Program Manager De Novo

BMO•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This role has specific accountability to lead the de novo program, supporting the opening of approximately 150 new branch locations. The Program Manager leads assigned projects from initiation to implementation, ensuring successful business outcomes by delivering projects on time, within budget, within quality standards, and to the satisfaction of the project sponsor. The role focuses on mitigating execution risk to achieve desired business outcomes and understands the business/group to facilitate effective communication with other program/project managers and stakeholders. The Program Manager directs, manages, and coordinates team members, including other project managers, business and technology resources, user groups, internal and external consultants and contractors, as well as vendors and external regulatory organizations. They provide strategic input into business decisions, network with industry contacts for insights, and influence/negotiate to achieve business objectives. The role involves assisting in strategic plan development, identifying emerging issues, determining business priorities, conducting independent analysis, acting as a subject matter expert, managing financial forecasts, breaking down strategic problems, monitoring performance, designing reports, and socializing change management plans. The position involves directing complex initiatives, exercising direct accountability for projects with up to 50 team members, negotiating complex contracts with external vendors, and taking ownership of the project lifecycle from cradle to grave, ensuring all project artifacts are completed. The Program Manager manages the overall project budget, provides guidance to the project sponsor on implementation and sustainment, and ensures all project processes and change management plans are completed and measured. They execute project requirements within governance frameworks, develop project management artifacts, monitor deliverables, and make recommendations for adjustments. The role also involves advising the project sponsor on the business case viability, understanding project interdependencies, proactively identifying risks, building stakeholder trust, and holding accountability for problem resolution. The Program Manager leads and represents the project in various forums and adheres to Bank risk, regulatory, and compliance controls. This is a seasoned professional role operating at a group/enterprise-wide level, serving as a specialist resource to senior leaders and stakeholders, applying expertise to complex situations, and implementing changes in response to trends. The role also involves applying the Risk Management Framework to protect the bank and make sound, risk-informed decisions.

Requirements

Typically 7+ years of relevant experience and/or certification in related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience
Project management experience – 6 to 8 years
Entrepreneurial skills – In-depth
Judgement skills – In-depth
Learning agility – In-depth
Stakeholder management – Expert
Able to navigates challenging situations effectively
Able to apply project management methodologies or approaches
Able to manage project and business risks, including project interdependencies
Able to resolve project issues effectively
Seasoned professional with a combination of education, experience and industry knowledge
Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth / Expert
Analytical and problem solving skills - In-depth / Expert
Influence skills - In-depth / Expert
Collaboration & team skills; with a focus on cross-group collaboration - In-depth / Expert
Able to manage ambiguity
Data driven decision making - In-depth / Expert

Nice To Haves

Valid PMP designation from the Project Management Institute (PMI) is an asset

Responsibilities

Lead de novo program supporting the opening of ~150 new branch locations
Leads assigned projects from project initiation to implementation to achieve desired business results
Ensures that a successful business outcome is the prime measure of project success including delivering projects on time, within budget, within quality standards and to the satisfaction of the project sponsor
Drives to mitigate execution risk to achieve the desired business outcomes
Understands the business/group and facilitates communication with other program/project managers and stakeholders efficiently and effectively
Directs, manages, and coordinates team members including other project managers, business and technology resources, user groups, internal and external consultants and contractors, as well as vendors and external regulatory organizations
Provides strategic input into business decisions as a trusted advisor
May network with industry contacts to gain competitive insights and best practices
Influences and negotiates to achieve business objectives
Assists in the development of strategic plans
Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making
Helps determine business priorities and best sequence for execution of business/group strategy
Conducts independent analysis and assessment to resolve strategic issues
Acts as the prime subject matter expert for internal/external stakeholders
Manages/validates financial forecasts and conducts ongoing reconciliation
Breaks down strategic problems, and analyses data and information to provide insights and recommendations
Monitors and tracks performance, and addresses any issues
Designs and produces regular and ad-hoc reports, and dashboards
Socializes change management plans with stakeholders and consistently measures project effectiveness and adoption
Directs complex initiatives typically involving multiple business units
Exercises direct accountability for projects with up to 50 team members
Negotiates complex contracts with external vendors (in consultation with Strategic Sourcing) to ensure receipt of specific resources and materials
Takes ownership of the project from cradle to grave and ensures all project artifacts are completed
Manages overall project budget
Provides guidance to the project sponsor on the implementation and sustainment of projects, resulting in successful project outcomes
Manages all aspects of the project lifecycle, including business, operational and technology deliverables
Ensures all project processes are completed
Ensures change management plans are developed, socialized and consistently measured to deliver the expected project benefits and adoption
Executes project requirements in governance frameworks focused on risk appetite, regulatory and compliance standards
Develops all related project management artifacts, while complying with applicable enterprise standards
Monitors and controls project deliverables
Makes recommendations and adjustments to the overall project plan to achieve deliverables
Provides project sponsor with advice on the viability of the business case (costs, benefits, KPIs, etc.) throughout the project
Understands project interdependencies and demonstrates critical thinking that proactively identifies project risks and establishes effective risk mitigation from the outset
Demonstrates stakeholder partnership that involves effective communicating with the project sponsor; gains and builds trust and rapport
Demonstrates ownership and commitment by holding themselves accountable for the identification and resolution of project problems
Leads and/or represents the project in project team meetings, governance forums and inter-department forums
Adheres to Bank risk, regulatory and compliance controls
Operates at a group/enterprise-wide level and serves as a specialist resource to senior leaders and stakeholders
Applies expertise and thinks creatively to address unique or ambiguous situations and to find solutions to problems that can be complex and non-routine
Implements changes in response to shifting trends
Take measured risks while protecting the bank by applying our Risk Management Framework in the execution of your role, in line with our Risk Culture and within our approved Risk Appetite, making sound and risk informed decisions that align to business strategy, protect assets, and adhere to applicable policy documents (Frameworks, Policies, Standards, Procedures and Supporting documents), laws and regulations