Program Manager
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Meet FRATCH Program Manager
Felix Bauchspiess
Last position:
Digital Consultant and Solution Manager at Vorwerk SE & Co. KG
Launch of a new digital product in the Chinese market as part of a global growth strategy.
Key contact and coordinating interface between central product management, local Chinese teams, and international stakeholders.
Managed the full program management for coordinating complex digital projects.
Successful market launch of a digital product in China (including successful certification for the Chinese market).
Balanced local requirements with global priorities, taking tax and regulatory conditions into account.
Introduced a new way of working to improve collaboration and management across locations.
Developed and implemented a scaling strategy for the digital business model in China.
Used Jira, Confluence, Miro, Scrum, Agile work, SAFe.
Project language: English.
Marco Steidel
Last position:
IT Interim Manager & Digitalization Consultant at paarprojekt GmbH
- Project management and consulting services with a focus on IT interim management: digitalization of corporate management including processes and applications
- Assessment of the entire IT infrastructure including applications, core processes, and contracts, including cost optimization
- Evaluation and introduction of solutions to promote digitalization in the company in the areas of: property management, CRM, invoice review & approval processes, smart metering, DMS, time tracking
- Digitization of file folders and introduction of SharePoint and Microsoft Teams as the central document & communication platform
- Design and delivery of AI workshops including rollout of AI tools to increase efficiency and transparency in key business processes
- Creation of training materials and delivery of user training for newly introduced digital processes and solutions
Chris Wolf
Last position:
Senior Strategy Advisor, Transformation Lead – program realignment with target picture, governance, and priority steering at Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe | S-Communication Services
In-house consulting provider and driver of transformation within the group, multi-stakeholder environment and C-level.
Realignment and stabilization of a cross-functional transformation and scaling program within the group. Sharpening the target picture, priorities, and set of measures, as well as building reliable governance, planning, and steering structures. Structuring roles, responsibilities, and strategic initiatives while including AI and IT automation ideas.
Designed program realignment and project portfolio management
Developed strategy model and target picture for IT projects
Structured portfolio, roadmap, and priorities
Established governance and regular meetings
Worked out operating model for flagship projects
Assessed AI and automation ideas
Clarified roles and responsibilities
Implemented change measures
Developed, moderated, and evaluated workshops
Transformed 17 initiatives into a steering model
Increased transparency and decision-making ability
Strengthened commitment in steering
Sharpened the operating model structurally
Integrated three top-5 institutes
Involved over 80% of stakeholders
Governance
Portfolio steering (PPM)
Change management
Artificial intelligence
Workflow automation
AI use case assessment
Confluence
Jira
Stakeholder management
Florian Ripper
Last position:
Global Programme Lead, Ecosystem Separation at Merck Group
Electronics – Surface Solutions | Carve-out of IT, data and system landscape*
Separation of a full business division's IT, data and system landscape following divestment; centrally governed investment envelope in the three-digit m€ range
Laboratory notebook and laboratory analytics platform stream: Palantir Foundry, Snowflake, Signals Notebook, Power BI and connected laboratory instrumentation; site transition completed without interruption to laboratory operations
Decision authority and escalation point for business, IT infrastructure, IT security and vendors; separation executed across globally distributed users and systems, handed over on schedule
Franz Bauer
Last position:
Product Development (AI) at Own initiative
AI telephone assistant platform
Claude Code, Google AI Studio, Python, LLM / Voice-AI, PostgreSQL
- Conception and hands-on development of an AI-supported telephone assistant platform (voice AI / LLM) – from idea and architecture to MVP/product.
- Built agentic workflows and full automations with Claude Code and Google AI Studio.
- Also delivered AI-supported work in client engagements: used Claude Code for governance documentation, requirement drafts, and automations.
