How to Become a Technical Program Manager in 2024

As more businesses turn to technology to enhance their workflows, goods, and services, they employ a technical program manager to supervise and direct technical initiatives through to completion.

Technical program managers play a key role as project managers, making sure that software development teams complete projects on time. Finding out more about this position and its duties might help you choose if this is the perfect job for you. In this article, I have defined technical program managers, outlined the procedures for becoming one, described their responsibilities, and gone over the qualifications needed for the job.

Who is a Technical Program Manager & What Do They Do?

A program manager in business is someone who oversees a team and ensures that each member is aware of the team's aims and objectives, their specific responsibilities, and the project's outcome.

Working largely with information technology (IT) or other technical support teams, a technical program manager oversees entire projects from beginning to end. Technical program managers need to have the fundamental time management and organizational abilities that any project manager has, in addition to technical IT knowledge.

With my interactions with numerous successful Technical Program managers, I have concluded that a job in technical program management can be a good fit for you if you have a strong interest in technology, a desire to see projects through to completion, like inspiring and motivating others, and function well under pressure.

How to Become a Technical Program Manager in Simple Steps?

Step 1: Master Skills:

Mid-level to senior-level positions assist organizations' product goals through technical program management responsibilities. To oversee the creation and release of products, they frequently collaborate across organizational boundaries with management and their own teams. You can decide whether this is a career you would want to follow by finding out more about the skills required for this position.

A. Top Skills Needed to Become a Technical Program Manager

Soft Skills

• Communication Skills: The Technical Program Manager (TPM) position is built on communication. TPMs must communicate with all important stakeholders about strategies, roadmaps, and program issues. TPMs are in charge of explaining intricate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical team members.
• Stakeholder Management: Technical program managers exhibit leadership and foster a sense of teamwork with important stakeholders to guarantee successful project delivery. To prioritize projects and roadmaps while attaining organizational goals, they collaborate with business stakeholders.
• Leadership: Program managers are in charge of the specifications, designs, development, and implementation of new technologies. They frequently serve as team leaders as a result. Strong leadership is the capacity to inspire and find creative solutions to issues

Hard Skills

•  Project Management: Scheduling, planning, and managing projects is the process of project management. Multiple projects must be managed by the Technical program manager. You can keep track of all the details associated with each project thanks to strong project management skills. Additionally, it guarantees the success of projects.
• Technical Knowledge: Each technical program manager is highly skilled and knowledgeable about the technical features and capabilities of their organization. For creating and carrying out their programs, their technological expertise is essential. This becomes really helpful to their total capacity to manage their multiple teams.
• Risk Management: When overseeing their initiatives, program managers frequently plan for and address potential risks. The decision to move forward with product development may involve determining whether a particular risk is worthwhile. For technical programs, this might include the possibility that a product problem or feature will have an impact on sales or whether allocating more resources to a program will result in a budget overrun.
• Business Knowledge: TPMs have highly technical jobs, but they also need to understand some fundamental business concepts. Understanding how businesses organize their business and technology departments as well as fundamental financial ideas like budgeting and profit are necessary for this. By becoming knowledgeable in these various business sectors, TMPs may collaborate with leadership to establish product schedules and strategies that can advance the company.

Top Technical Program Manager Certifications/Degree

For technical program managers, certifications are essential because they show the level of experience and knowledge that employers value. They give the person credibility and recognition, demonstrating to prospective employers that they have invested time and money in their own professional development and have the knowledge and abilities necessary to successfully manage technical programs. Here is a list of best certifications for technical program manager:

• Certified Technical Program Manager (CTPM)
• Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
• ITIL Foundation certification
• SAFe program consultant (SPC)
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• PgMP® Certification Training Course

Step 2: Determine Your Ideal Timeline: 

You must set milestones for learning various skills like technical skills, project management, and soft skills development. Always be proactive, flexible and stay focused on achieving you goals within your set timeframe.

A. Start Learning in a Format That Suits You

You can begin your journey to becoming a Technical Program Manager (TPM) by making your learning approach as per your convenience. You can plan to go through Online Project Management course, university programs, and relevant books. It can also be useful to participate in webinars, workshops, and networking for better learning and mentorship. The ultimate aim is to build soft skills, technical expertise and project management skills to excel in the role.

B. How Long Does It Take to Become a Technical Program Manager?

The transition from an entry-level Technical Program management to a senior technical program management post might take up to two years. In order to advance in your Technical Program Manager profession, you need to have accumulated roughly 5 years of experience at each level.

Step 3: Begin Building Your Portfolio / Resume

To be considered for a TPM position, you must demonstrate in your CV that you are a skilled expert who can create, direct, and carry out technical programs that help organizations achieve their unique goals.

The most effective method to do that is to identify pertinent prior experiences in the industry and highlight the genuine, palpable impact you made in roles similar to those. This can be demonstrated, for instance, by citing how your technical program management procedures increased team or company productivity.

It's important to keep in mind that the process of creating a CV is complex and time-consuming.

You must be careful to condense all of your technical program management experience onto a single page. To do this, you must rank each piece of information you submit in order to include the material that best illustrates your ability as a TPM.

A. Portfolio Example or Resume Template

Download the Technical Program Manager Resume (Docx)

B. Technical Program Manager resume sample

Sample 1:

Sample 2:

Step 4: Where and how to find a job?

