Sr Director, Technology Strategy & Portfolio Management

Morgan Street•Chicago, IL

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Technology Strategy & Portfolio Management leads enterprise technology governance, delivery coordination through program and project management, and technology vendor oversight. The role ensures disciplined execution, operational alignment, and visibility across the enterprise technology organization. Reporting to the CIO, this leader partners with senior leadership on cross-functional enterprise technology initiatives, digital transformation, security initiatives, and alignment of IT strategy with business and financial objectives. The position establishes long-term planning frameworks, optimizes enterprise technology operations, integrates emerging enterprise solutions, identifies process improvements, manages corporate technology budgets and resource allocation, and mentors PMO and VMO teams. The role oversees strategic technology investments, portfolio intake and prioritization, executive governance, vendor performance, project delivery standards, cross-functional dependencies, operational readiness, executive reporting, resource capacity, program risks and quality, and continuous improvement. It builds and leads a high-performing PMO and vendor management team while partnering closely with C-suite leaders, department heads, and cross-functional teams.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in technology management, including 10+ years leading enterprise governance, technical and functional PMO, and vendor management functions.
Demonstrated ownership of a technology portfolio, including intake, prioritization, and executive-level portfolio reporting.
Proven experience managing technology vendors, including performance management, SLA and contract oversight, and escalation resolution.
Experience establishing project management standards and coordinating cross-functional delivery dependencies at enterprise scale.
Experience partnering directly with C-level stakeholders and preparing steering committee and executive materials.
Strong financial acumen, including budget ownership and resource allocation for a technology function.
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Proven track record managing large-scale, complex technology programs in a global, fast-paced environment.
Budget ownership of up to $20 million across global and business-line technology spend.
Strong understanding of technology development lifecycles and Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid methodologies, as well as delivery tools such as Jira and Microsoft Project.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
Excellent time management and organizational skills.
PMP, PgMP, or equivalent program management certification.
Strategic thinking and planning skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, using data to inform decisions and drive program success.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to foster innovation and encourage teams to think creatively and challenge the status quo.
Change management expertise.
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree.
Deep understanding of technology operations.
Ability to challenge leaders diplomatically and think in enterprise priorities rather than project silos.
Familiarity with infrastructure and operations change and release calendars.
Agile certifications such as SAFe or CSM.
Experience leading through change management and organizational transformation.
AI experience.

Responsibilities

Align technology investments with organizational strategy and develop budgets and program roadmaps with finance and business leaders.
Establish governance frameworks for technology programs and define and execute the Technology PMO vision, mission, and strategy.
Prioritize initiatives based on strategic impact, resource availability, and business need.
Lead technology governance processes and oversee corporate technology portfolio health, reporting, investment visibility, intake, prioritization, and resource alignment.
Drive executive and steering committee governance, reporting, and decision support.
Oversee strategic vendor performance, accountability, service delivery, SLAs, contracts, and compliance with operational commitments.
Lead critical vendor escalations and risks, and chair vendor operational and performance reviews.
Establish project delivery standards, governance, and operating rhythms; oversee cross-functional dependencies, risks, and execution alignment.
Ensure operational readiness and successful transition of technology capabilities into production.
Coordinate enterprise technology change portfolios and delivery calendars with Infrastructure & Operations.
Provide executive-level KPI, dashboard, and portfolio reporting; support leadership meetings and strategic planning.
Drive visibility and management of key risks, issues, and escalations, and oversee investment tracking and portfolio-level decision support.
Partner with C-suite executives, department heads, and cross-functional teams to align technology initiatives with business strategy.
Serve as the primary contact for business leadership on program status, risks, and issue resolution.
Allocate and manage portfolio resources, optimize efficiency and delivery, and identify and address skill gaps in program and vendor management teams.
Build a culture of business alignment, outcome accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Identify, assess, and mitigate technology program risks and establish metrics and KPIs to measure success.
Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing PMO and vendor management team.
Refine methodologies, tools, and processes to improve delivery efficiency and effectiveness and promote industry best practices and emerging trends.