Senior Program Manager – Mainframe Program
- Experience leading large-scale technology programs, preferably mainframe modernization, application transformation, or complex legacy platform initiatives
- Strong governance, delivery oversight, vendor management, RAID management, and stakeholder engagement capabilities
- Experience coordinating multiple project teams and workstreams under a single program
- Ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership and business stakeholders
- Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and program delivery experience
- Experience managing complex enterprise technology programs
Position summary
The Senior Program Manager is accountable for the end-to-end leadership of complex, enterprise technology programs comprising multiple projects and interdependent workstreams. The role establishes integrated plans and governance, aligns business and technology stakeholders, manages financials, delivery risks and dependencies, and provides clear executive-level reporting so that outcomes are delivered within approved scope, schedule, cost and quality expectations.
Key accountabilities
- Own the integrated program roadmap and delivery plan across projects, workstreams, vendors and business teams, from initiation through implementation, cutover and stabilization.
- Establish and operate program governance, including decision forums, status reporting, scope and change control, financial oversight, quality management, stage-gate readiness, and escalation paths.
- Proactively manage program-level risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies. Escalate early with clear impact assessments, options and recommendations.
- Develop and maintain program financial plans, forecasts, resource plans and vendor commitments. Monitor performance and take corrective action where required.
- Coordinate multiple project managers and delivery leads, clarify accountabilities and sequencing, and ensure workstream plans roll up to a credible integrated schedule.
- Lead stakeholder alignment across business, TIS, operations, architecture, security, vendors and other enterprise programs. Resolve competing priorities and maintain focus on business outcomes.
- Prepare concise, decision-oriented updates for sponsors and executive leadership, including delivery health, milestones, financials, risks, dependencies and required decisions.
- Manage vendor delivery and performance, including alignment to statements of work, milestones, deliverables, dependencies, escalation management and issue resolution.
- Ensure program deliverables follow applicable TIS PMO/EPMO standards and use fit-for-purpose Waterfall, Agile or hybrid delivery methods.
- Anticipate delivery constraints, prevent surprises and operate independently in an ambiguous, fast-paced, matrix environment.
Program environment
- Lead a large, multi-project enterprise technology transformation with interdependent workstreams, stakeholders and vendors.
- Coordinate delivery across Canadian and U.S. teams and travel as required.
- Provide strong program governance, financial management, integrated planning, risk and dependency management, and executive reporting.
- Lead modernization and transformation initiatives involving complex enterprise applications, platforms, integrations and legacy technology environments.
Required experience and capabilities
- Senior Program Manager caliber, with demonstrated success leading complex enterprise technology programs and transformation initiatives.
- 10+ years of progressive program or project management experience, including leadership of multiple concurrent and interdependent initiatives.
- Strong program governance, integrated planning, financial management, risk and dependency management, vendor management and executive reporting capabilities.
- Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, project teams, stakeholders and vendors simultaneously in a matrix organization.
- Excellent executive presence, written and verbal communication, facilitation, negotiation and influencing skills.
- Strategic thinker and hands-on delivery leader who can translate ambiguity into clear plans, decisions and accountability.
- Bachelor’s degree or diploma in business, computer science, technology or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) designation or equivalent program/project management credential is strongly preferred.
Preferred experience
- Experience working across Canadian and U.S. teams and with distributed or offshore delivery resources.
- Experience in a regulated utility or similarly complex enterprise environment.
- Experience with large application modernization, enterprise platform transformation, ERP-adjacent programs, cloud migration or complex integration landscapes.
- Experience with procurement and vendor lifecycle activities, including SOWs, RFPs/RFIs/RFQs, commercial commitments and performance management.
- Experience supporting organizational change, business readiness, cutover and post-implementation stabilization.
