Senior Program Manager

Job Title: Program Manager

Location: Onsite at Parsippany, NJ 07054

Duration: 12 Months Contract.

Summary:

• The Program Manager will be responsible for coordinating delivery of technology solutions that will result in realizing the business outcome targeted by the Lead and their Business Partners.
• The Program Manager will report into the IT Director - Project and Portfolio Management, and will partner with Product Directors to define the program strategy, monitor progress, mitigate risks, remove impediments, resolve escalated issues and communicate progress.
• The Program Manager is accountable for resolving interdependencies, projecting resource requirements, planning and facilitating organizational change management, financial management, vendor management and providing a program environment for optimized delivery of high quality technology solutions that meet business expectations.
• Programs will likely impact multiple business areas including, but not limited to: HR, Sales, IT, Finance, Marketing, Logistics, and Customer Care.
• The Program Manager also shares accountability with Project Managers for delivering quality solutions that meet business outcomes. The Program Manager will guide, coach and oversee the work of Delivery Managers assigned to a Program.
• Program Manager may manage one or multiple initiatives within the program as a Delivery Manager depending on the complexity and type of the initiatives.

Responsibilities include:

Program Strategy and Leadership

• Partners with Product Director/IT Director to define, maintain and track the program’s objectives, roadmap, strategy, structure, scope, budget and success measures.
• Coordinates with Product Director/IT Director and Business Partners to identify projects, deliverables and timeframes for realizing business outcome.
• Defines the required skills / competencies to staff the project(s) teams effectively.
• Partners with business and IT leads to staff the projects appropriately – including internal and external resources.
• Leads vendor RFP, selection and contracting (MSA, SOW) processes (as needed).
• Applies organizational policies and processes to create, communicate and gain buy in to the program governance structure and processes that is most suitable for the type of program.
• Ensures that team members understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Participates in solution definition to gain good understanding of business needs, priority and impact in realizing business outcomes.
• Ensures team collaboration, motivation and achievement.
• Guides and coaches Delivery Managers and other team members in the program and ensures continual alignment of deliverables to program objectives.
• Identifies gaps in team skills and collaborates with chapter leads to coach and mentor team members.
• Collaborates with Product Owners, Business Partners and IT Leads to ensure that teams are working on the right things to optimize teams delivery.
• Proactively identifies and mitigates risks to realizing the benefits of the program
• Provides timely and concise communications for the overall program as needed.
• Develops and fosters relationships with the Key Stakeholders, IT Leads, Product Owners and business partners in order to improve communication and enhance their support for the program.
• Manages and monitors communication between the program and other portfolio projects.

Program Planning and Execution

• Leads the team to insightful thinking by developing creative approaches to delivering services, business models and strategies with technology solutions.
• Partners with Delivery Managers, Technical Leads and Business Leads to analyze, propose and recommend solution alternatives with constraints on time, budget and resources, while meeting business objectives.
• Removes impediments for the team quickly and ensures smooth operating and environment for the teams.
• Identifies and manages cross project dependencies by actively seeking out such information from the Delivery Manager, Release and Change teams in order to be comfortable that the overall program goals are achievable.
• Responsible for capturing decisions, program risks and issues, defining mitigation strategies and ensuring the program is minimally impacted.
• Develops and track progress against plans and budgets, coordinates meetings, publishes agendas/minutes and status reports, documents risks and issues, prepares presentation materials.

Program Governance

• Facilitates governance and escalation processes as defined and agreed for the program..
• Conducts impact assessments for program changes and recommends decisions.
• Creates and manages the program budget – tracking plan vs. actual vs. forecast.
• Analyzes variances and trends in costs, schedule, quality and risks by comparing actual and forecast to planned values in order to identify corrective actions or opportunities.
• Serves as escalation point for Delivery Managers and Product Owners for internal and vendor related issues.
• Capture and monitor burn rate of the Program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

35% Program Strategy and Leadership

45% Program Planning and Execution

15% Program Governance

5% Other Responsibilities as Deemed Necessary

Education/Experience

• Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration or other related field
• 15 years of IT and business/industry work experience
• 10 years of managing large, complex programs and projects through the end to end lifecycle with at least 3 years in working with Agile teams
• Experience leading transformational, organizational change management initiatives
• Significant experience in C-Suite communications and engagement
• Project Management certification or successful completion of a recognized project management curriculum is required
• proven experience in matrix organization leading large programs (with 8 - 10 teams)
• Knowledge and experience in the manufacturing area (Order Entry, Shipments, Collection, Warehouse management, etc)
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• ability to conduct effective meetings and drive agendas in a large setting (50-60 people)
• Prefer somebody with experience in integrating many systems to SAP
• Prefer somebody with experience or was a part of Large ERP roll-outs