Strategic Program Manager

Early Warning Services – Company Overview At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting‑edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze®, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses. Early Warning follows a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment. Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship. Responsibilities Understands Portfolio priorities and drives successful business outcomes within the program and aligned projects per aligned priorities Manage all aspects of multiple interrelated projects within the program to ensure the overall program is aligned to and directly supports the achievement of strategic business objectives Align project/program plans and interdependencies to ensure Program Roadmap success and Resources capacity Performs program level governance review of all associated project to ensure they are tracking to be on time, within budget, and defect free to ensure customer value commitment. Monitor projects on an ongoing basis, evaluating progress, proactively works with project teams mitigating risk and effective issue resolution across program Establishing best practices, templates, policies, tools and partnerships to expand and mature and improve effectiveness in support of meeting business objectives Coach/Mentor other PMO team members on policies and procedures and best practices Supports all internal and externally driven audits of projects within program Engages cross project interdependency scheduling to ensure project interdependencies are documented and tracked including defining critical program level milestones within each project for visibility Provides effective leadership and coaching to all stakeholders ensuring effective delivery of project/program outcomes in terms of cost, schedule, budget and quality. Creates and maintains master program plan for all active aligned projects and status reporting regarding program level milestones, success criteria, deliverable, dependencies, risks and issues, effectively communicating including executive leadership Support the company's commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data. Minimum Qualifications Education and experience typically obtained through completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Project Management and/or Computer Science or related field. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or related certifications or equivalent work experience Minimum of 8 or more years of related experience in program management Demonstrated program management experience and people leadership and mentorship in business and technical environments Experience in financial institutions or similarly regulatory industries and/or software development processes with background in the data processing environment, application systems, and communication systems. Ability to handle multiple complex projects within program / programs, to work independently, have excellent follow‑up, and meet tight deadlines for deliverables. Possess excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities, and be able to deal effectively with ambiguity and constant change Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills to interact proficiently with executive leadership, staff and vendors Highly engaged, self‑starter with ability to balance achieving business results, fostering collaboration and influencing business strategies Proactive in identifying and driving process improvements and documenting efficiency gains within the organization Demonstrated experience with Agile and Waterfall methodologies and all aspects of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology and tools Background and drug screen. Preferred Qualifications Agile / ScrumMaster certifications Lean Six Sigma certification Experience with people management Physical Requirements Working conditions consist of a normal office environment. Work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive use of a computer and involves sitting for periods of approximately four hours. Work may require occasional standing, walking, kneeling and reaching. Must be able to lift 10 pounds occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently. Requires visual acuity and dexterity to view, prepare, and manipulate documents and office equipment including personal computers. Requires the ability to communicate with internal and/or external customers. Employee must be able to perform essential functions and physical requirements of position with or without reasonable accommodation. Compensation & Benefits The base pay scale for this position in: Phoenix, AZ/ Chicago, IL in USD per year is: $145,000 - $177,000. New York, NY/ San Francisco, CA in USD per year is: $174,000 - $213,000. Additionally, candidates are eligible for a discretionary incentive plan and benefits. This pay scale is subject to change and is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific candidate, which is always dependent on legitimate factors considered at the time of job offer. Early Warning Services takes into consideration a variety of factors when determining a competitive salary offer, including, but not limited to, the job scope, market rates and geographic location of a position, candidate’s education, experience, training, and specialized skills or certification(s) in relation to the job requirements and compared with internal equity (peers). The business actively supports and reviews wage equity to ensure that pay decisions are not based on gender, race, national origin, or any other protected classes. Healthcare Coverage –Competitive medical (PPO/HDHP), dental, and vision plans as well as company contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or pre‑tax savings through flexible spending accounts (FSA) for commuting, health & dependent care expenses. 401(k) Retirement Plan –Featuring a 100% Company Safe Harbor Match on your first 6% deferral immediately upon eligibility. Paid Time Off – Flexible Time Off for Exempt (salaried) employees, as well as generous PTO for Non‑Exempt (hourly) employees, plus 11 paid company holidays and a paid volunteer day. 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave Maven Family Planning – provides support through your Parenting journey including egg freezing, fertility, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy, postpartum, early pediatrics, and returning to work. And SO much more! We continue to enhance our program, so be sure to check our Benefits page here for the latest. Our team can share more during the interview process! Equal Employment Opportunity Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Early Warning Services, LLC (“Early Warning”) considers for employment, hires, retains and promotes qualified candidates on the basis of ability, potential, and valid qualifications without regard to race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other bases such as medical condition, marital status or any other factor that is irrelevant to the performance of our employees. Early Warning Services, LLC (“Early Warning”) considers for employment, hires, retains and promotes qualified candidates on the basis of ability, potential, and valid qualifications without regard to race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other bases such as medical condition, marital status or any other factor that is irrelevant to the performance of our employees. Other Information Early Warning Services® delivers innovative payment and risk solutions to financial institutions nationwide. For over 25 years, Early Warning has been a leader in technology that helps protect and advance the financial system. We serve a diverse network of approximately 2,500 financial institutions, government entities and payment companies. Our product solutions enable real‑time funds availability for a variety of payment types through our payments network. E-Verify Early Warning Services LLC is a proud participant in E-Verify, a federal program to help ensure a legal and authorized workforce. As part of our hiring process, we electronically verify the employment eligibility of all new hires through E-Verify. For more information on your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify please visit Home | E-Verify. View supplemental EEO is the law poster Early Warning has developed and maintains a written AAP and upholds pay transparency nondiscrimination. #J-18808-Ljbffr