Principal, Delivery Excellence & PMO

About the Role

Ares is seeking a Principal of Delivery Excellence and PMO to establish and lead the Technology Project Management Office (PMO). This role will define governance, delivery operating models, Agile practices, and execution standards for technology initiatives. The Principal will build the PMO from the ground up, leading Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and potentially a centralized Quality Assurance function. The individual will partner with Product, Engineering, Architecture, and Business leaders to implement consistent delivery processes, Agile methodologies, Jira governance, stakeholder communications, and portfolio governance while coaching teams to improve delivery maturity and execution excellence.

Responsibilities

• PMO Strategy & Governance
  • Establish the PMO vision, operating model, governance framework, standards, and delivery methodologies.
  • Build scalable project governance, portfolio management, and reporting processes.
  • Define delivery KPIs, metrics, and executive dashboards.
• Agile Delivery Excellence
  • Lead the adoption of Agile methodologies including Scrum, Kanban, and scaled Agile practices.
  • Coach teams on Agile ceremonies including Sprint Planning, Backlog Refinement, Reviews, Retrospectives, Scrum of Scrums, and PI Planning.
  • Define clear roles and responsibilities across Product Managers, Product Owners, Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and Engineering teams.
• Delivery Tools & Jira Governance
  • Establish enterprise Jira configuration standards, workflows, boards, dashboards, and reporting.
  • Standardize backlog management, estimation, sprint metrics, release tracking, and portfolio visibility.
  • Drive continuous improvements to delivery tooling and processes.
• Cross Portfolio Management
  • Oversee portfolio planning, prioritization, resource management, and cross-team dependencies.
  • Develop executive communications, status reporting, risk management, and steering committee materials.
  • Partner with Business and Technology leaders to align delivery with strategic priorities.
• People Leadership & Continuous Improvement
  • Recruit, mentor, and develop Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and delivery professionals.
  • Evaluate and establish a centralized QA capability if appropriate.
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, servant leadership, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Business, or related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Certifications: PMP, PMI-ACP, Scrum, SAFe, or related Agile certifications preferred.
• Experience:
  • 15+ years leading enterprise technology delivery, PMO, or Agile transformation.
  • Proven experience building a PMO or Delivery Management Office from the ground up.
  • Deep understanding of Agile methodologies, Jira administration, and portfolio governance.
  • Experience leading Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and cross-functional delivery teams.
• Skills:
  • Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
  • Strategic thinker with strong execution capabilities.
  • Excellent leadership, coaching, facilitation, and influencing skills.
  • Ability to build organizational capability while remaining hands-on.
  • Strong understanding of Agile operating models and software delivery lifecycle.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced global environment.
  • Passion for delivery excellence, governance, and continuous improvement.
• Financial Services or Asset Management experience preferred.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to the Partner, Chief Information Officer.

Pay

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $250,000 - $275,000. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus.

Benefits

• Core Benefits:
  • Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental, and Vision plans.
  • 401(k) program with company match.
  • Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) and Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution.
  • Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance.
  • Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.
• Additional Benefits:
  • Access to a world-class medical advisory team.
  • Mental health app that includes coaching, therapy, and psychiatry.
  • Mindfulness and wellbeing app.
  • Financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor.
  • New parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, and emergency backup care.
  • Matching gift program and education sponsorship program.