SIG Job Family Library
Technical Project &
Program Management
The full TPM family, covering both Agile and traditional delivery contexts. Technical credibility in the delivery domain, regardless of the methodology.
About This Family
Technical depth. Any delivery model.
The Technical Project and Program Management family covers roles that plan, lead, and deliver technology programs while holding genuine technical depth in the same domain being built. TPMs earn credibility with engineering teams not through authority, but through understanding. This is the comprehensive variant, applicable in organizations that use Agile, traditional, or hybrid delivery methods.
The family spans six Individual Contributor levels (T1 through T6) and four Leadership levels (M2 through M5), scaling from single-project support up to enterprise-wide program portfolio ownership.
Two variants available: This guide covers the full TPM family across all delivery contexts. If your organization uses strictly traditional (non-Agile) delivery methods, a Non-Agile specific variant is also available with tailored competency profiles and role cards.
Individual Contributor Track
IC Levels at a Glance
Six levels from entry-level project support to senior principal contributor with portfolio scope.
| Level | Title | Typical Scope | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Associate Technical Project Manager | Single project / workstream | 0-3 years |
| T2 | Technical Project Manager | 1-2 projects independently | 3-5 years |
| T3 | Technical Project & Program Manager | Small-to-medium program (multi-team) | 5-8 years |
| T4 | Senior Technical Project & Program Manager | Complex program (multi-project) | 8-12 years |
| T5 | Principal Technical Project & Program Manager | Large program / multi-program | 12-15 years |
| T6 | Senior Principal Technical Project & Program Manager | Portfolio-level / enterprise strategy | 15+ years |
Leadership Track
Leadership Levels at a Glance
Four levels from first-line management through enterprise senior director.
| Level | Title | Typical Scope | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| M2 | Manager, Technology Program Management | Team of 3-8 TPMs; multiple projects | 8-12 yrs delivery + 1-3 yrs mgmt |
| M3 | Senior Manager, Technology Program Management | Multiple programs; manages managers | 12-15 yrs + 3-5 yrs mgmt |
| M4 | Director, Technology Program Management | Division / major portfolio; org-level strategy | 15+ yrs + 5 yrs mgmt |
| M5 | Senior Director, Technology Program Management | Enterprise TPM organization | 18+ yrs + 8 yrs mgmt |
What Sets This Family Apart
Technical credibility is the baseline.
Unlike generalist project management, TPMs hold technical depth in the specific domain they support. They earn trust with engineering teams not through authority, but through understanding. This family applies that standard across both Agile and traditional delivery contexts, so the competency model does not assume a single methodology.
Core Competencies
- Technical domain expertise in delivery area
- Risk identification and technical risk management
- Stakeholder alignment across technical and business lines
- Program and portfolio delivery execution
- Dependency management and cross-team coordination
Delivery Context Coverage
- Traditional / waterfall program delivery
- Agile and SAFe program delivery contexts
- Hybrid delivery (mixed methodology programs)
- Multi-vendor and contract program management
- Enterprise and portfolio-level governance
Full Documentation
Get the complete job family guides.
Detailed competency profiles, qualifications, and AI maturity expectations for every level in this family. Role cards for this variant are available on request.
IC Job Family Guide
Full competency profiles for all six IC levels, with qualifications and AI maturity expectations across Agile and traditional delivery contexts.
Download GuideLeadership Job Family Guide
Full profiles for M2 through M5, including people leadership and delivery competencies for both Agile and traditional environments.
Download GuideNon-Agile Variant
Need role cards or a competency profile tailored to strictly traditional delivery? The Non-Agile variant includes role cards for every level.
View Non-Agile VariantRole Cards (On Request)
One-page role cards for the comprehensive TPM variant are available on request. Contact us and we will send them directly.
Request Role CardsBuilding or refining your
TPM organization?
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