Senior Program Manager - AI Innovation Lab

Zions Bancorporation•Midvale, UT

14h•Hybrid

About The Position

Zions Bancorporation’s Enterprise Technology and Operations (ETO) team is seeking a Sr. Program Manager to join the Zions Bancorporation Innovation Lab. This role is responsible for overseeing and guiding a portfolio of innovative projects and experiments from ideation to proof-of-concept. The Sr. Program Manager will collaborate with emerging technology partners, internal business units, and IT to build and refine the innovation roadmap, ensuring the successful delivery of strategic initiatives. The position involves leading dynamic, multidisciplinary teams, managing portfolio budgets, and driving progress against ambitious timelines while interacting directly with senior business and technology leaders. This role is pivotal in championing a culture of innovation, defining the scope of experiments, and ensuring projects yield valuable insights and learning. The Sr. Program Manager will also track, analyze, and communicate the results and potential impact of the innovation portfolio, functioning as a key point of contact for all innovation initiatives.

Requirements

Proven ability to create high-impact presentations and confidently present to executive stakeholders (Executive Presence).
Strong client relationship, decision-making, and problem-resolution skills.
Experience with AI.
Expert knowledge of project and portfolio management, including agile methodologies, lean startup principles, and tools for managing innovation pipelines.
Exceptional strategic thinking, risk management, and change management skills, with a tolerance for ambiguity.
Excellent leadership, coaching, interpersonal, and communication skills, both verbal and written.
Ability to identify, analyze, and resolve complex issues in a fast-paced, experimental environment.
Expert negotiation and facilitation abilities; comfortable working with a high degree of autonomy.
Advanced working knowledge of emerging technologies, innovation frameworks, and design thinking.
8+ years of experience in program or portfolio management, with a focus on technology, innovation, or product development.
A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Plan and manage the work of project teams on a portfolio of innovation projects and proof-of-concepts.
Collaborate with IT, business units, and external partners to develop and maintain the innovation roadmap.
Lead multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced, experimental environment, managing budgets and delivering against timelines.
Directly interact with senior leadership and executive sponsors to communicate progress and insights from the innovation portfolio.
Define the scope, objectives, deliverables, and resource requirements for innovation projects and experiments.
Develop and maintain an overall portfolio schedule and resource plan to ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
Oversee portfolio budgets with direct financial accountability for innovation initiatives.
Track, analyze, and trend the results of innovation projects to resolve issues and identify opportunities.
Assess and mitigate risks associated with new technologies and business models, and report progress to stakeholders.
Lead, mentor, and inspire team members; other duties as assigned.