Program Manager

Ippon Technologies•Richmond, VA

49d•$130,000 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Ippon is seeking a driven Program Manager to lead cross-functional teams in delivering high-impact technology solutions. This individual will be responsible for day-to-day project delivery, ensuring alignment across engineering timelines, business goals, and stakeholder expectations. From planning through execution and closure, the Program Manager plays a key role in driving structure amid ambiguity, fostering team collaboration, and keeping projects on track, on time, and on budget. The ideal candidate is driven, organized, and a strong communicator with a passion for becoming a trusted partner to both clients and internal teams.

Requirements

8+ years of experience as a Project Manager or Program Manager in IT consulting or a technology-driven enterprise organization, including ownership of complex, multi-workstream initiatives
5+ years of experience supporting technical project portfolios or roadmaps, balancing delivery commitments, risk, and business priorities
5+ years of experience partnering closely with product, engineering, and architecture teams in an Agile or hybrid delivery environment
Proven experience with enterprise-wide dependency management, risk escalation, and cross-team coordination
Demonstrated success managing mixed delivery models (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) across cross-functional and distributed teams
Strong executive-level communication, organizational, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence decisions, manage trade-offs, and align stakeholders
Hands-on experience with project and program management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Smartsheets, Miro, Notion), including reporting on delivery health and KPIs
Proven ability to drive project progress, decisions, as well as conflict resolution

Nice To Haves

Bachelorâs degree in Computer Science, Business, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
Experience consulting and/or managing programs in Financial Services (Credit Unions, Commercial Banking, Capital Markets, etc)
Experience leading or governing technical delivery for Data Engineering, Analytics, Cloud, or Platform modernization and migration initiatives (e.g., Snowflake, AWS, data platforms, DevOps)
Familiarity with enterprise delivery governance, including release planning, go/no-go decisioning, and executive reporting
Relevant certifications such as PMP, PgMP, CSM, SAFe, or Prince2
Demonstrated experience driving delivery maturity, including improvements to communication models, tooling, release processes, or operating cadence

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end delivery governance across one or more complex, interdependent workstreams, ensuring alignment to client outcomes, product strategy, and business objectives
Establish and oversee integrated program plans that connect product roadmaps, engineering delivery, and organizational priorities, balancing speed, quality, and risk
Anticipate, assess, and proactively mitigate cross-program risks and dependencies, setting escalation paths and contingency strategies before delivery is impacted
Set the standard for delivery excellence by evolving and reinforcing Ipponâs delivery playbook, tooling, and operating rhythms (e.g., Jira, Confluence, executive dashboards)
Act as the primary liaison between client leadership, product, engineering, architecture, and Ippon leadership, during assigned projects and sales processes
Provide executive-ready insights into program health, KPIs, financials, risks, and trade-offs, enabling informed decision-making
Lead high-stakes planning moments, including release strategy, go/no-go decisions, and executive steering forums
Shape narrative and expectations with stakeholders, translating complexity into clarity and confidence
Lead through influence rather than authority, aligning multiple teams and leaders around shared goals and delivery commitments
Create structure in ambiguity by defining operating models, decision frameworks, and ownership across teams
Proactively unblock delivery at the system level, addressing organizational, technical, or process constraints
Model strong facilitation and decision leadership, ensuring discussions are outcome-driven and inclusive of the right voices
Serve as a trusted advisor to client stakeholders, building durable partnerships grounded in transparency, credibility, and results
Mentor and develop Project Managers and consultants, elevating delivery maturity, communication presence, and stakeholder confidence
Champion Ipponâs values and brand through exceptional client experiences, internal leadership, and participation in thought leadership, events, or practice initiatives
Own program closeout and value realization, leading retrospectives, synthesizing lessons learned, and contributing insights to future engagements and pursuits
Lead with curiosity and foresight, asking the right questions to surface unmet needs, anticipate risk, and continuously improve engagement outcomes