Marko Agrez
Last position:
Program Lead | Agile Transformation Coach at EnBW
Technologies: Azure DevOps, Jira, Confluence, Office 365 (Teams, PowerPoint, Copilot, Excel, SharePoint, Forms, OneNote, PowerAutomate, Word), DataDog, Conceptboard, Python, AWS, Claude, Perplexity Methodology: Scrum
- Steering and supporting the organization in the rollout of Scrum and in the introduction of a SAFe-inspired, quarterly roadmap and portfolio planning at program level.
- Servant leadership for Scrum teams and managers to achieve quarterly goals and measurably increase value creation for internal and external customers.
- Design and expansion of efficient communication and collaboration structures between multiple development teams and key stakeholders in the organization.
- Facilitation and professional moderation of cross-functional workshops and management meetings to align on shared goals.
- Coaching leaders, Product Owners, and development teams on agile values, role understanding, and scaled ways of working (Scrum, SAFe, Business Agility).
- Removing structural obstacles at team and organization level through targeted impediment management and escalation processes.
- Enabling teams to work with greater self-organization, personal ownership, and end-to-end responsibility across value streams.
- Individual coaching of key people (Product Owners, Chapter Leads, Scrum Masters) to strengthen their impact in the transformation program.
- Organization-wide identification, planning, and implementation of process, structure, and tool improvements to sustainably increase efficiency, throughput, and value creation.
- Close support for Product Owners in stakeholder management, prioritization by business value, product strategy, roadmap planning, and effective collaboration with development teams.
- Introduction, governance, and scaling of Azure DevOps as the central project and product management tool, including coaching the organization on usage, reporting, and alignment at all levels.
Achievements:
- Clear increase in the visibility, transparency, and perceived value creation of the development teams within the overall organization.
- Noticeable improvement in communication between development, business, and other stakeholders.
- Optimization of work processes, workflow, and backlog structures, which reduced lead times, sharpened priorities, and sustainably increased team effectiveness.
Luca Beck
Last position:
Founder & CEO at Lube AI
- Develop custom AI agents delivering 90%+ reduction in manual workload and significant efficiency gains
- Provide end-to-end AI strategy consulting: from digital assessment to implementation and change management
- Design and deliver tailored training programs and workshops on AI adoption, prompt engineering, and automation
- Support clients in implementing scalable AI solutions integrated with existing technology stacks
- Focus areas: AI strategy, automation, workflow optimization, and capability building
Alexander Philipp Herbst
Last position:
Software Project Leader for Brake Control Units at ZF Friedrichshafen / ZF Active Safety GmbH
- Project management for software projects in the brake control unit area with a focus on deadlines, costs, and quality.
- Planning, control, and reporting of project progress, risks, dependencies, and work packages.
- Planning and tracking of work packages using PTC Integrity.
- Organizing and moderating customer meetings as well as coordination with internal departments, external suppliers, and third parties.
- Creating and maintaining project documentation according to Automotive SPICE requirements as well as management reporting.
Frank Gulitz
Last position:
Agile Coach and Program Manager at Centris AG
The insurance application service provider in Switzerland intended to develop a multi-channel output system to support their customers on their digital enhancement journey.
- Established an Agile Release Train based on SAFe 6.0
- Trained all ART leadership
- Coached the development of the solution intent
- Established 5 teams in the ART. Developed the Epic and Feature Backlog for the team.
- Planned and coached 2 PI planning sessions
The insurance application service provider in Switzerland intended to transform their claims management BPO and IT team into an agile delivery organization.
- Established an Agile Release Train based on SAFe 6.0
- Trained all ART leadership
- Coached the development of the solution intent
- Established 2 teams in an ART.
- Developed the Epic and Feature Backlog for the team.
