IT Program Manager

About the role

The IT Program Manager works closely with senior leadership to clearly define, analyze, design and lead programs that align with new or existing strategies and is accountable for the program's success. This role manages scope, resources, schedule, and budget for the overall program and provides verbal and written reports to senior leadership. The IT Program Manager also leads business analysts and project managers assigned to the program’s projects, managing dependencies, issues, and risks, and may act as the project manager for complex or strategic projects within a program.

Responsibilities

• Develop, analyze, lead and manage IT programs to achieve senior leaders’ strategic objectives.
• Manage and lead, with informal authority, business analysts and project managers assigned to projects within programs.
• Create and communicate coordinated plans for each program, setting clear expectations regarding roles and responsibilities.
• Regularly perform project reviews with business analysts and project managers to closely manage dependencies, proactively identify mitigation plans for risk, and quickly resolve issues.
• Act as first escalation point for all project‑related issues within a program and escalate to program leadership when necessary.
• Manage relationships with program stakeholders, including internal and external clients and vendors, keeping them informed of progress and issues to manage expectations on requirements and deliverables.
• Report on programs regularly to senior leadership and make recommendations for potential changes.
• Assist the PMO manager in reviewing new requests, determining alignment, assigning resources, administering project‑management software, and identifying process‑improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with customers, Joint Technology Team members, and vendors to create and maintain program and project documents (e.g., charters, requirements, roadmap, WBS, budget, operational support plans, communication plan, resource tracking, risk register, etc.).
• Negotiate with department leaders to acquire resources needed for assigned programs and/or projects.
• Provide project management and leadership for complex and/or strategic projects within a program.
• Facilitate PMO integrated change‑control process for programs and projects to proactively manage changes to scope, schedule/timeline, budget, or resources.
• Analyze lessons learned and share with other PMO team members, managers, technical teams, and customers.
• Review contract conditions for assigned programs and/or projects and ensure compliance with all contract terms.
• Serve as the point of contact for all internal and external program or project communication and documentation from initiation through close‑out.
• Manage all resource/expenditures based on project budget throughout the lifecycle and communicate any issues impacting profitability.
• Manage or facilitate testing and training of new applications, systems, and/or infrastructure.
• Ensure program and project team activities and decisions are clearly communicated and documented.
• Mentor PMO team members in leadership, methodology, processes, tools, people skills, and navigating politics.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree (higher degree accepted).
• Experience: 8 years of IT project management experience or 2 years of IT program management experience; experience with MS Office, MS Project, and Visio.
• Certifications (one required): Project Management Professional (PMP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), or Program Management Professional (PgMP).