As a Project Manager at Okta, your day-to-day responsibilities will keep you deeply embedded with engineering squads and product teams. You will act as the operational glue that holds initiatives together, ensuring that technical teams can focus on building while you handle the broader delivery mechanics.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Driving End-to-End Delivery – You will own the lifecycle of major initiatives, from initial scoping and requirement gathering to sprint planning, execution, testing, and release.
• Facilitating Agile Ceremonies – You will act as a Scrum Master or delivery lead, facilitating standups, backlog grooming, sprint planning, and retrospectives to optimize team velocity.
• Managing Dependencies and Risks – You will proactively identify and mitigate risks, unblock development teams, and manage complex cross-team dependencies across the Okta ecosystem.
• Stakeholder Communication - You will maintain clear, consistent communication channels, providing status updates, risk assessments, and roadmap alignment to engineering leads, product managers, and executive leadership.
• Process Optimization – You will continuously evaluate and refine delivery processes, helping teams adopt agile best practices and tools that reduce friction and increase predictability.

Okta looks for Project Managers who possess a strong balance of structured methodology, technical curiosity, and exceptional soft skills. The ideal candidate can quickly adapt to the fast-paced, evolving landscape of cybersecurity and SaaS.

• Must-have skills & experience:

  • Project Management Experience – Typically 3 to 7+ years of experience managing software, cloud, or security projects in a SaaS environment.
  • Agile Methodology Mastery – Deep, practical knowledge of Agile, Scrum, and Kanban frameworks, with experience acting as a Scrum Master or Scrum Program Manager.
  • Tooling Expertise – Advanced proficiency with Jira, Confluence, and modern project management software to track, report, and manage project health.
  • Stakeholder Management – Proven track record of collaborating with and influencing cross-functional engineering and product teams without direct authority.

• Nice-to-have skills & experience:

  • Domain Certifications – Professional certifications such as PMP, CSM (Certified ScrumMaster), or PMI-ACP.
  • Security/IAM Knowledge – Prior experience working in cybersecurity, product security, or identity and access management (IAM) environments.
  • Technical Background – A degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or prior experience in a technical role (e.g., QA, software engineer, or technical analyst).

Q: How technical do I need to be for a Project Manager role at Okta? A: While you do not need to write code, you must be technically fluent. You should be comfortable discussing SaaS architecture, deployment pipelines, and basic security concepts. If you are applying for a role within a specialized organization like Product Security, you must be prepared to drive technical and security-focused discussions yourself.

Q: What is the typical timeline from the initial screen to an offer? A: The entire process generally takes between 3 to 6 weeks. This timeline can vary depending on interviewer availability, team alignment, and the level of the role. Recruiters at Okta are generally communicative, but candidates are encouraged to follow up weekly during active interview stages.

Q: What differentiates successful candidates from those who get rejected? A: Successful candidates demonstrate structured thinking, operational discipline, and proactivity. They do not just facilitate meetings; they actively manage risks, solve problems, and drive alignment. Candidates who treat the interviews as casual conversations or fail to use structured frameworks like the STAR method often do not pass the panel rounds.

Q: Does Okta support remote or hybrid working arrangements for Project Managers? A: Okta has a highly flexible working philosophy, often supporting remote, hybrid, or office-based roles depending on the specific team, location, and business needs. Be sure to clarify the exact location and hybrid expectations for your target role during your initial call with the recruiter.

To maximize your chances of success during the Okta interview loop, keep these practical, insider tips in mind:

• Drive the Domain Discussion: If you are interviewing for a specialized team (such as security or infrastructure), do not wait for the interviewers to ask deep technical questions. Take the initiative to weave your domain knowledge, security awareness, and technical understanding into your behavioral answers.
• Clarify the Role Early: Because Okta sometimes uses varied titles (e.g., Scrum Program Manager, TPM, Project Manager), explicitly ask your recruiter about the balance of responsibilities. Confirm whether the role focuses more on pure Scrum coaching, high-level program strategy, or technical delivery.
• Be Prepared for Virtual Logistics: All interviews are conducted via Zoom. Ensure your workspace is quiet, your internet connection is stable, and your camera setup is professional. Be prepared for back-to-back 30-minute sessions, which require you to maintain high energy and focus throughout the panel.

• Focus on Business Value: When explaining past projects, do not just describe the tasks you completed. Focus on the business value delivered—such as reduced cycle times, improved security posture, or successful product launches—and quantify those results whenever possible.

Becoming a Project Manager at Okta is an exceptional opportunity to drive high-impact initiatives at a company that secures the identity of millions of users worldwide. The role demands a unique combination of structured execution, cross-functional leadership, and domain curiosity. By focusing your preparation on clear delivery metrics, proactive risk management, and structured behavioral storytelling, you can stand out as a highly capable delivery leader.

As you prepare for your upcoming interviews, focus on mastering your project management narratives, refining your understanding of SaaS and security lifecycles, and practicing your STAR-format responses. With a methodical approach to your preparation, you can confidently navigate Okta's comprehensive interview loop and demonstrate your readiness to lead complex delivery teams.

The salary data above outlines the competitive compensation packages offered to Project Managers at Okta. When evaluating your target offer, remember that total compensation at Okta typically includes a strong base salary, performance bonuses, and equity (RSUs). Use this data to benchmark your expectations based on your location, experience level, and the specific technical requirements of the role you are pursuing. For more detailed interview insights, candidate experiences, and preparation resources, you can explore additional guides on Dataford.