Group Program Manager Responsibilities
A program is a group of related projects that are managed together to get benefits that would not be available if they were managed individually. A program manager is a person who oversees and is responsible for the operations of a program or product line of a big company. Program managers can work in a wide variety of fields such as engineering, finance, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and more and hence the group program manager responsibilities also differ.
Key Group Program Manager Responsibilities
- Tracking changes in the demand volumes from the customer end against the manufacturer’s capabilities
- Implementation of the program and infrastructure
- Evaluating the program and giving feedback when required
- Inform the staff about the policies and information
- Assist with the procurement and maintenance of the necessary equipment
- Recruit and hire the necessary staff
- Provide appropriate training and supervision of volunteers and new joinees
- Attend training seminars and workshops
- Give written evaluation of each member of staff during or after completion of the program
- Assist the office management
- Develop and maintain relations with professional partners and community partners
- Ensure that the expenditures remain within the program budget
- Develop funding proposals for the program
- Document all the program activities with the help of forms and records
- Ensure that the program activities follow the policies and procedures of the organization
- Ensure that all the professional and legislation standards are met
- Administer the human resource policies and procedures of the company
- Prepare reports for the seniors and funders to review
- Identify and evaluate the risks connected with the project and take appropriate measures to control them
- Monitor the progress of the program activities and conduct a review annually or as specified in the program evaluation framework
- Ensure that all the financial records related to the project are up-to-date
- Co-ordinate the individual projects
- Allocating resources and managing the resource conflicts
- Making sure that the program deliverables are achieved on time, within budget and are of the desired quality
- Becoming the point of contact for third parties such as contractors
Essential Skills and Abilities
- Leadership skills. A program manger has to lead multiple teams. Managing so many people simultaneously needs strong leadership skills.
- Excellent verbal communication skills. A group program manager has to lead multiple teams and co-ordinate with his/her superiors and funders at the same time. The manager has to take care that he/she communicates clearly to each party and is understood by them. This is possible only if the manager has excellent communication skills.
- Highly skilled in financial management and budgeting. Programs generally have larger budgets than projects and also have both capital and expense budgets that have to be administered. Hence, being skilled in managing finances and budgets is essential for a group program manager.
- Advanced skills in contract negotiations and procurement
- Industry experience. Group program managers should have significant experience of the industry they are working in.
- Good understanding of materials and supply chain. It is essential for a program manager to know how the materials demand is driven and organized. Knowledge of materials and resource planning, regional hub distributions, supply chain manufacturing concepts, vendor-managed inventory systems (VMI), etc., is also necessary
- Conflict resolution. Program managers are the link between the different functional groups and are also the focal point between the manufacturer and the OEM. While working with multiple teams and different people, conflicts are bound to arise. A group program manager must be able to handle the conflicts in a way that does not hurt functioning of the program.
- Knowledge of program management
- Decision-making capacity. As a group program manager, you will have to take a lot of decisions and some of those may have to be taken urgently. A program manager should not be confused or indecisive and should be able to make timely decisions.
- Good problem-solving skills. Problems are unavoidable and unpredictable. You should be able to assess the problem accurately, find the cause and come up with possible solutions or recommendations.
Educational Background
- Most of the employers require you to have a college degree in a related subject
- Knowledge of basic computer programs such as MS Word, Excel, internet, simple accounting, etc.
- Well-versed in risk management models and skills
- Minimum of 3 to 5 years experience in a related field
- In-depth knowledge of the program or related industry
Salary Details
- The exact salary depends on factors like your educational qualifications, experience, the industry you are working in, geographical location, etc.
- Many employers offer bonuses or commissions since program managers are involved with the overall profitability of the program they supervise.
- The average salary package of a group program manager ranges from $100,000 to $ 250,000.
Becoming a program manager is seen as the next step by project managers. However, not all project managers make good program managers as the skills and knowledge required for the two jobs are very different. Make sure that you understand the group program manager responsibilities well before you apply for the job.
