Director – IT - Product & Portfolio Center

At the American Cancer Society, we're working to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Our employees and 1.3 million volunteers are raising the bar every single day. We are a culture comprised of diverse backgrounds and experience, to better serve our communities. 

The people who work at the American Cancer Society focus their diverse talents on our lifesaving mission. It is a calling. And the people who answer it are fulfilled.

The Director, IT, Product & Portfolio Center, provides leadership and direction to a team of product managers, business analysts, and project managers, ensuring effective performance, professional development, and alignment with ACS’s technology strategy. This role is accountable for managing a portfolio of IT products and initiatives, driving enterprise value through delivery of new and innovative technologies, features and functionality to drive progress against enterprise mission, revenue and efficiency outcomes, ensuring compliance and cybersecurity measures are in place to protect the organization & ensuring we delivery technology maintenance and technical debt improvements for continuous technology evolution. Success in this role requires balancing strategic vision & prioritization with hands-on execution, fostering collaboration across IT and all enterprise functions, with staff at all levels and ensuring effective governance, prioritization, risk mitigation & change readiness.

***This is a fully remote position that can be home-based anywhere within the United States. PMP and Agile experience is highly preferred. Must have experience leading project management teams. Please note, selected new hire will be required to be onsite for day one activities.***

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  

• Leads and develops a team of product management and delivery professionals by setting clear goals, providing coaching and feedback, and fostering a collaborative, accountable, and growth-oriented culture. 25% 

• Oversees the roadmap planning, execution, and delivery of technology products, platforms, and initiatives, ensuring alignment with ACS’s strategic priorities and technology roadmap.  20% 

• Partners with business leaders and stakeholders to understand enterprise strategic priorities and translate those priorities into product/platform vision, prioritize features, and manage demand intake and governance. 20% 

• Manages portfolio-level resources, budgets, and vendor engagements to ensure effective utilization and value delivery. 15% 

• Monitors and reports on portfolio health, including progress, risks, ROI, and alignment to business outcomes. 10% 

• Contributes to continuous improvement of ACS’s product and portfolio management practices, tools, and governance frameworks. 10% 

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Minimum Degree Required: ​Bachelor's Degree​  

• Preferred Degree: ​Bachelor's Degree​ in Information Technology, Business Administration, or related fields. 

• Certificate(s) or License(s): PMP, CSPO, or SAFe POPM certification required; CAL-E/CAL-T certification preferred. 

• Years of experience: 8-10 years of IT product, program, or portfolio management experience, including 3+ years in leadership/people management roles. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY:  

• Proven experience managing people, with demonstrated success in recruiting, developing, and leading teams to achieve organizational goals. 

• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust, motivate teams, and foster collaboration across diverse stakeholders. 

• Knowledge of budget planning, financial tracking, and resource allocation to effectively manage departmental and project budgets. 

• Deep expertise in product & project management standards and practices (e.g., Agile, Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Lean Portfolio Management, PMBOK, ITIL, and DevOps principles) portfolio governance, and demand intake and capacity planning processes. 

• Ability to balance strategic priorities with tactical execution. 

• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills, with ability to influence across business and IT leadership. 

• Proficiency with portfolio management and agile delivery tools (Planview, Jira, ADO, or equivalent). 

• Ability to drive continuous improvement and adoption of best practices across product and portfolio management disciplines. 

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:  

• Occasional travel- 10-15% - may be required for department or program/project meetings, vendor management, or enterprise workshops.   

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:  

• Frequent sitting and use of computer equipment   

• Availability and ability to work after hours, weekends, holidays, etc. as needed, to be on call and/or to fulfill job responsibilities and requirements. 

The starting rate is $110,000 to $130,000 annual. The final candidate's relevant experience/skills will be considered before an offer is extended. Actual starting pay will vary based on non-discriminatory factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, skills, specialty, and education.

ACS provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills. Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits. We are a proud equal opportunity employer.