Apply for jobs that match your expertise and talents by looking for TPM roles. TPM opportunities are available at many firms, so you may start by looking on job boards, contacting industry peers, and applying for openings that suit your qualifications. Additionally, look into applying for internships or entry-level TPM positions.

A. Top Companies Hiring Technical Program Manager

• Google
• Intel
• Microsoft
• IBM
• Apple
• Oracle
• Salesforce
• Accenture
• Dell Technologies
• Capgemini

B. Job Outlook for Technical Program Manager

When businesses embark on intricate technical projects to enhance their goods and services, they are supported by a dependable Technical Program Manager who manages the project from conception to conclusion. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, there will be a 15% increase in demand for Technical Program Management by 2024, thus now is a great opportunity for applicants to go forward. This is a great career choice for those who appreciate managing client connections and leading teams to achievement, as well as for those who enjoy bringing new innovations to their organisation.

A combination of education and experience is required to land an entry-level position as a technical program manager. Employers will be looking for their Technical Program Manager to have strong management experience in addition to outstanding IT skills, with the proportion of each sphere variable depending on the business.

Candidates who put in extra effort to enhance their skill set are sure to have a great Technical program manager career path.

To advance in their careers, many technical program managers take advantage of online learning opportunities like KnowledgeHut PgMP certification training course to get extra degrees and certifications. By doing so, they may expand their knowledge of their industry without taking time away from their daily tasks at work.

Step 5: Ace the Interview

Interview overview: In order to stand out from the competition, establishing the appropriate abilities and expertise is the first step in preparing for a TPM job interview. At large tech organisations, the TPM interview process often consists of three stages: a phone screen with a recruiter, one to two phone interviews with a TPM, and one or more rounds of in-person interviews.

Given that virtual interviews also call for correct etiquette, it is crucial to make sure you are prepared for your remote coding interview. It's still crucial to pay attention to details like your attire, body language, etc. In order to make sure that everything goes properly, I advise having a tidy, clean background and setting up your gadgets ahead. Don't be concerned if there is a technical problem! Any employee working remotely is aware that a problem could occur due to the significant shift to virtual communication and work.

Tips for Technical program manager interview: Program management, technical, and behavioural questions are the three main types of questions asked during TPM interviews.

During the interview, you will be required to demonstrate your technical knowledge, PM abilities, and culture fitness. I compiled a list of tips to assist you plan and be aware of what to anticipate.

1. Review your data structures and algorithms in preparation for the interview. In addition, pay attention to the technological architecture and specifics of the programs you have delivered to address any technical queries.
2.  Pay attention to questions about program/product sense. Drafting responses to this question can be done using the CIRCLES or Jobs-to-be-done frameworks.
3. for behavioural inquiries, practise responding with recent instances from the past. To organize your responses, use the CAR technique or the STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, or Result)
4. Thoroughly research the business and its offerings. Think on the bigger picture and comprehend the issues they are attempting to resolve as well as how you might help.
5. Put communication skills as your first priority. People management is a responsibility of technical program managers who work with numerous teams on a daily basis. To make a good impression, speak boldly during interviews.

Who can Become a Technical Program Manager?

Technical Program Manager Requirements:

• A bachelor's degree in technology management, business administration, computer science, software engineering, or a related subject.
• A minimum of three years' experience managing technical programs. We would like you if you had prior relevant experience in a related or analogous industry, but it is not necessary.
• An in-depth knowledge of program management, the product lifecycle, and the product development process is required.
• A thorough understanding of each stage of product development is required.
• Prior project management, management, and planning for products experience is required.
• To work effectively with engineers and other teams, you must have great communication skills.
• The ability to provide product performance indicators to senior management and other stakeholders is essential, as is experience measuring and analysing product performance metrics.
• It's essential to have the capacity to coordinate teams based on tasks, prioritise tasks, and manage project timeframes.
• It's best if you're familiar with some coding and programming languages. We would appreciate it if you become familiar with Python and JavaScript.
• Prior product deployment and integration experience is a bonus.
• The capacity to address problems and technical challenges as they arise is essential.
• The effective management of numerous complicated initiatives depends on strategic thinking.
• To ensure two-way growth, you must request the professional resources you need for your job success.

Why Become a Technical Product Manager?

The demand for technical program managers is considerable in the technology sector. These managers are essential in making sure that the goods and services their businesses provide are of the greatest calibre. They collaborate with engineering teams to ensure that the products they develop are user-friendly and satisfy the needs of their clients.

Technical program managers enjoy a variety of benefits. Due to the tremendous availability of Technical program manager jobs, the employment of skilled candidates is very secure. Additionally, they receive a good compensation and frequently have the option to work from home. They get the opportunity to collaborate with some of the top engineers in the field and directly influence the goods and services that their companies offer.

Technical program manager salary details for the top countries:

Conclusion

It has become crucial to employ cross-collaborative practices inside firms' ranks to streamline business operations as they expand in size. In addition, there are numerous engineering teams and stakeholders, cross-dependencies, and complicated issues that require proper attention in order to ensure alignment.

TPMs in organizations efficiently monitor, control, and track projects to ensure their successful completion. As a result, they contribute to the balance of these cross-functional programs. Technical program managers, in other words, efficiently cut the amount of time and money needed for a program while accelerating an organization's development. So, if you are truly interested in a career as a technical program manager, take notice of all the crucial points in this article that I have mentioned and head in that direction.