How to Answer: Please describe your experience managing projects and programs.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Program Manager job interview.
14. Please describe your experience managing projects and programs.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is asked to assess the level of responsibility a program manager has had in previous roles. Some organizations use the terms project management and program management interchangeably while others utilize program managers as senior leaders that bridge multiple projects together. Interviewers use a candidate's answer to determine if they are a fit for the scale of programs they will be required to lead.
Written by Karrie Day on June 3rd, 2022
Remember To
Remember to include examples of the various types of projects you have led including operations, technical, financial, HR, etcetera. Also, be sure to describe your experience leading internal projects, customer-facing projects, and those that require partnership with third-party vendors. Finally, be sure to offer the interviewer a sense of the scale of the programs or projects you had responsibility for. This includes the budgets you were responsible for, the resources you led, and the user communities you served.
Written by Karrie Day on June 3rd, 2022
Answer Example
"I began working as a project manager within the properties division of a large enterprise. I managed projects for initiatives such as large office moves, new system rollouts, and major renovations. The budgets for these types of projects varied from several hundred thousand dollars to multi-million. I coordinated the various tasks between the various stakeholder groups, other project managers in my area, and the groups we relied on to handle construction and our technology needs.
In my current role at Amazon, I am a program manager within the workspace operations group. My main focus is to coordinate projects that enhance the workplace experience of Amazon employees. There are four project managers that report directly to me, and we collectively represent a portfolio of anywhere between 10 and 20 projects in flight at any given time. I report directly to a senior manager within the workspace PMO and I am responsible for developing roadmaps, tracking progress, establishing budgets, delivering executive presentations, and ensuring project management standards are upheld."
Written by Karrie Day on June 3rd, 2022