- Planned and coached 2 PI planning sessions
Myrto Papagiannakou
Last position:
UX Lead, Strategist for Property Management Systems at Destination Solutions
- Leading UX for a Property Management System, an all-in-one solution for vacation rental agencies and tourism regions, covering marketing and rental of holiday apartments and houses
- UX audits, conception, and implementation of UX strategy with a focus on regulatory, security, and user-centered requirements
- Advising C-level stakeholders on UX strategy and design best practices
- Planning and conducting research with agencies and property owners
- Design system strategy and definition of UX architecture
Ralf Roßkopf
Last position:
Program and Campaign Management at PAYBACK GmbH
- Project management in the area of "Campaign, Offer and Performance Management Classic" for PAYBACK partners from the retail, FMCG and financial services sectors
- Campaign planning, development and implementation of offer-specific concepts and measures for the channels newsletter, digital advertising (web and app), stand-alone mailings and the print mailing "PAYBACK points overview"
- Coordination with PAYBACK program partners (including American Express, Netto, EDEKA, Marktkauf & Trinkgut), PAYBACK specialist departments and agencies
- Documentation of tasks and processes as well as onboarding of the future role holder
Mirjam Walser
Last position:
AI Trainer / Data Annotator at DataAnnotation, Outlier
- Review and creation of German-language training data for AI models, with a focus on language quality, tone of voice, and suitability for target groups.
- Design of prompts and evaluation frameworks for quality assurance of AI responses.
- Prompt design and creation of AI training content in German and English.
- Language and voice training for AI models in German.
Neil Scholten
Last position:
Program Director & Transformation Architect at Xpertpulse GmbH
- Strategic business development transition: product before customer in <4 months instead of 10
- Strategic business development transition: development cost reduction vs. plan: 40% (-€250K)
- Executive mentor & coach for CEO & CPO: CEO too busy to improve – portfolio, organizational structure, and strategy
- Executive mentor & coach for CEO & CPO: PO→CPO transition for taking full product responsibility for Lohnpulse
- Interim CIO: general contractor vendor scouting / onboarding / handover to CPO
- Interim CIO: transition MVP→operational product by CPO
Banashankari Naragundkar
Last position:
Senior IT Project Manager, Data and Integration Platform at MCH Group, Group IT
Led implementation of an Azure cloud-based, event-driven enterprise integration platform connecting Salesforce, Momentus(event) and ERP applications. Reduced overall costs by 60%, lowered operational errors to under 1%, and delivered on time.
- Led the full project lifecycle from initiation to delivery using agile and hybrid methods - platform vision, feasibility, technical blueprint, architecture, implementation, integration, testing, rollout and business adoption.
- Built the engineering team from the ground up, leading teams across Switzerland, Bulgaria and India using Scrum and Kanban; established Jira, Confluence, Asana and SharePoint for delivery and reporting.
- Established and managed frequent steering meetings, reporting that gave stakeholders transparency and drove key decision-making.
Julian Hillebrand
Last position:
IT Project Manager AI product for automating knowledge-intensive processes at Leading provider of large-scale catering & food services
Project: Concept and implementation of an AI product for four business use cases
Project management of an AI project at a leading provider of large-scale catering and food services, where a production-ready AI product for four use cases was implemented together with an external development partner: automated briefings from CRM and document data, voice-based capture and structuring of reports, detection and merging of duplicates in master data, and data-based market analysis. A central focus was a privacy-compliant architecture that passed the internal IT security review and enabled productive use.
- Translating business requirements into clearly defined AI use cases with a clear product scope and clear value proposition
- Selecting and evaluating models and architecture options for text extraction, speech-to-text and context enrichment from business systems, including LLM integration, function calling and retrieval
- Designing and enforcing an architecture with European hosting, data minimization and masking of personal data as a prerequisite for approval
- Managing the interfaces between business, IT, IT security and the external development partner under restrictive data access conditions
- Coordinating with CIO and executive management on data access, risk assessment and approval decisions
- Preparing the transition into productive use
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Program Manager statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
23 years
Position duration
3.2 years
Positions per freelancer
13
Top business areas
Project Management, Information Technology, Operations
Top industries
Information Technology, Professional Services, Manufacturing
Certification focus areas
Project Management, Information Technology, Product Development
Bachelor's degree or higher
93%
Master's degree or higher
70%
Doctorate
7%
Certifications per freelancer
4
Most common languages
English, German, French
Speak two or more languages
98%
Based on our profile pool as of 21 Aug 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range.
