Hanh VuPrincipal Project Manager| solo.ioChurchville, Md, United States
Hi all,
I've been asked to draft a PM career ladder for my org. I have quite a bit of freedom here, being told to just base it on what i want to do and how i want to grow. But i need some frame of references. My internet search haven't yield any that resonate. Would any one be willing to share their thoughts and experience of PM career ladders what you they have seen or currently have?
One standard you might consider is Bloom's Taxonomy. It is commonly used in the teaching field to define various levels of knowledge on a subject from simply remembering terms, to being capable of creating new original work. I frequently see job descriptions like PM 1, 2, 3 etc. described based on the level of capability across multiple important competency areas in a similar hierarchy Saving Changes...
To build off Keith's response, I am a PMP and looking to further develop Lean Sigma Six training and working towards my program management training. I selected these two growth points because Lean Sigma is big in the industries I want to work in, and program management is a natural progression to management.
Depending on where you are in your career and what industry you operate in may impact what elements you add to yours. If you are just starting out in the IT industry for example, it might be good to say that you are interested in getting your disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) while working on projects to build your skills to earn your PMP. One is a near goal to show a plan ( the DASM has no prerequisites but there is some course materials to prepare you and then the exam to certify you.) and earning your PMP requires 36 months of experience leading projects within the past eight years and 35 hours of project management education/training. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
You can pay attention to conversations and/or publications here at ProjectManagement.com. They will certainly help you find more information on the topics covered.
Now, the themes are: AI "Artificial Intelligence", Risk Management (strategic), Sustainability (ESG) and Agility Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
I climbed the career ladder by IBM, which was introduced shortly after 1996. It comprised of 4 stages and defined how to get from one to the other, in terms of experience, certificates, and suggested comprehensive career documentation. IBM HR was involved.
The career ladder gave IBM PMs a good motivation and guidance for specific steps to improve their value for the company. Also it was valid globally, so you could move between countries and divisions.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Oct 11, 2023 9:06 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Thomas
Do you want to talk a little more about your experience?
What was that career like?
What to do (skills to develop) to move up the different career levels?
You can also talk about your emotions along the way.
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Oct 11, 2023 9:01 AM
Replying to Thomas Walenta
...
I climbed the career ladder by IBM, which was introduced shortly after 1996. It comprised of 4 stages and defined how to get from one to the other, in terms of experience, certificates, and suggested comprehensive career documentation. IBM HR was involved.
The career ladder gave IBM PMs a good motivation and guidance for specific steps to improve their value for the company. Also it was valid globally, so you could move between countries and divisions.
Dear Thomas
Do you want to talk a little more about your experience?
What was that career like?
What to do (skills to develop) to move up the different career levels?
You can also talk about your emotions along the way.
...
1 reply by Thomas Walenta
Oct 16, 2023 5:04 AM
Thomas Walenta
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Luis,
after retiring from IBM in 2014, I gave a career presentation. Here is the link to the slides I presented to PMI in Moscow 2015. It is about love.
Hanh VuPrincipal Project Manager| solo.ioChurchville, Md, United States
Thank you all for your responses. I will look into the resources you pointed out.
I have not thought about career progression in terms of certifications and capabilities I have been thinking about it in terms of expanding scope of responsibilities and discretion, as well as decision making power and value to the organization. I wonder if one of these lines of thoughts is more suitable for PM career progression.
Thomas, I'd love to hear more about IBM PM career progression. I was a IBM PM for about 10 months last year. I didnt quite grasp the process very well, but i remember it being very structured.
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1 reply by Thomas Walenta
Oct 16, 2023 5:16 AM
Thomas Walenta
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Hanh Vu,
IBM (at my time there) had 5 'capability levels': entry, foundation, experienced, expert and thought leader. Each came with definitions, skill levels, certification levels, validation procedures etc..
BTW, PMP itself was no requirement, just passing the PMP exam for expert level (IBM did not require people to maintain the PMP by gathering PDUs, recertification was more thorough). In order to move from entry to foundation you needed a formal accreditation.
IBM considered a career path as a tool to keep and develop good PMs and build the profession within IBM.
I've been at companies where we had PM I - PM V and Jr PM | PM | Sr PM. This provides a career path within project management, can help establish criteria for people who want to transition into project management, and can broaden the pay range so that you're less likely to cap out if you stay with the company for a long time.
A more challenging question is "What's next?" You can have a manager or director of project management, which may or may not be a PMO manager/director, and it's good to know what it takes to go from a Sr to a manager, but unlike PM grades, the existing manager has to leave before a Sr can be promoted. You could have a separate PMO, but does your company need a PMO? The same could be said of portfolio managers.
I have seen PMs become program managers in other departments. This was more of a lateral move than a promotion, but in one case it led to a promotion that would not have been available to the individual, otherwise.
This brings me back to my original question - what does your company need? Building a PM career path because somebody wrote a book or article about PM career progression can lead to an unnecessary position that may not be understood or last very long, if it doesn't help solve business problems. Saving Changes...
Naseer KalooPM I| Reliance jio infocommBudgam, J&K, India
Creating a career ladder for Project Managers (PMs) in your organization is a valuable initiative to define clear paths for career progression, set expectations, and motivate your PM team. Here's a draft PM career ladder that outlines different levels of responsibility and decision-making power:
Level 1: Junior Project Coordinator
Entry-level role focused on assisting senior PMs.
Responsibilities include task tracking, document management, and basic reporting.
Decision-making limited to task prioritization and following established procedures.
Value to the organization: Supports project execution and improves efficiency.
Level 2: Associate Project Manager
Manages smaller projects with oversight.
Responsibilities include project planning, communication with stakeholders, and risk identification.
Decision-making involves project scope, scheduling, and resource allocation.
Value to the organization: Drives successful completion of smaller projects, reduces risks, and enhances communication.
Level 3: Project Manager
Manages medium-sized projects independently.
Responsibilities include creating detailed project plans, managing project teams, and risk mitigation.
Decision-making expands to project budget, changes to scope, and issue resolution.
Value to the organization: Delivers projects on time, within budget, and according to scope while minimizing risks.
Level 4: Senior Project Manager
Manages large and complex projects or multiple projects simultaneously.
Responsibilities include strategic project planning, stakeholder management, and mentoring junior PMs.
Decision-making includes portfolio management, strategic alignment, and resource allocation across projects.
Value to the organization: Drives strategic project success, optimizes resource utilization, and develops PM talent.
Level 5: Program Manager
Oversees a portfolio of projects and programs with organizational impact.
Responsibilities include alignment with business goals, managing project managers, and ensuring program success.
Decision-making extends to program prioritization, investment decisions, and strategic alignment.
Value to the organization: Ensures strategic alignment, maximizes value from the program portfolio, and drives organizational success.
Level 6: Director of Project Management
Heads the entire project management department.
Responsibilities encompass defining department strategy, developing PM processes, and ensuring overall project management excellence.
Decision-making at an organizational level, setting PM standards, and influencing company strategy.
Value to the organization: Establishes a culture of project excellence, contributes to organizational strategy, and ensures effective project execution.
Level 7: Chief Project Officer (CPO)
Highest level of project management in the organization.
Responsibilities include defining the organization's project management strategy, governance, and executive-level decision-making.
Decision-making impacts the entire organization's strategic direction.
Value to the organization: Drives project excellence at an organizational level, aligns projects with business goals, and enhances overall business performance. Saving Changes...
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