Senior Data Program Manager

About the role

Owns the translation of roadmap and product definitions into executable work across Data Products & Analytics, Platform Engineering, and Data Science/ML. Makes execution predictable through better artifacts—usable epics, cross-board visibility, and a tight program rhythm—rather than more process. This is an individual-contributor role that does not direct sprint work or track status.

Responsibilities

• Convert roadmap items and product definitions into epics sized for DS and PE sprint planning
• Draft epics independently, then iterate with technical leads before work goes on a board
• Own epic structure, acceptance criteria, sequence, and dependencies; implementation detail stays with technical leads
• Hold a Ready-to-Execute standard: three clarifying questions means the epic wasn’t ready
• Track active work across the DP&A, DS, and PE boards; give a coherent picture of what’s in flight, blocked, or at risk
• Identify sequencing conflicts and cross-team dependencies before they become sprint blockers
• Own the Jira process and sprint cadence for the Data Products & Analytics team
• Facilitate planning, review, and retro ceremonies—decision-oriented, not status-reporting exercises
• Manage the backlog so what’s in Jira reflects what the team is actually trying to do
• Set the standard for epic and process quality that other contributors follow across DP&A without a reporting relationship

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; Agile/Scrum or PMP certification a plus
• 7+ years in program or project management within a data or software delivery context, with deep hands-on ownership (people-management experience not required)
• Program management depth—knows what makes an epic actually usable
• Technical grounding without engineering scope—enough to draft an epic a senior engineer can work from, pending iteration
• Cross-functional operating instincts—visibility across teams they don’t control, without creating overhead
• Jira fluency as a process designer, not just a user—board structure, epic standards, a backlog tied to real priorities
• Strong written communication—artifacts clear enough to act on without a meeting
• Influence without authority—holds others to a quality standard (e.g., Ready-to-Execute) with no reporting relationship

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing process across multiple teams
• Exposure to data, analytics, or ML delivery environments

Authority & Decision Making

• Set the epic and Ready-to-Execute standard for DP&A work
• Own the DP&A Jira process, board structure, and sprint cadence
• Sequence work and flag cross-team dependencies and program risks

Requires approval for roadmap priorities and commitments (owned by the Director/Senior Director) and changes to Platform Engineering or DS sprint scope (owned by their leads).

Key Contacts

• Internal: Senior Director, Data Products & Analytics; Data Products leadership; Platform Engineering leads; Data Science/ML leads
• External: Atlassian/Jira tooling vendors (as needed); external engineering and development teams

Physical Requirements

The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, use hands, operate a computer, and have specific vision abilities to include close and distance vision, and ability to adjust focus while working with computer and business equipment.