Senior Program Director - Tax System Modernization

Job Title: Senior Program Director – Tax System Modernization

Location: Raleigh, NC

Pay Rate: Depending on experience

Type: 12 months contract

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Program Director / Program Manager to lead a large-scale, multi-year Tax System Modernization initiative.

The program involves modernizing and integrating core tax administration systems, applications, operational workflows, taxpayer service channels, and enterprise data structures across multiple software release cycles.

The selected candidate will be responsible for strategic program planning, execution oversight, stakeholder engagement, vendor coordination, organizational change management, resource planning, risk management, and executive-level reporting.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing large-scale technology transformation programs, preferably within government or public-sector environments.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Leadership & Strategic Planning

- Develop and oversee comprehensive program roadmaps, including multiple releases, schedules, milestones, and resource allocations.

- Coordinate program activities across technical teams, functional leaders, vendors, and project management teams.

- Ensure adherence to program management best practices, documentation standards, and governance processes.

- Identify, track, and mitigate program risks, issues, dependencies, and action items.

- Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor project management leadership.

- Manage alignment with other enterprise IT initiatives and resolve resource conflicts.

- Prepare executive status reports, dashboards, and steering committee presentations.

- Facilitate executive steering committee and program governance meetings.

- Manage change requests and coordinate approval through appropriate governance boards.

- Monitor vendor deliverables against contractual milestones and payment schedules.

2. Stakeholder Engagement

- Coordinate with internal departments, external agencies, and third-party organizations.

- Manage stakeholder communications and cross-functional collaboration.

- Support organizational change management planning and execution.

- Participate in discussions with external customers and stakeholders impacted by the modernization initiative.

3. Team Leadership

- Lead cross-functional teams of project managers responsible for different program areas, including data conversion and system interfaces.

- Provide leadership, mentoring, guidance, and performance oversight.

- Coordinate project management resources throughout the program lifecycle.

4. Budget & Resource Management

- Develop and maintain program staffing and resource plans.

- Coordinate procurement timelines with program leadership.

- Track contractual milestones, payment approvals, and project expenditures.

- Support budget forecasting and resource allocation.

5. Compliance & Risk Management

- Coordinate with technical leadership to ensure compliance with applicable state, federal, and agency regulations.

- Identify regulatory requirements, dependencies, and compliance-related activities.

- Incorporate compliance requirements into program schedules and execution plans.

Required Qualifications

- Minimum 7 years of program or project management experience.

- Minimum 7 years managing large-scale modernization or transformation initiatives.

- Experience working with government or public-sector organizations.

- Strong experience developing program status reports, dashboards, and executive presentations.

- Experience presenting to senior executives and steering committees.

- Knowledge of state and federal regulatory standards related to government technology.

- Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and analytical skills.

- Proficiency in Microsoft Project, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and MS Teams.

Preferred Qualifications

- PMP or PgMP certification.

- Experience with public-sector taxation operations or tax administration technology.

- Experience with Agile project management methodologies.

- Experience managing enterprise-wide technology modernization programs.