Program Manager 2 - Product Excellence (Hybrid - Seattle)

Nordstrom•Seattle, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program Manager serves as a strategic partner to the VP of Product Management, enabling strong execution through proactive planning, content excellence, and operational rigor. This role focuses on strategic enablement rather than administrative coordination, ensuring the VP’s portfolio operates with clear priorities, disciplined rhythms, and measurable business impact. Reporting to the Director of Product Excellence, the Program Manager owns the VP portfolio’s meeting cadence, planning cycles, and leadership communications, ensuring alignment with Product Management standards and org‑wide operating practices. The role balances strategic thinking with operational excellence so leaders can focus on high‑value decisions.

Requirements

5–7 years of experience in program management, strategic operations, or business operations supporting senior leaders.
Strong strategic and operational judgment with the ability to execute complex work with precision.
Experience supporting product or technology organizations; working knowledge of product management concepts and business metrics.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; proven ability to create executive‑level content.
Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and operate effectively across senior stakeholders.
Strong project management, organization, and prioritization skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in retail, e-commerce, or consumer technology environments.
Background in product management, consulting, or corporate strategy.
Familiarity with Agile/Lean practices, OKRs, and quarterly planning frameworks.
Experience supporting leadership planning cycles, QBRs, or offsite facilitation.

Responsibilities

Partner with the VP to develop product strategy narratives, vision decks, and executive materials that connect strategy to business outcomes.
Own the end‑to‑end quarterly planning process, partnering with Finance to track progress, outcomes, and resource alignment.
Establish and maintain standards for portfolio storytelling (e.g., “Walk the Walls,” reviews, executive updates).
Design and support leadership offsites to drive alignment and decision‑making.
Own and manage the VP portfolio’s operating rhythm, ensuring alignment to Product org standards.
Manage the full lifecycle of key leadership meetings (staff, program reviews, roadmap reviews, planning sessions).
Ensure consistent preparation standards, including agendas, pre‑reads, decision tracking, and follow‑through.
Maintain forward‑looking visibility into upcoming deliverables, presentations, and dependencies.
Coordinate VP portfolio communications, including All Hands, leadership meetings, and organizational updates.
Partner with Director teams to ensure consistent, clear messaging aligned to strategic priorities.
Support recognition, engagement, and leadership events that reinforce culture and team connection.
Design and improve planning, meeting, and operating processes that increase effectiveness and reduce friction.
Develop templates, playbooks, and tools that scale best practices across the VP portfolio.
Track indicators of meeting effectiveness, preparation quality, and organizational alignment.
Drive adoption of standard ways of working across Product leadership.
Support onboarding and integration for new team members within the VP portfolio.