Program Manager vs. Project Manager: Which is Best for You?

By Kim Waiyaboon

Though the titles are similar and there are many similarities between the two positions, companies need high performers in both roles to thrive. Program managers take the long view of a company initiative, planning how to implement an overarching vision. Project managers have a tighter focus, working on specific activities with narrow scopes and timeframes. However, real problems can arise when the lines between the two roles are blurred.   

Let’s start by considering the differences between a project and a program. There are many! Projects are, for the most part, temporary, while programs are long-lasting parts of a business that support its underlying strategies. A program can undertake multiple projects, each one buttressing broader program objectives. 

Projects have specific deliverables and clear timelines, such as developing a new personal finance app within nine months. Programs support long-term business objectives, such as increasing the company’s profit from apps by 10% every year. 

To tease out the differences between the two roles, let’s consider each one.

What is a program manager?  

Program managers are big-picture people. Typical duties for a program manager are coordinating and overseeing business initiatives, implementing new processes, diversifying revenue, and improving the retention and satisfaction of customers. The programs they direct include a series of related projects. Their responsibilities include setting goals, budgeting, planning programs, measuring ROI, and coordinating the efforts of the teams involved in each program. Their overarching goal is to work toward the long-term growth of the organization. So, I hear you ask:  What, exactly, is a program?   

This might best be addressed by offering an analogy. Let’s consider the building of a house. The program is building the house, while each aspect of the construction (drawing up the plans, choosing a location, building out the plumbing and sewage, etc.) would be its own project. Each of the smaller projects contributes. If all the projects are not completed smoothly, the program will not be a success. 

What are the traits of a successful program manager? 

Program managers are leaders who guide the project managers and their teams. They have solid negotiating skills and they are critical, big-picture thinkers who communicate well, both verbally and in writing. They interact with people from all levels of the organization. They have often earned a degree in business administration or hold certifications for advanced training to prepare for this role.   

 Some of the tasks that might fall to the program manager: 

  • Organizing and developing teams

  • Overseeing collaboration among those teams

  • Defining and evaluating success metrics

  • Serving as liaison between managers of various projects

  • Coordinating and tracking progress

  • Measuring ROI

  • Analyzing the goals, policies, and objectives of the program

  • Developing the program’s strategies for continued advancement

With whom do they communicate regularly? 

Depending on the size of a company, a program manager might be part of a formal project management office (PMO), which standardizes processes and improves efficiency. She might report to a vice president or director of the company, informing them about the progress of her program and any projects under her leadership. Program managers also meet regularly with the project leaders and possibly members of the project teams, other program managers and clients. It’s a central role for communicating the objectives, the deliverables, and the deadlines. 

For program managers, people skills are vital. Their communication across the spectrum of employees and the way they represent the company to external customers are important to the success of the company.  

What is a project manager?  

We talked about each program’s interconnected projects. Well, project managers direct those individual projects. They help to plan the project, developing a blueprint for its completion, defining its components, and determining the steps necessary for its completion. They also are closely involved in managing the resources, the budget, and the timeline of the entire project. 

Project management involves leading a team, communicating the project’s issues clearly to its members, monitoring the progress of the project, and providing reports and documentation on the team’s progress to the program manager. 

What is a project? 

A project, generally, is a one-time event. When we were discussing program management, above, we considered the building of a house as a program. One project might be the choice of the home’s site. The project manager would complete that discrete task, meeting with the city about zoning, checking on the electrical and sewage service, and getting the site surveyed. The project manager might move on to apply his expertise to a different program, such as selecting the site for the next home that the builder is undertaking. Or he might take on another project that is part of the same program, such as leading the plumbing and wiring of the house. Whatever it is, the project manager will focus on a short-term effort with a specific deliverable.  


What are the responsibilities of a project manager? 

Some of the tasks that might fall to the project manager: 

  • Reporting progress to the program manager

  • Developing timelines

  • Meeting deadlines

  • Assigning tasks and projects to the right personnel

  • Organizing projects

  • Solving problems

  • Coordinating the work effort

  • Managing and completing deliverables

  • Communicating with team members

  • Staying within budget

  • Tracking and reporting progress

In short, project managers consider daily tasks, keeping teams organized and streamlining communication for each project. They ensure that goals are met and that their team members work under clear guidelines. They are also in frequent communication with the program manager to ensure that their project is reaching its target objectives. 

As the project progresses, project managers work to resolve anything that might cause a delay.  They also keep track of their teams’ contributions, relative to the overall cost of the project. 

With whom do they communicate regularly? 

Project managers communicate primarily with their team members, making sure that each team member has what is needed to complete the project on time and on budget. As the project’s tasks are met, the project managers pass on that information, along with their tracking of the use of resources, budgets, risks, and scheduling, to their program managers. 

What are the distinctions between the two roles? 

The talents and skills of program and project managers are quite similar. It’s the scope of their jobs that differs. 

Both positions require the ability to plan, to lead, to solve problems, and to monitor. Both types of managers need to have solid leadership skills and the ability to communicate well to higher and lower levels of the organization. And both positions require training and experience to perform at the top level. 

While the skillsets of the two manager positions are somewhat similar, there are some distinctions. 

The program manager is a broad and strategic thinker, while the project manager is more tactical.  

The program manager needs expertise in the broader field of running a business in general. The project manager needs expertise in the specific product or service that the project involves. The program manager must be familiar with the direction the company is going and how the status of one program impacts the status of others. The project manager must be familiar with the skills and tendencies of the workers on his project and how those can be maximized. (Or how their deficiencies can be minimized.)

What happens if the lines are blurred? 

Confusion between the roles of program and project manager can arise, and not just because the titles sound so similar. Some organizations use the terms interchangeably. And some have another similar-sounding position: product manager. 

Overall, in most larger companies, project managers report to program managers. 

When the roles of these positions are not clearly defined, though, struggles can ensue. A member of a project team goes over the head of a project manager to the program manager. The project manager goes over the head of the program manager to a vice president. A program manager who used to be a project manager has a particular love for a certain kind of project and gets down into the weeds, undercutting the project manager. A project manager undermines a project he disagrees with, or engages in scope creep to redirect a project. A program manager at an under-staffed company takes on the role of project manager and risks burnout or falling behind on other responsibilities. 

Communication and a failure to establish and respect roles are at the heart of many problems of this kind. It’s ironic, in that we’ve established that project managers and program managers need strong communication skills. If such problems endanger projects and programs, the managers involved will be forced to use those communication skills to explain what happened to clients and company executives. It’s better to figure things out before then. 

Help with programs and projects 

SDV International can help an organization decide whether it needs help with project or program management. It provides project, program and portfolio managers who are credentialed by the Project Management Institute and have a record of delivering successful results.