Lead Technology Program Manager

About the role

The primary purpose of this role is accountability for the overall planning, coordination, execution, and delivery of highly complex end-to-end associate and/or customer journeys across the enterprise to achieve expected strategic outcomes for the company in an agile, product environment. This includes responsibility for developing plans to meet technology priorities and deadlines, determining and carrying out processes, managing workflow and product delivery across multiple portfolio teams (e.g., facilitating Program Increment/Big Room planning and the prioritization of epics).

This role ensures resource capacity to accomplish goals, partners internally and externally to drive timely and effective decisions, identifies and removes impediments, mitigates risks, and identifies opportunities for process improvements. It leverages Lean-Agile practices, tools, and mindsets to lead complex technology initiatives that drive strategic technology improvements. The role may also operate as an extension of the portfolio leader, providing operational governance and expertise while partnering with technology leadership and Shared Services (e.g., HR, Finance, Vendor Management).

Responsibilities

• Own overall planning, coordination, execution, and delivery of highly complex end-to-end associate and/or customer journeys across the enterprise to achieve expected strategic outcomes.
• Build and maintain relationships as the primary liaison to executive/senior leaders, technology sponsors, customers, vendors, and other key stakeholders for strategic and functional initiatives requiring alignment and coordination.
• Identify and communicate a clear vision and technical understanding of initiative goals, objectives, and cross-portfolio dependencies, leading stakeholders to create a well-defined program increment schedule.
• Influence and drive the prioritization and alignment of strategic imperatives, deliverables, and decisions in an agile, product environment, ensuring alignment to value and driving cross-portfolio epic-level prioritization.
• Manage and optimize the flow of value through the initiative using tools and information radiators, promoting a culture of self-organizing and self-managing teams.
• Set expectations and hold cross-portfolio teams accountable for value delivery through measurement and reporting of progress against business cases.
• Foster continuous planning by facilitating readiness sessions aligned with cross-portfolio and enterprise planning cadences.
• Communicate and document initiative-level risks, impediments, decisions, and scope changes.
• Manage and mitigate risks through qualitative and quantitative analysis, planning risk responses, establishing contingency plans, and recommending mitigation strategies.
• Establish cadences for strategic initiatives and drive regular routines and processes, ensuring appropriate governance to achieve commitments in an agile environment.
• Engage with cross-functional technical and business partners to ensure non-technical components (e.g., change and process management) support end-to-end delivery.
• Provide operational governance and expertise, partnering with technology leadership and Shared Services (e.g., HR, Finance, Vendor Management) to conduct portfolio-level operational reviews.
• Lead cross-functional global workforce and third-party solution providers to achieve desired business outcomes.
• Support portfolio/product financial management processes and demonstrate financial acumen.
• Act as a change agent for technology initiatives and process improvements, gaining alignment and adoption of technology policies and procedures.
• Monitor technology trends and influence leaders and teams in Lean-Agile practices, coaching junior associates, contributing to Communities of Practice, and supporting recruiting efforts.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for technology program management, staying aware of industry innovations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, MIS, or a related field (or equivalent years of experience).
• 8 years of experience in IT or a technology-focused business area.
• 6 years of experience leading and influencing technology portfolio/program/product teams, including providing direction, coaching, and mentoring.
• 3 years of experience supporting complex initiatives in a product and/or agile operating model, using tools like JIRA for work transparency and tracking.
• Experience translating data into quantifiable actions/deliverables.
• Experience working closely with senior leadership cross-functionally in a large organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, MIS, or a related field.
• 3 years of experience supporting complex initiatives in a scaled agile environment.
• Experience using formal business process improvement methodologies.
• Corporate retail experience.
• Certifications such as PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC), SAFe LPM, ICP-LPM, CSM, RTE, or PMP.

Benefits

• 401k with up to 4.25% match.
• Discounted Employee Stock Purchase Plan (15% discount of strike price).
• Tuition-free education.
• 10-week maternity/parental leave.
• 10% associate discount.

Pay

Pay Range: $102,300.00 - $194,400.00 annually. Starting rate of pay may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, position offered, location, education, training, and/or experience.