Average rates for Program Manager
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 21 Aug 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
About the role
Steering complex multi-project environments
A freelance Program Manager coordinates a strategic portfolio of related projects to achieve overarching business benefits that could not be realized by managing them individually. Unlike project managers who focus on specific isolated deliverables, these senior experts align multiple workstreams with long-term corporate goals. They actively manage cross-project dependencies, allocate shared resources, and resolve systemic bottlenecks across different departments and business units.
Mastered methodologies and program frameworks
Experienced program leaders bring structured methodologies and governance to complex business initiatives. They are highly proficient in established frameworks such as MSP, Prince2, and Agile Program Management, alongside modern hybrid steering models. They design robust governance structures, establish transparent reporting channels, and implement proactive risk management frameworks that keep C-level stakeholders aligned and projects on track.
Critical situations demanding external expertise
Companies typically bring in an external program director when internal leadership capacity is stretched or when highly specialized change management skills are required. Typical scenarios include:
- Executing large-scale digital transformations and legacy system migrations.
- Integrating operations and IT infrastructures during complex post-merger phases.
- Restructuring major internal business units and cross-functional workflows.
- Recovering failing multi-project initiatives that require objective, neutral leadership.
Key indicators of a strong project portfolio leader
Top-tier freelance professionals in this field combine sharp strategic vision with hands-on execution power. They communicate with equal effectiveness when presenting to executive boards or guiding technical project teams. Strong candidates demonstrate a proven track record of managing high-budget initiatives, navigating complex corporate politics, and adapting governance structures to changing business priorities.
Frequently asked questions
Curious about Program Manager? Here are the answers that come up again and again.
A project manager focuses on delivering a specific product or service within concrete constraints. In contrast, a Program Manager oversees a group of related projects to achieve strategic, long-term business goals. They focus on interdependencies, resource optimization, and overall business value rather than individual project deadlines.
Hiring a freelance program director is ideal for temporary, high-stakes initiatives like post-merger integrations or major digital transformations. These projects require immediate senior leadership that may not be needed once the program is successfully implemented. A freelancer brings unbiased expertise and can start without long onboarding processes.
A professional portfolio manager should be expert in structured frameworks like Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) or Prince2. For modern, fast-paced environments, they must also be highly skilled in agile scaling frameworks like SAFe or LeSS.
An experienced program leader acts as the central bridge between technical project teams and executive leadership. They design structured communication plans, translate complex technical issues into business impact for C-level executives, and manage expectations across diverse departments.
Yes, an external program manager is often brought in specifically to turn around troubled initiatives. Because they are independent of internal corporate politics, they can conduct an objective audit, restructure governance, and make the hard decisions necessary to realign the workstreams.
Look closely at their past track record of successfully delivered large-scale initiatives of similar scope. A top-tier program coordinator should be able to explain how they managed budgets, resolved critical resource conflicts, and handled unexpected risks in their previous engagements.
While much of the coordination and reporting can be done remotely, high-impact interim managers usually prefer a hybrid model. Initial phase alignment, critical stakeholder meetings, and major workshops are most effective when conducted on-site at the client's offices.
Change management is a core component of successful program leadership. Because large programs inevitably alter workflows, systems, and organizational structures, the leader must ensure that the human aspect of change is managed through continuous communication and training.
The average hourly rate for Program Manager is 118 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 942 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Program Manager, 93% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 70% hold at least a Master's degree, and 7% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Program Manager have 23 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.2 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Program Manager are English (99%), German (85%), and French (34%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Program Manager are Information Technology (82%), Professional Services (61%), and Manufacturing (49%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Program Manager are Project Management (98%), Information Technology (85%), and Operations (74%).
FRATCH Program Manager main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg Request a free demo
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
