IT Program & Portfolio Manager (AI)

Emory Healthcare•Tucker, GA

3h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program & Portfolio Manager (AI) plays a pivotal role in shaping, governing, and accelerating AI strategy, development, and implementation within the healthcare organization. This leader builds and maintains the overarching program structure—creating a unified shell that aligns multiple AI workstreams, product teams, and research initiatives under a cohesive framework. They help clarify and enforce Emory Digital and enterprise governance frameworks, work with the team to establish best‑practice SDLC processes, and cross‑functional workflows that keep teams accountable, compliant, and moving with clarity. This role requires deep experience orchestrating complex technology portfolios, particularly in environments where AI and healthcare operations intersect. This individual understands how healthcare organizations adopt AI responsibly — balancing innovation with regulatory, ethical, and operational constraints. They partner with product strategists, engineers, AI evaluation and responsible AI SMEs, clinicians, compliance teams, and more to ensure AI solutions are safe, scalable, and aligned with business and patient‑care outcomes. A strong grasp of the distinction between product management/ownership (defining value, outcomes, and roadmaps) and project/program management (driving execution, timelines, and delivery) is essential. This leader bridges both worlds, ensuring product strategy is translated into executable plans and that project teams follow disciplined processes without stifling innovation.

Requirements

Bachelors degree in IT / Computer, Science / Computer Studies or an equivalent degree. Must have 8 years of Information Technology Project Leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a PMO like role OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Must be able to manage large scale programs and projects across the full project lifecycle.
Previous experience with business transformations and transitions.
Proven experience mentoring Project Managers.
Experience working in a large healthcare organization and ability to work across diverse organizations and build effective relationships.

Nice To Haves

Strong program/portfolio management experience in IT healthcare.
Proven ability to collaboratively design and facilitate governance frameworks and operational structures from the ground up.
Deep understanding of AI concepts, workflows. Familiarity with AI technologies such as LLM's, NLP, predictive analytics, and clinical decision support systems including their integration into enterprise IT architectures as well as demonstrated ability to translate between technical teams, clinicians, researchers, and exec stakeholders to drive alignment and adoption of AI solutions.
Demonstrated success leading role‑sensitive transitions (operating model transformation, RACI changes, new governance, or tooling/process migrations).
Expertise in SDLC, Agile, delivery models.
Advanced facilitation skills for conflict resolution, decision‑making, and consensus building; able to navigate competing incentives.
Excellent written and verbal communication tailored to executives, managers, and individual contributors; clear, concise, and empathetic.
Preferred certification in Prince, MSP, or PMP

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a program‑level framework that integrates all AI initiatives into a unified portfolio with clear governance, reporting, and prioritization.
Establish and enforce PMO SDLC best practices tailored for AI, including documentation standards, risk assessments, and release processes.
Lead activities to ensure cross‑functional alignment and clear roles and responsibilities sessions, surface overlaps and gaps, negotiate handoffs, and document decisions in a transparent way
Establish listening frameworks with executive stakeholders, customers, end users, and team members to assist with continuous improvement
Develop program dashboards, KPIs, and communication mechanisms to ensure transparency and executive visibility.
Drive operational discipline—ensuring teams meet process requirements, adhere to governance checkpoints, and maintain audit‑ready documentation.
Support product teams by translating strategic goals into actionable project plans, milestones, and dependencies.
Identify risks, remove blockers, and proactively manage issues across the AI portfolio.
Ensure project requests are ready to move through the defined PMO Portfolio phase process for the next phase.
Approves portfolio and project statuses, dashboards, reports and documentation as required by IS leadership or governance.
Plays a leadership role for the project team in driving the project from start-to-end to ensure the outlined goals and objectives mentioned in the charter are achieved and the success factors are met.
Collaborates with IS leaders, Program or Project Managers to define time-frames, funding procedures, deliverables and staffing levels.
Collects, analyzes, and compiles materials to support decisions in the event of escalations. Partners with the EHC IS Directors, Managers and CIO regarding ongoing IT budget planning and presentations. Including business case review for completeness in order to drive the most effective project prioritization discussions.
Provides thought leadership and subject matter expertise in planning, prioritizing, forecasting, and budget management for the prescribed portfolio driving adoption to 18-month, 6-month and 90-day planning windows