Lead Technology Program Manager

Lowes

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The primary purpose of this role is accountability for the overall planning, coordination, execution, and delivery of highly complex end to end associate and/or customer journeys across the enterprise to achieve expected strategic outcomes for the company in an agile, product environment. This includes responsibility for developing plans to meet technology priorities and deadlines, determining and carrying out processes, managing workflow and product delivery across multiple portfolio teams (i.e., facilitating Program Increment/Big Room planning and the prioritization of epics, etc.). This role will ensure resource capacity to accomplish goals, partnering internally and externally to drive timely and effective decisions, identifying/removing impediments, mitigating risks, and identifying and responding to opportunities for process improvements. Overall, this role leverages Lean-Agile practices, tools, and mindsets to lead complex technology initiatives that play an important role in moving the organization forward and providing strategic technology improvements across technology. To be successful, the individual in this role must leverage a background working directly with or in the technology function and experience working in Product operating models and leveraging agile ways of working in a scaled agile environment within technology related portfolio, program and/or product management. Additionally, this role may operate as an extension of the portfolio leader to ensure strategic imperatives are carried throughout and technology portfolios are run as a business. This includes providing operational governance and expertise, partnering closely with technology leadership and Shared Services partners (i.e., HR, Finance, Vendor Management, Enterprise Strategic Sourcing, Technology Business Management, Internal Audit, Communications, etc.) to conduct portfolio level operational reviews and prepare executive communications with a focus on transparency. Work with a Winning Team On our team, you'll have the chance to shape the future of retail technology while working alongside talented individuals and leaders who share your passion for innovation and excellence. Our CEO is forward-thinking when it comes to tech, and with a technology team led by one of Forbes Top 50 CIOs you can come to work knowing you’ll have the tools, tech, and support needed to advance your skills. Since we’ve been in business for over 100 years, we’ve built an excellent track record of growth and success. We also know what it takes to create an inclusive culture that supports you. Here you have the freedom to team up and collaborate, explore your every curiosity, and help us shape the future of retail.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree Business Administration, Computer Science, MIS, or related field or equivalent years of experience in lieu of education requirement, if applicable
8 years Experience in IT or technology focused business area
6 Years Experience leading and influencing technology portfolio/program/product teams (requiring integration of cross-functional technology solutions), including experience providing direction, coaching and mentoring to team members
3 Years Experience supporting complex initiatives in a product and/or agile operating model, using JIRA or other agile tools for work transparency and tracking
Experience translating data into quantifiable actions/deliverables
Experience working closely with senior leadership cross-functionally in a large organization

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree Business Administration, Computer Science, MIS, or related field
3 Years Experience supporting complex initiatives using a scaled agile environment
Experience using formal business process improvement methodologies
Corporate retail experience
PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-CACP)
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC)
other portfolio management certification (eg SAFe LPM, ICP-LPM, CSM, RTE, PMP, etc)

Responsibilities

Owns overall planning, coordination, execution, and delivery of highly complex end to end associate and/or customer journeys across the enterprise to achieve expected strategic outcomes for the company.
Builds and maintains relationships to serve as primary liaison to executive/senior leaders, technology sponsors, customers, vendors and other key stakeholders for strategic and functional initiatives that require alignment and coordination across the enterprise to deliver.
Identifies and communicates clear vision and technical understanding of initiative goals and objectives and related cross-portfolio dependencies, leading key stakeholders through process to create a well-defined program increment schedule that meets organizational, portfolio and product objectives and key results.
Influences and drives the prioritization and alignment of strategic and functional imperatives, deliverables, and decisions necessary for optimal delivery in an agile, product environment, ensuring alignment to value, driving cross-portfolio epic-level prioritization and sequencing decisions with key stakeholders through value vs effort estimation process, and recommending required resources.
Manages and optimizes the flow of value through the initiative, using various tools and other information radiators, promoting a culture of self-organizing and self-managing teams.
Sets expectations and holds cross-portfolio teams accountable to ensure value delivery through measurement and reporting of progress against business cases.
Fosters an environment of continuous planning by facilitating readiness sessions aligned with cross-portfolio/product and enterprise planning cadences in an agile, product environment.
Communicates and documents initiative level risks, impediments, decisions and scope changes.
Manages and mitigates initiative level risks by performing the qualitative and quantitative analysis of risks and trigger events, planning risk response, establishing contingency plans, anticipating dependencies affected by ongoing changes, and recommending ways to mitigate future risks to leadership.
Establishes cadences for strategic and functional initiatives and drives regular routines and process, ensuring the appropriate level of governance to achieve commitments and drive the right outcomes in an agile, product environment. Additionally, establishes and owns routines with product management and portfolio management.
Engages with cross-functional technical and business partners to ensure that non-technical components are managed and delivered as needed to support overall delivery of the end to end customer/associate journey (i.e., change and process management).
Provides operational governance and expertise, partnering closely with technology leadership and Shared Services partners (i.e., HR, Finance, Vendor Management, Enterprise Strategic Sourcing, Technology Business Management, Internal Audit, Communications, etc.) to conduct portfolio level operational reviews.
Leads cross-functional global workforce and 3rd party solution provider(s) to achieve desired business outcomes.
Role provides expertise in financial acumen and may support processes for portfolio/product financial management.
Change agent for technology Initiatives and process improvements in an agile, product environment, gaining alignment and adoption of technology policies, processes and procedures, including strategic and tactical execution of technology objectives.
Monitors technology trends and influences leaders and teams in Lean-Agile practices and mindsets as well as coaching more junior level associates, contributing to Communities of Practice and supporting recruiting efforts as needed.
Serves as a subject-matter-expert for technology program management, and aware of ongoing changes and innovations in the technology industry