Agile has quickly become a widely adopted project management methodology among various industries across the globe. The Agile framework provides guidelines to execute projects in a structured, more efficient way and is proven to reduce delivery time of project tasks. This very reason is increasing its adoption, not only in the technology sector, but also in universities, the automobile sector, and even in divisions of the armed forces.

With the continued growth of Agile, the logical career progression move for a project manager (or an aspiring project manager) is to implement Agile or join a company that follows Agile, both of which require Agile competency that is acquired through an AgilePM Foundation Certification Course. Companies today prefer hiring Agile certified professionals to ensure the candidate possesses adequate knowledge. Here, we provide insights into the career progression of an AgilePM certified project manager.

The Career Path of an AgilePM Certified Professional

The concept of Agile introduces a framework where the project is worked on by cross-functional development teams, and these teams are collectively accountable and responsible for the success of the project. Individuals within the team are further responsible to self organize and complete specific tasks and need to collaborate with other team members or cross-department teams to deliver results if required. This essentially moves the accountability and responsibility factor onto each individual within the department, as opposed to being on the shoulders of a manager in a non-Agile work scenario.

The framework of equally accountable cross-functional teams is the reason an Agile practitioner’s career progresses horizontally, rather than vertically. There is, of course, a hierarchy even within Agile teams (for example Jr. Developer, Sr. developer, etc), but an Agile practitioner will experience more frequent progression across roles and departments. An Agile practitioner or manager will experience career growth by working with multiple teams and departments (and hence broadening knowledge and skills), while also working on different projects.

Salary Structure of an AgilePM Certified Professional

A career growth discussion requires insights on the salary structure, compensation, and change in salary as the professional advances in their career. Firstly, top tier companies today have implemented Agile and hire AgilePM certified professionals. For example:

• SAP Labs
• EY
• Merck KGaA
• Accenture
• Intuit
• Maersk Group
• Capgemini

The average annual salary of a PMI Agile Certified Practitioner, based on position is as follows:

Companies across different tiers are implementing Agile, creating a lot of job and growth opportunities for budding professionals and managers. The demand for Agile certified professionals is also higher today than for non-certified professionals. For any candidate looking to progress their career in project management, obtaining an AgilePM certification is the right way forward.