Principal, Head of Delivery Excellence & PMO

Over the last 20 years, Ares' success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values - Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy - and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description SUMMARY Principal, Delivery Excellence and PMO will establish and lead Ares' Technology Project Management Office (PMO), defining the governance, delivery operating model, Agile practices, and execution standards for technology initiatives. This role will build the PMO from the ground up, leading Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and potentially a centralized Quality Assurance function. The individual will partner with Product, Engineering, Architecture, and Business leaders to implement consistent delivery processes, Agile methodologies, Jira governance, stakeholder communications, and portfolio governance while coaching teams to improve delivery maturity and execution excellence. Supervises: Project Managers & Scrum Masters PRIMARY FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES A. PMO Strategy & Governance Establish the PMO vision, operating model, governance framework, standards, and delivery methodologies. Build scalable project governance, portfolio management, and reporting processes. Define delivery KPIs, metrics, and executive dashboards. B. Agile Delivery Excellence Lead the adoption of Agile methodologies including Scrum, Kanban, and scaled Agile practices. Coach teams on Agile ceremonies including Sprint Planning, Backlog Refinement, Reviews, Retrospectives, Scrum of Scrums, and PI Planning. Define clear roles and responsibilities across Product Managers, Product Owners, Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and Engineering teams. C. Delivery Tools & Jira Governance Establish enterprise Jira configuration standards, workflows, boards, dashboards, and reporting. Standardize backlog management, estimation, sprint metrics, release tracking, and portfolio visibility. Drive continuous improvements to delivery tooling and processes. D. Cross Portfolio Management Oversee portfolio planning, prioritization, resource management, and cross-team dependencies. Develop executive communications, status reporting, risk management, and steering committee materials. Partner with Business and Technology leaders to align delivery with strategic priorities. E. People Leadership & Continuous Improvement Recruit, mentor, and develop Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and delivery professionals. Evaluate and establish a centralized QA capability if appropriate. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, servant leadership, and continuous improvement. QUALIFICATIONS: Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Business, or related field. Master's degree preferred. PMP, PMI-ACP, Scrum, SAFe, or related Agile certifications preferred. Experience Required: 15+ years leading enterprise technology delivery, PMO, or Agile transformation. Proven experience building a PMO or Delivery Management Office from the ground up. Deep understanding of Agile methodologies, Jira administration, and portfolio governance. Experience leading Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and cross-functional delivery teams. Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills. General Requirements: Strategic thinker with strong execution capabilities. Excellent leadership, coaching, facilitation, and influencing skills. Ability to build organizational capability while remaining hands-on. Strong understanding of Agile operating models and software delivery lifecycle. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced global environment. Passion for delivery excellence, governance, and continuous improvement. Financial Services or Asset Management experience preferred. Reporting Relationships Compensation The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role. $250,000 - $275,000 The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Co Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans 401(k) program with company match Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Co #J-18808-Ljbffr Ares Management