IT Infrastructure Programs & Projects Manager

Infrastructure Programs & Projects Manager

The Infrastructure Programs & Projects manager is responsible for providing leadership and management for Infrastructure Services programs, strategic initiatives, governance processes, and project execution activities that support organizational priorities and business objectives.

This position leads a team of approximately 7-9 professionals responsible for planning, governing, prioritizing, and delivering programs and projects that improve organizational effectiveness, reduce technical debt, strengthen governance, and enable Infrastructure Services to achieve strategic objectives. The position also provides leadership and direction for the Technology Planning Analyst (TPA) function, including strategic planning, investment justification, organizational communications, and coordination of cross-functional initiatives.

The manager serves as a strategic partner across Infrastructure Services, the Technology Organization, and other business units to identify opportunities, align priorities, facilitate decision-making, and drive execution of initiatives that deliver measurable business value. The role works closely with executive leadership, project stakeholders, governance committees, and peer organizations to ensure initiatives are appropriately prioritized, funded, governed, and successfully delivered.

This position is accountable for the leadership and continuous improvement of key Infrastructure Services programs, including:

• Infrastructure Services Asset Management
• Infrastructure Services Problem Management
• IS Work Requests
• IS Process Orchestration
• Infrastructure Services Records & Information Management (RIM)
• Southern Company Domain Name Management

Additional programs, initiatives, committees, and governance responsibilities may be assigned as organizational priorities evolve.

The Infrastructure Programs & Projects manager is responsible for establishing effective program and project governance processes, managing organizational and project budgets, developing business cases and investment recommendations, facilitating strategic planning activities, and ensuring alignment between Infrastructure Services priorities and Technology Organization objectives.

This leader is expected to foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement while developing employees and building strong partnerships across the enterprise.

Job Requirements

• Partners closely with Technology leaders across the Technology Organization, and beyond the Technology Organization, to ensure infrastructure programs are aligned to current and future needs of the business.
• Applies strong leadership and broad, strategic thinking to a diverse set of opportunities and challenges, serving as a true strategic partner and business enabler.
• Provides leadership for initiatives that improve and optimize infrastructure processes and technologies.
• Drives and manages continuous improvement of organizational responsibilities.
• Identifies and resolves obstacles that prevent the organization from being as effective as it can be.
• Drives innovation and leverages technology to create value.
• Establishes and maintains excellent working relationships and partnerships with senior leadership throughout the enterprise, industry peers and groups, and external vendors and suppliers.
• Supports the delivery of infrastructure solutions that are common where possible and custom where it counts.
• Consults with business partners on matters related to the use and implementation of infrastructure processes and technologies.
• Provides cost-effective management, rationalization and simplification of the company's infrastructure processes and technologies.
• Enforces appropriate IT policies, best practices, processes, systems and technology portfolio and lifecycle management, and program and project management.
• Assesses the impact of infrastructure changes and quantifies risk in order to ensure appropriate business decisions are made.
• Acts as a student of the business and technology, anticipating futures needs and directional shifts in both technology and energy industries.
• Continuously monitors and evaluates the operating model and supporting organizational design to identify efficiencies and synergies and ensure efficient resource allocation.
• Creates an organizational budget and manages financial performance.
• Leads and manages an organization of technical services professionals
• Hires, develops, rewards and retains a highly qualified and diverse team.
• Creates an environment that fosters accountability, innovation and engagement at all levels.
• Establishes themselves as a thought leader and integral part of the Infrastructure Services leadership team.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, an Engineering field, or related discipline required

Experience and Knowledge

• Eight (8) or more years of experience in technology, program management, project management, process improvement, or related disciplines.
• Four (4) or more years of experience leading cross-functional teams, strategic initiatives, programs, or projects.
• A minimum of two (2) years working with IT budgets and or cost allocation experience.
• Experience governing, prioritizing, and delivering multiple concurrent projects and initiatives.
• Experience developing business cases, investment recommendations, and organizational budgets.
• Experience working with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated knowledge of governance, strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, and project delivery practices.
• Experience leading organizational change and continuous improvement initiatives.

Experience and Knowledge

• Strategic leadership and change-management capability, including the ability to challenge the status quo, influence outcomes, and lead teams through evolving priorities.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to establish credibility and trusted partnerships across leadership, business partners, peer organizations, vendors, and suppliers.
• Collaborative, enterprise-focused approach to aligning stakeholders, resolving obstacles, and delivering practical solutions that support business outcomes.
• Ability to improve organizational effectiveness through governance, prioritization, process improvement, technology rationalization, and simplification.
• Sound business, financial, risk, and compliance judgment, including experience interpreting financial information, estimating costs, managing budgets, and operating in a regulated environment.
• Proven people-leadership skills, including the ability to attract, develop, motivate, delegate to, and retain high-performing teams.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking, independent judgment, initiative, follow-through, and adaptability in a changing environment.