Operations Planning and Execution - Sr Program Manager - User Acceptance Testing

Golden 1 Talent Acquisition Team•Sacramento, CA

10h•$85,100 - $95,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Golden 1 Credit Union is among the top credit unions in the country. As a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative, Golden 1 is guided by the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” We are committed to empowering our members and uplifting our communities as we create a more equitable and financially inclusive California. We welcome all who embrace our Core Values. You are a senior strategic program leader who establishes enterprise direction, governance, and accountability for User Acceptance Testing while translating organizational priorities into a clear roadmap and measurable outcomes. You are an influential advisor who builds alignment among business, technology, risk, compliance, audit, and project delivery leaders and communicates complex testing and readiness matters clearly to senior management. You are a capability builder who coaches others, leads through influence, and uses performance data, lessons learned, stakeholder feedback, and industry practices to strengthen UAT maturity, manage implementation risk, and increase enterprise adoption.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Organizational Leadership, Project Management, Operations Management, or a related field required
7+ years of progressive experience in program management, business analysis, business transformation, process improvement, business testing and validation, quality management, product management, or related disciplines required
Demonstrated expertise in UAT principles, testing methodologies, requirements validation, traceability, defect lifecycle management, business readiness, governance, and risk-based decision-making required
Experience leading complex, cross-functional or enterprise initiatives involving governance, operating model development, organizational change, stakeholder engagement, or business capability development required
Experience developing, implementing, or maturing testing and validation practices within technology, operational, process, regulatory, or business transformation initiatives required
Experience influencing senior leaders, presenting strategic recommendations, resolving complex stakeholder issues, and using metrics and analysis to drive decisions and continuous improvement required

Nice To Haves

Experience establishing, governing, or maturing an enterprise UAT framework, testing program, quality practice, or operational governance model preferred
Experience providing functional leadership, coaching, or mentoring to Program Managers, analysts, testing leads, or cross-functional project resources; experience with requirements management, test management, workflow, or governance platforms preferred
Experience within financial services, regulated industries, or complex operational environments; experience supporting audit, compliance, or operational risk activities preferred

Responsibilities

Establishes and maintains the long-term vision, strategic roadmap, operating model, and maturity goals for the organization's UAT capability.
Leads the design, implementation, governance, and continuous refinement of enterprise UAT standards, methodologies, processes, controls, and decision rights.
Oversees UAT policies, procedures, templates, job aids, and supporting documentation to ensure they remain scalable, practical, and aligned with organizational needs.
Establishes governance practices that support requirements traceability, testing quality, business sign-off, compliance, audit readiness, and clear accountability.
Serves as the senior enterprise subject matter expert and escalation point for UAT governance, business validation, operational readiness, and complex testing challenges.
Leads enterprise initiatives that advance testing maturity and drive consistent adoption of UAT standards across business units and major initiatives.
Provides functional leadership, coaching, and mentoring to UAT Program Managers, analysts, project teams, and business testing participants.
Leads executive and stakeholder communication, organizational change, and adoption efforts related to UAT processes, governance, tools, and operating model improvements.
Builds organizational testing competency through training, communities of practice, reusable resources, and best-practice guidance.
Sets strategic direction for the implementation, optimization, governance, and continuous improvement of UAT tools and supporting platforms.
Establishes enterprise success measures, maturity indicators, risk measures, and executive reporting used to evaluate UAT effectiveness, adoption, and readiness.
Evaluates adherence to UAT standards and identifies material gaps in testing quality, traceability, business readiness, or governance for escalation and resolution.
Prioritizes and leads the UAT enhancement roadmap based on organizational objectives, performance trends, stakeholder needs, risk, and business value.
Advises senior leaders and partners with business, technology, risk, compliance, audit, and project delivery teams on testing strategy, readiness, risks, and governance decisions.
Uses performance data, lessons learned, stakeholder feedback, industry trends, and root-cause analysis to recommend and lead improvements to the enterprise UAT capability.
Maintains a thorough understanding of state and federal laws and regulations related to credit union compliance, including Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws appropriate to the position.
Performs any other duties or special requests assigned.