What is Program Management?

Program management is the process of managing sponsored project related programs mapped to portfolio objectives that improve the University of Colorado Boulder’s research performance. It is the strategic bridge between sponsored projects and their impact on the campus research portfolio objectives. Program managers oversee, coordinate, and/or monitor the various projects within campus defined strategic program areas.

What is Project Management?

Project Management is the process of managing specific sponsored projects, which are temporary and unique endeavors, through use of specific knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques on project activities to meet sponsored project requirements. Project management considerations during the planning and development of opportunities is critical for successful lifecycle project implementation. Project managers oversee and coordinate the project integration, scope, schedule, cost, quality, resourcing, communications, risk, procurement, and stakeholder considerations in partnership with the principal investigator(s) to make sure it is on time, on budget, and within scope.

Program Management Office

The Program Management Office (PMO) is a formalized unit focused on the strategic goals of the campus sponsored projects portfolio to:

  • Support defined campus strategic programs
  • Facilitate and define specific opportunity or broader strategy on current or potential strategic programs
  • Standardize methodology for managing sponsored projects
  • Institutionalize related processes
  • Report, track, and communicate program status
  • Establish project management tools, resources, connections, and training/development
  • Lead organizational change in promoting project management culture

CU Boulder Program Management Community

The developing Program Management (PM) Community is intended to provide the following to those campus personnel performing in sponsored project related program and project management roles and responsibilities as described:

  • Peer-2-Peer Connection
  • Subject Matter Expertise
  • Tools & Resources
  • Training & Development

To connect with this community, contact the PMO for more information.

Interested in learning more or engaging with the PMO?

Nicole Carleton, Assistant Director, PMO

pmo@colorado.edu

*Available via campus Microsoft Teams