IT Senior Program Manager

Summary

The IT Sr. Program Manager develops and leads program plans, governance structures, and performance metrics for a portfolio of 3 to 5 related projects to ensure alignment with company objectives and stakeholder expectations. S/he coordinates scope, schedules, resources, budgets, dependencies, risks, and issues across projects; monitors delivery and benefits; and provides regular updates and recommendations to senior management, program sponsors, and other stakeholders.  The IT Sr. Program Manager also leads organizational change management (OCM) activities to prepare affected stakeholders for new systems, processes, and ways of working. This includes assessing impacts and readiness, coordinating communications and training, addressing adoption risks, and supporting successful transition and sustainment

Roles and Responsibilities

The IT Sr. Program Manager will perform the following duties in a safe, productive, and effective manner:

• Develops and maintains integrated program plans, project schedules, milestones, deliverables, and performance measures based on business requirements and company objectives
• Establishes program governance, roles, decision-making processes, escalation paths, and stakeholder reporting
• Coordinates project scope, priorities, deadlines, resources, and deliverable schedules across the program
• Manages cross-project dependencies, risks, issues, decisions, and change requests; escalates concerns and recommends corrective action as needed
• Monitors program progress, quality, budget, schedule, and expected outcomes; provides regular status reports and recommendations to senior management, sponsors, and stakeholders
• Schedules and facilitates program work sessions, governance meetings, and stakeholder discussions
• Ensures project teams develop and maintain appropriate documentation, including plans, workflows, requirements, decisions, training, and “How-to” documentation
• Tracks program outcomes and benefits to support alignment with approved business objectives
• Develops and coordinates OCM plans aligned with program scope, timelines, and implementation activities
• Identifies affected stakeholder groups and assesses organizational impacts, readiness, and adoption risks
• Engages leaders, users, and other stakeholders to build understanding, address concerns, and support readiness for change
• Coordinates change communications that explain the purpose, impacts, timing, and expected benefits of program changes
• Partners with subject matter experts and operational leaders to develop and deliver training, job aids, and other user support materials
• Monitors readiness, training, feedback, and adoption; recommends actions to address resistance or gaps
• Supports transition to operations and sustainment of new systems, processes, and ways of working
• Manages relationships between contracted vendors or consultants, management, and program teams
• Clarifies vendor and consultant deliverables, responsibilities, timelines, dependencies, and performance expectations
• Monitors vendor and consultant progress and escalates delivery, quality, scope, or schedule concerns as appropriate
• Facilitates discussions and consensus among project stakeholders, such as analysts, programmers, sponsors, users, vendors, and consultants

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business, or a related field (Master’s degree optional) and 7–10 years of related experience in IT project and program management
• Experience managing large-scale programs consisting of multiple related projects within the IT or technology sector
• Demonstrated track record of successfully delivering complex programs on time, within budget, and with high-quality outcomes
• Experience establishing program plans, governance structures, performance metrics, executive reporting, and processes for managing program risks, issues, dependencies, and decisions
• Experience in organizational change management (OCM), including stakeholder impact and readiness assessments, change communications, training, adoption, and transition planning
• Items Considered a PLUS:
  • Project or program management certification
  • OCM certification or formal change management training
  • Experience managing enterprise technology implementations or business transformation programs
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Office 365, Outlook (e-mail), and MS Project or equivalent project management software
• Must be able to travel by automobile or airplane to conduct business meetings, review performance audits and attend conferences, etc.
  The following competencies are needed to successfully perform this job:
• Excellent written and oral communications skills to communicate effectively at all levels of the company
• Ability to develop clear program plans, status reports, executive presentations, workflows, requirements, training materials, and “How-to” documentation
• Ability to present complex program and technical information in business-friendly and user-friendly language
• Ability to develop communications that support stakeholder awareness, understanding, readiness, and adoption of change
• Ability to use basic math, geometry, and algebra
• Exceptionally self-motivated
• Keen attention to detail with superior analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to motivate in a team-oriented, collaborative environment
• Ability to build effective working relationships with executives, project teams, vendors, consultants, and stakeholders
• Ability to evaluate and advise management on program priorities, business improvement opportunities, and alignment with company objectives
• Ability to expertly analyze problems to determine root causes and identify effective resolutions
• Strong facilitation, negotiation, and mediation skills to build consensus and achieve program goals and objectives
• Ability to assess program risks, issues, dependencies, and impacts and recommend appropriate actions