Principal Digital Program Manager - Applied AI & Strategic Partnerships

Caterpillar•Peoria, IL

49d

About The Position

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it. Job Summary: The AI Accelerator is a key enabler of Caterpillar’s next chapter — designed to enable and scale AI adoption and progress across the enterprise. Its mission is to identify opportunities, run experiments, accelerate adoption, ensure AI value realization, support strategic partner engagement, and help develop the frameworks to scale AI solutions globally. The Portfolio Manager for the AI Accelerator will be responsible for orchestrating the end-to-end lifecycle of AI initiatives across Caterpillar’s enterprise functions. This role ensures strategic alignment, prioritization, and execution of AI projects that drive measurable business impact. You will serve as the connective tissue between business segments, technical teams, and executive stakeholders—enabling velocity, visibility, and value realization across the AI portfolio.

Requirements

Planning: Tactical, Strategic: Extensive knowledge of effective planning and facilitation techniques and ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1-2 years) and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the overall business plan. Ability to communicate clearly with senior leadership and technical teams, and comfortable advocating for the team.
Project Administration: Extensive knowledge of project administration best practices and ability to use organizational strategies, practices and tools for administering projects. Ability to work autonomously, Push back on excessive oversight requests, advocate for realistic deadlines, and ensures team recognition and well-being.
Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Extensive knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Data Gathering and Reporting: Extensive knowledge of tools, techniques and processes for gathering and reporting data; ability to practice them in a particular department or division of a company.
Implementation: Working knowledge of how to run applications for organizations; ability to implement application software within an organization and help end-users perform specific tasks (ex: accounting or graphic design).
IT Project Management: Extensive knowledge of project management; ability to plan, organize, monitor and control IT projects using appropriate technical resources.
IT Standards, Procedures & Policies: Working knowledge of Information Technology (IT) standards and policies; ability to utilize a variety of administrative skill sets and technical knowledge to manage organizational IT policies, standards, and procedures.

Nice To Haves

Extensive program management leadership experience working with Software Engineering teams in an agile environment (typically 8+ years)
Proven experience with Project Management concepts including Project Charters, Scheduling and Planning Projects and successful completion
Extensive previous technical and Project Management experience in applications development with a broad background in systems hardware, system software, support and development methodologies, business planning, project management, and customer application needs. (typically 5+ years)
Working knowledge of JIRA and Azure DevOps (formerly VSTS), Confluence
Advance knowledge of Excel, MS PowerPoint, and MS Project
Excellent interpersonal skills are required in order to deal with sensitive issues, develop others, or influence others inside and outside the department to take specific actions.
Strong communication and presentation skills
Change Management Certification preferred
Six Sigma Black Belt Certification desirable
Knowledge of Power BI is highly desirable
PMP certification preferred
Certified Scrum Master (CSM) preferred
Previous agile training (spring planning, daily scrums, sprint, retrospective)

Responsibilities

Initiate and manage a portfolio of relationships across multiple internal and external teams.
Operate in ambiguous and evolving environments and set up foundational processes for new initiatives.
Establish project management infrastructure, including teams, SharePoint, Confluence, and Azure DevOps, and works to standardize best practices and reporting.
Managing the day-to-day activities of projects, including overseeing project responsibilities and schedules.
Developing contingency plans for potential risks.
Directing and motivating project teams.
Evaluating and managing deliverables to ensure that service expectations are achievable, developed, and met.
Monitoring project results for significant deviations.
Ensuring adherence to quality standards and processes.
Prepare weekly and monthly updates for senior leadership, including the CEO, and manage expectations around reporting demands.