and metrics engineering.
• Solid Understanding of the customerr’s business enterprise, strategic goals, and competition.
• Proven ability to manage large teams and delegate authority.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills including the ability to negotiate adequate resources (e.g., schedule, budget, staffing, tools, e.g., facilities).
• Basic familiarity with the technology to be used on the program.
• Master’s degree in business administration, information technology, or the equivalent.

Tasks

Program managers typically perform the following role-specific tasks in an iterative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• Program Management:
  • Cost Management
  • Communications Management
  • Delivery Management
  • Management Planning
  • Personnel Management
  • Relationship Management
  • Resource Management
  • Scope Management
  • Schedule Management
  • Process Framework Mandating
  • Process Mandating
• Quality Engineering:
  • Quality Assurance – Endeavor Debrief Walkthrough

Program Manager typically inherits common role tasks from the role method component.

Teams

Program Managers typically perform these tasks as members of the following teams:

• Program Management Team
• Program Team
• Endeavor Debrief Team

Work Products

As members of these teams, program managers typically produce all or part of the following work products:

• Management Work Products:
  • Program Contract
  • Program Statement Of Work
  • Program Management Plan
  • Program Documentation Plan
  • Program Work Breakdown Structure
  • Program Organization Chart
  • Program Job Descriptions
  • Program Master Schedule
  • Team Schedule for the Program Management Team
  • Program Budget
  • Program Status Report
• Risk Management Work Products:
  • Program Risk Management Plan
• Quality Work Products:
  • Program and Project Endeavor Debrief Reports

Guidelines

• Program managers are only needed as part of the endeavor-specific process if the process involves a program of related projects.
• This role typically inherits the common team guidelines from the roles method component.