Expert Level

At this level, program managers should have, through training, experience, and other development activities:

Knowledge and skills to manage and evaluate moderate to high-risk programs or projects that require significant acquisition investment and agency knowledge and experience
Ability to manage and evaluate a program and create an environment for program success
Ability to manage and evaluate the requirements development process, overseeing junior level team members in creation, development, and implementation
Ability to use, manage, and evaluate management processes, including performance-based management techniques
Ability to manage and evaluate the use of earned value management as it relates to acquisition investments

Interactive training in these areas described above will help develop the essential interpersonal and management competencies required of high-performing, successful program and project managers such as strategic thinking, vision, and external awareness.

Coursework Areas
The Program Manager - Senior/Expert Level consists of five coursework areas:

Advanced Acquisition Management III (minimum of 24 hours)
Project Management III (minimum of 24 hours)
Leadership and Interpersonal Skills III (minimum of 16 hours)
Government Specific III (minimum of 24 hours)
Earned Value Management and Cost Estimates III (minimum of 24 hours)

There are prerequisites and requirements for the Program Manager - Senior/Expert Level.

Prerequisites and Requirements
Experience at Senior/Expert Level: It is recommended that the individual have at least four years of program and project management experience on federal projects and/or programs including:

Managing and evaluating agency acquisition investment performance
Developing and managing a program budget
Building and presenting a successful business case
Reporting program results
Incorporate strategic planning
Utilize high-level communication with internal and external stakeholders

Training Objectives/Core Competencies
There are performance-based training objectives and competencies for the Program Manager - Senior/Expert Level Certificate Training, which are categorized into the following two distinct groupings:

Coursework area (PDF 278KB), e.g., advanced acquisition management III, project management III, etc.

Advanced Acquisition Management III
Project Management III
Leadership and Interpersonal Skills III
Government Specific III
Earned Value Management (EVM) and Cost Estimates III

Process or course of action (PDF 278KB), e.g., management process, contracts, etc.

Management Process (Senior/Expert)
Systems Engineering (Senior/Expert)
Test and Evaluation (T&E) (Senior/Expert)
Life Cycle Logistics (LCS) (Senior/Expert)
Contracting (Senior/Expert)
Business, Cost Estimating and Financial Management (Senior/Expert)
Leadership/Professional (Senior/Expert)

Additional resources
Corresponding competencies and proficiencies for these coursework areas and processes have been identified to assist in determining what is needed to meet the requirements of the four coursework areas. Key objectives have been defined that detail the expected performance requirements and areas of responsibilities. Use these objectives and core competencies to build or compare a training program.