Program Manager (contract)

This is a contract role providing services to Hilton through Talent Solutions. Contract workers are not employees of Hilton or its subsidiaries and are not eligible for Hilton benefits. This is a US-based hybrid position requiring 3 days per week in either McLean, VA or Dallas, TX.

About the Role

This is a high-impact, highly visible operational leadership role at the center of one of Hilton's most strategically important digital growth initiatives. You will serve as the driving force behind the planning, coordination, and execution of a global portfolio of Search and Discoverability initiatives, ensuring Hilton's brands, hotels, content, and digital experiences are effectively found, understood, and selected across traditional search, AI-powered discovery, local search, and emerging digital channels.

You will work across a dynamic, global, matrixed organization, partnering with teams spanning Marketing, Product, Engineering, Analytics, Content, Communications, Customer Insights, regional teams, and external partners to translate strategy into coordinated, measurable execution. This role demands a highly organized, relationship-driven, and results-oriented professional who thrives in complex environments, communicates with clarity and confidence at all levels, and brings both strategic thinking and operational discipline to every initiative.

Responsibilities

• Lead governance of Hilton's Global Search and Discoverability portfolio, ensuring initiatives are prioritized, coordinated, and aligned with broader business and digital objectives.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve integrated program plans, roadmaps, timelines, milestones, dependencies, success metrics, and risk mitigation plans across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Act as the central point of coordination across business, marketing, technology, analytics, and regional teams to drive alignment, clarify ownership, and ensure timely decision-making.
• Translate Search and Discoverability strategies and optimization opportunities into prioritized workstreams, coordinating implementation across Product, Engineering, Content, Analytics, Local Search, and other partner teams.
• Guide stakeholders through planning, prioritization, execution, adoption, and measurement while facilitating trade-off discussions and ensuring successful delivery of strategic initiatives.
• Establish governance forums, operating rhythms, and communication plans that promote transparency, accountability, collaboration, and informed decision-making across a global, matrixed organization.
• Identify risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and execution barriers, proactively recommending solutions and escalating issues as needed to maintain momentum.
• Develop executive-ready communications, portfolio reporting, and program updates that provide clear visibility into progress, risks, decisions, and business outcomes.
• Coordinate work across agencies, technology vendors, and strategic partners while continuously improving governance, operating models, tools, and ways of working.
• Partner across Hilton's global organization, including the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, to drive alignment, accelerate execution, and ensure strategic priorities are successfully delivered.

Skills

• Familiarity with enterprise SEO and Search and Discoverability concepts, with the ability to effectively partner with technical and business stakeholders to drive execution across the organization.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive alignment across a large, global, matrixed organization without direct authority.
• Ability to translate strategic priorities and complex subject matter into clear execution plans, decisions, and measurable business outcomes.
• Exceptional program management, business consulting, and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to evaluate trade-offs, establish decision frameworks, and navigate ambiguity.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to lead working sessions, prepare executive-ready communications, and drive informed decision-making.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to connect data, business priorities, risks, and execution opportunities.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives while balancing priorities, dependencies, risks, timelines, and resource needs.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and adaptable, with a collaborative mindset and a commitment to delivering results with integrity.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in program management, digital marketing, consulting, Search and Discoverability, or a related discipline, including experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives within a large, matrixed organization.
• Proven experience leading complex, enterprise-scale programs spanning marketing, technology, analytics, content, and other business functions.
• Experience partnering across Product, Engineering, Marketing, Content, Analytics, Communications, and other cross-functional teams to drive initiatives from strategy through implementation.
• Experience managing enterprise program roadmaps, governance, executive reporting, priorities, dependencies, risks, and operating rhythms.
• Experience communicating with senior leaders, facilitating stakeholder alignment, and coordinating internal and external partners to drive execution.
• Experience working within a global marketing, digital, ecommerce, travel, hospitality, or other consumer-facing organization.
• Experience supporting enterprise websites, digital products, content platforms, or other large-scale technology initiatives across multiple regions, including the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
• Experience supporting Search and Discoverability, digital marketing, or other enterprise digital programs, with familiarity across technical SEO, content, analytics, enterprise marketing platforms, and emerging AI Search capabilities.
• Experience developing business requirements, implementation plans, executive communications, and other program documentation.
• Experience developing program governance, operating models, enterprise program plans, and standardized ways of working, including critical path planning, dependency management, resource planning, and risk management.
• Agile, Scrum, or related program management certification preferred.

Pay

65 - 70 USD hourly

Schedule

Hybrid, 3 days per week in-office (McLean, VA or Dallas, TX).