State of Maryland

Program Manager III is a managerial level of work in the Management Service of the State Personnel Management System. Employees in this classification are responsible for directing programs unique to their agency’s mission and operations and which are not found in other agencies. Employees in this classification have supervisory or managerial responsibility for the work of other employees in the Skilled or Professional Services.

Employees in this class receive managerial or executive supervision from a higher-level manager or an executive.

Position allocation within the Program Manager series is determined on the basis of relative job evaluation among similarly functioning positions. The job evaluation factors include: qualifications; nature and purpose of personal contacts; nature of recommendations, commitments, decisions, and conclusions; creative thought; responsibility for planning; responsibility for administration; and nature of supervision received.

Program Manager I-IV are differentiated from Administrator IV-VII in that Program Manager I-IV are responsible for one or more agency-specific programs, including the supervision of staff and responsibility for a budget, while Administrators IV-VII perform administrative staff work related to the administration of departmental policy and overseeing or coordinating agency operations, or as a special assistant to an executive. Program Manager I-IV are differentiated from Administrative Program Manager I-IV in that Administrative Program Managers I-IV are responsible for one or more program functions found in various agencies, such as public information or directors of administration, including the supervision of staff and responsibility for a budget.

Directs and coordinates all activities of an agency program or programs, such as a social services, health services or natural resources program, which are unique to the agency and its mission;

Establishes overall policies and procedures for the program(s), oversees implementation and approves revisions;

Establishes and evaluates program goals, standards and controls to meet program objectives;

Oversees and manages the personnel and financial resources of the program(s);

Develops short and long-range plans for program operations and resources;

Determines organizational structure and staffing needs of the program(s);

Oversees development and training of program staff;

Plans, coordinates, supervises and evaluates the work of subordinate supervisors;

Represents the department in a liaison capacity with managers and officials of other agencies concerning program activities;

May promote the program through contacts with interested groups and the general public;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position. 

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Management Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Management Service positions. 

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.