Program Manager

Program Manager (Banking/Financial Domain)

Location: 3 days in Berkeley Heights, NJ & 2days in Princeton, NJ

5 days onsite

Summary:

• Client is seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead and oversee multiple programs and projects within the Banking and Financial Services domain, with a strong preference for candidates with Cards domain experience.
• The ideal candidate will drive program strategy, lead cross-functional teams, ensure operational excellence, and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• This role requires the ability to manage diverse workstreams, plan and execute complex initiatives, support delivery organizations, and represent the program at senior executive levels.

Experience Required:

• 12–16 years total IT experience
• At least 8+ years in Banking & Financial Services (Cards domain preferred)
• Strong understanding of SDLC, Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid delivery models
• Proficiency with PM tools: MS Project, Jira, Confluence, MS Office Suite,

certifications preferred: PgMP ,PMP,

Key Responsibilities

Program Management – 70%

1. Program Strategy & Planning

• Develop and execute program strategies aligned with business objectives
• Conduct market analysis, competitor research, and stakeholder assessments

2. Team Leadership

• Manage cross-functional teams: Program Managers, Project Managers, Technical Lead
• Foster collaboration, mentor team members, and support professional growth

3. Program Execution

• Oversee complete program lifecycle from initiation to delivery
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, quality, and adherence to SLAs

4. Stakeholder Management

• Communicate status, risks, and issues to executives and customers
• Build strong relationships with clients, leadership, and partners

5. Risk & Issue Management

• Identify, evaluate, mitigate, and track program risks
• Drive contingency planning and issue resolution

6. Process Improvement

• Introduce and implement process improvements
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards, governance, and PM methodologies

Operational Responsibilities – 20%

• Manage resource onboarding, offboarding, and allocation
• Streamline hiring processes in collaboration with HR/operations
• Identify and resolve cross-team conflicts
• Support delivery leads with reporting, forecasting, and pipeline management
• Delivery & Senior Leadership Engagement – 10%
• Act as a representative for delivery teams during client escalations
• Collaborate with Project Managers to ensure client expectations are met
• Lead Steering Committee (SteerCo) meetings and prepare executive presentations

Detailed Roles & Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and manage multiple Agile/Hybrid projects
• Track KPIs, project status, and delivery progress across workstreams
• Develop project charters, project plans, and governance artifacts
• Coordinate across teams to ensure streamlined processes
• Analyze and manage RAIDs (Risks, Actions, Issues, Dependencies)
• Maintain transparency on timelines, risks, and deliverables
• Understand customer accounts and identify new opportunities
• Facilitate alignment workshops and decision-making sessions
• Engage in budget planning and financial reporting
• Track delivery metrics, forecast resource needs, and maintain stakeholder documentation
• Oversee SOW creation, requirements management, and RFP responses
• Ensure adherence to Client PMO standards and governance
• Manage change requests and maintain program-level governance
• Establish PMO structures and reporting mechanisms for program oversight
• Collaborate with operations teams for smooth resource ramp-ups
• Control risks and ensure timely escalation and mitigation