Program Manager, Strategic Program Execution

About the role

Lely is seeking a highly accomplished Program Manager to lead the development and execution of a critical growth initiative within North America.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of the large-scale dairy program within the strategic vision, objectives, and governance framework established by strategic leadership.
• Translate strategic direction into detailed execution plans, workstream objectives, milestones, and measurable deliverables.
• Develop and maintain the integrated master program plan across all participating workstreams.
• Act as the bridge between development teams, partner farms, Business Teams, and North American stakeholders to ensure coordinated execution.
• Coordinate program resources and identify capability gaps, making recommendations for resourcing decisions.
• Drive accountability for deliverables, timelines, and dependencies across all participating functions.
• Ensure alignment between North American execution activities and global program objectives.
• Own and maintain the integrated master program schedule, including dependencies, critical paths, and resource requirements.
• Establish and maintain operating rhythms, reporting structures, and program controls.
• Prepare and facilitate stage-gate reviews and executive reporting packages.
• Maintain the program risk register, including mitigation plans, owners, and escalation paths.
• Identify operational, technical, financial, and execution risks and drive mitigation activities.
• Escalate strategic risks and investment decisions to strategic leadership.
• Provide regular program performance reporting to leadership.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders across Lely North America and Lely International to ensure alignment, transparency, and program momentum.
• Serve as a key connector between strategic leadership, Business Teams, development teams, partner farms, and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate activities across technical, operational, product development, digital, commercial, and Business Team workstreams.
• Facilitate collaboration and issue resolution among multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Surface conflicts, resource constraints, and strategic trade-offs requiring leadership decisions.
• Ensure information flows effectively between development teams, partner farms, Lely Centers, and Business Teams.
• Manage progress, deliverables, and communications within agreed program structures.
• Ensure field validation activities are executed effectively and lessons learned are integrated into program planning.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between the Program and development partners.
• Manage the program budget, forecasting process, and financial tracking mechanisms.
• Maintain the program risk register, including mitigation plans, owners, and escalation paths.
• Identify operational, technical, financial, and execution risks and drive mitigation activities.
• Escalate strategic risks and investment decisions to strategic leadership.
• Provide regular program performance reporting to leadership.
• Lead field validation efforts with development partner farms and stakeholders.
• Gather operational feedback and validation data.
• Translate field learnings into actionable recommendations for Business Teams and Proposition Management.
• Support, but do not own, commercialization planning and market launch decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, Agriculture, or a related field, with: 7–10+ years of experience leading complex cross-functional programs, projects, or business initiatives.
• Demonstrated success delivering large-scale programs involving multiple stakeholders, workstreams, and dependencies.
• Experience coordinating technical, operational, commercial, and development activities in complex environments.
• Experience working within matrixed or global organizations preferred.
• PMP or equivalent program/project management certification required.
• Agile, Lean Six Sigma, or similar methodologies are highly valued.
• Demonstrated expertise in program governance, planning, execution, and risk management.

Skills and Abilities

• Inspires a OneLely team culture and engages individuals to do their best work toward shared goals.
• Embraces, supports, and exemplifies the Company's mission and core values.
• Partners in leading organizational transition as a leader, change agent, and motivator, engaging teams in new ways of working as an independent entity.
• Excellent program and project execution capabilities.
• Strong organizational planning and coordination skills.
• Ability to deliver results in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Skilled at stakeholder communication and issue escalation.
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building abilities.
• High degree of accountability and follow-through.
• Ability to bridge multiple teams, functions, and external partners to achieve program objectives.
• Sound judgment regarding when to make decisions independently and when to escalate matters for leadership direction.
• Strong financial acumen, including budget management, forecasting, and resource planning.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Comfortable interpreting technical concepts and connecting them to business outcomes.
• Approximately 30% travel required, both nationally and internationally.