IBM
IBM Program Manager Professional Certificate

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IBM

IBM Program Manager Professional Certificate

Get job-ready as a program manager in 2 months. Build in-demand skills and prepare for the PMI-PgMP certification exam. No experience required.

John Rofrano
IBM Skills Network Team
Daniel C. Yeomans

Instructors: John Rofrano

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4.8

(125 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 months
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Earn a career credential that demonstrates your expertise
4.8

(125 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 months
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Stay current with the latest principles, tools, and terminology used by program managers in their day-to-day roles.

  • Develop skills to effectively track and manage programs and adapt to challenges throughout the program management lifecycle.

  • Implement Agile with adaptive planning, iterative development, and continuous improvement to deliver value and boost customer satisfaction.

  • Apply your knowledge to real-world projects, creating a portfolio that highlights your skills while preparing for the PMI-PgMP certification exam.

Details to know

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Taught in English
Recently updated!

April 2025

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Professional Certificate - 7 course series

What you'll learn

  • The basics of the program management lifecycle, domains, terminologies, and stakeholder collaboration in just 2 weeks.

  • About program manager career options and supporting certifications, plus you’ll create a skills development plan to help you toward your goal.

  • A good understanding of program manager roles and responsibilities and the skills and knowledge required for a successful career.

  • Introductory program management skills reinforced through interactive exercises and a final project.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Program Management
Category: Organizational Strategy
Category: Governance
Category: Project Management Office (PMO)
Category: Change Management
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Project Management
Category: Team Management
Category: Communication
Category: Benefits Administration
Category: Resource Management
Category: Project Management Life Cycle

What you'll learn

  • Essential, highly sought-after program manager skills for aligning strategic program initiatives with organizational goals.

  • The three phases of the program lifecycle, program manager responsibilities, and how to create a comprehensive, effective program management plan. 

  • What a program manager does with respect to framework, strategy, and planning, including benefits realization and value creation processes.

  • Risk management strategies that minimize program uncertainties, reinforced through practical hands-on labs and interactive exercises.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Program Management
Category: Benefits Administration
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Risk Management
Category: Governance
Category: Project Management Life Cycle
Category: Portfolio Management
Category: Project Management
Category: Strategic Planning
Category: Organizational Strategy
Category: Risk Analysis
Category: Project Closure
Category: Change Management
Category: Decision Making

What you'll learn

  • Adopt the 5 practices of Agile, a subset of DevOps: small batches, minimum viable product, pair programming, behavior- and test-driven development.

  • Write good user stories, estimate and assign story points and track stories using a kanban board. Incorporate Scrum artifacts, events, and benefits.

  • Create and refine a product backlog using the sprint planning process. Produce potentially shippable product increments with every iteration.

  • Create burndown charts to forecast the ability to meet a sprint goal. Use metrics to enhance performance, productivity, and client satisfaction.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Sprint Planning
Category: Agile Methodology
Category: Sprint Retrospectives
Category: Backlogs
Category: User Story
Category: Team Building
Category: Performance Measurement
Category: Agile Software Development
Category: Workflow Management
Category: Kanban Principles
Category: Team Management
Category: Agile Project Management
Category: Lean Methodologies
Category: Continuous Improvement Process

What you'll learn

  • Key skills in program manager stakeholder engagement and program governance in just one month that will catch the eye of employers

  • How to analyze stakeholder needs, develop communication strategies, and ensure alignment across the program and team

  • How to effectively manage the financial aspects of program management, including budgeting, cost control, and resource allocation

  • The principles of effective governance and how to adhere to the PMI’s ethical standards

Skills you'll gain

Category: Governance
Category: Stakeholder Engagement
Category: Procurement
Category: Program Management
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Financial Analysis
Category: Financial Planning
Category: Earned Value Management
Category: Ethical Standards And Conduct
Category: Change Management
Category: Resource Allocation
Category: Communication Planning
Category: Team Building
Category: Resource Management
Category: Communication Strategies
Category: Project Management Institute (PMI) Methodology
Category: Budgeting
Category: Cost Management
Program Manager Capstone

Program Manager Capstone

Course 512 hours

What you'll learn

  • Get valuable hands-on program management experience you can talk about in interviews and showcase in your portfolio.

  • Demonstrate your ability to effectively plan a program to include scope, schedule, budget, communications, risk, and benefits

  • Apply a scenario to develop supporting program delivery and closure documents

  • Get tips and guidance on how to enhance your resume, develop your personal portfolio, and improve your job search outcomes

Skills you'll gain

Category: Program Management
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Risk Management
Category: Benefits Administration
Category: Communication Planning
Category: Resource Management
Category: Project Closure
Category: Portfolio Management
Category: Project Management Life Cycle
Category: Organizational Strategy
Category: Project Planning
Category: Professional Networking
Category: Stakeholder Communications
Category: Project Management

What you'll learn

  • Get expert test-taking strategies and tips Program Managers need to pass the PMI-PgMP certification exam

  • Understand the eligibility criteria, application process, and exam structure, plus how program management performance domains are covered in the exam

  • Discover key information resources and additional channels that will help you prepare effectively for the exam

  • Test your readiness for the exam with practice questions and a full-length mock paper to give your confidence a final boost

Skills you'll gain

Category: Program Management
Category: Organizational Strategy
Category: Stakeholder Engagement
Category: Risk Management
Category: Performance Management
Category: Project Management
Category: Governance
Category: Project Portfolio Management
Category: Project Management Life Cycle

What you'll learn

  • Job-ready GenAI skills that program managers need to enhance decision-making, risk management, and benefits realization in program management

  • How to leverage GenAI for strategic alignment, stakeholder engagement, and governance using AI-driven tools

  • Gain hands-on experience with generative AI tools through labs and projects, applying AI across Program Definition, Delivery, and Closure.

  • Explore ethical considerations in AI-driven program planning, execution, and decision-making for responsible AI adoption

Skills you'll gain

Category: Generative AI Agents
Category: Risk Management
Category: Program Management
Category: Stakeholder Communications
Category: Benefits Administration
Category: Strategic Decision-Making
Category: Organizational Strategy
Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Governance
Category: Project Management Life Cycle
Category: Business Ethics
Category: Project Management Institute (PMI) Methodology
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Business Risk Management
Category: Project Management

Earn a career certificate

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Instructors

IBM Skills Network Team
IBM
84 Courses1,320,922 learners
Daniel C. Yeomans
SkillUp EdTech
29 Courses120,044 learners
Skill-Up EdTech Team
SkillUp EdTech
88 Courses237,206 learners

Offered by

IBM
SkillUp EdTech

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Frequently asked questions

¹ Median salary and job opening data are sourced from Lightcast™ Job Postings Report. Content Creator, Machine Learning Engineer and Salesforce Development Representative (1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024) All other job roles (6/1/2024 - 6/1/2025)