Principal Lead - Portfolio Management and Program Implementation

AIR CANADA; Dorval; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Canada in Dorval is seeking a Principal Lead – Portfolio Management and Program Implementation to drive strategic portfolio management within the IT, Data and Digital Solutions group. You will align investments, roadmaps, and delivery with executive objectives, guiding complex programs across Product, Platform, and Engineering teams.

You will lead a team of portfolio and program professionals, shape governance, and partner with Finance, Strategic Sourcing and business units to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, technology, finance, or engineering.
• At least 10 years in technological transformation, portfolio management, or related leadership roles.
• Proven success leading complex, large-scale cross-functional initiatives or portfolio management functions.
• Strong portfolio management, governance, forecasting, and financial management skills.
• Executive presence with outstanding stakeholder management and communication abilities.
• PMP, Agile/Scrum, PROSCI or equivalent certifications are an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and evolve portfolio management practices aligned with IDS strategy and operating model.
• Provide integrated view of demand, investments, roadmaps, dependencies, and outcomes across teams.
• Shape decision-oriented prioritization, sequencing, funding, and trade-offs among initiatives.
• Supervise integration and triage of requests to maintain transparency and alignment.
• Collaborate with Finance and stakeholders for investment planning, governance, and benefits.
• Establish frameworks to distinguish program support vs. product-scale execution.
• Provide guidance through project life cycles and ensure rigor in delivery across programs.
• Lead complex programs, governance fora, and executive readiness discussions as needed.
• Define KPIs, delivery metrics, and monitor scope, schedule, budget, quality, and value.
• Apply Agile, waterfall, and hybrid methods while complying with IDS standards.

Skills

Portfolio management

Stakeholder influence

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/tech/finance/engineering

Graduate degree (asset)

Tools

Jira

Job description

Description

Being part of Air Canada is being part of a Canadian icon, recently voted best airline in North America. Take your career to new heights by joining our innovative and diverse team at the forefront of passenger air transport.

The Principal Lead – Portfolio Management and Program Implementation plays a strategic leadership role within the IT, Data and Digital Solutions (IDS) team. The person chosen for this position is responsible for advancing technological portfolio management and enabling the rigorous execution of complex programs and projects. This position provides senior management with integrated, decision‑making‑oriented visibility into demand, investments, roadmaps, execution performance, risks, dependencies, capabilities, and business outcomes.

Depending on organizational priorities, the incumbent may lead a portfolio management function, supervise a team of program and project implementation professionals, personally lead one or more large‑scale strategic programs, or assume a combination of these responsibilities.

Acting as a trusted advisor, integrator, and people manager, the incumbent aligns technological investments and delivery priorities with executive objectives and measurable business value.

They work closely with high‑level stakeholders in IDS, Finance, Strategic Sourcing, and corporate departments, and require a strong presence, good judgment, and the ability to influence in complex, cross‑functional environments.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Portfolio and Investment Management

• Lead and evolve portfolio management practices in accordance with the IDS strategy and the product and platform operating model.
• Provide an integrated view of demand, investments, roadmaps, dependencies, implementation health, resource capacity, and business outcomes across Product, Platform, and Engineering teams.
• Shape a decision‑oriented approach that supports decisions regarding prioritization, sequencing, funding, and trade‑offs among competing initiatives.
• Supervise the integration and triage of requests to promote transparency, consistent evaluation, and alignment with strategic priorities and available capabilities.
• Collaborate with Finance and business stakeholders for investment planning, forecasting, business cases, investment governance, and benefit realization.
• Establish practical frameworks and guardrails to clarify initiatives that require program management support versus those requiring product‑scale execution.

Program Implementation and Project Delivery Leadership

• Provide advice and guidance throughout the project life cycle, ensuring that initiatives are well‑defined, properly planned, and executed with rigor.
• Depending on assignments, personally lead one or more complex, large‑scale technology or transformation programs, establishing governance and bringing business and technology leaders together to achieve expected results.
• Define project structures, delivery models, governance forums, and team structures adapted to needs, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, decision‑making powers, and resource needs from inception to implementation.
• Support project budgeting and financial planning, including cost estimation, funding assumptions, resource forecasting, vendor expenditures, and ongoing monitoring of budget performance against approved plans.
• Lead and supervise program managers, project managers, project analysts, and other implementation professionals, providing direction, coaching, and support for escalation.
• Provide practical oversight and consultative support to program and project managers, including reviewing steering committee materials, senior management updates, implementation plans, RAID logs, and decision‑making to ensure issues, risks, and recommendations are clearly articulated for the leadership team.
• Participate in key governance forums, steering committees, and executive readiness discussions as needed, providing an independent implementation perspective, challenge support, and escalation support.
• Establish clear success criteria, key performance indicators, and delivery metrics, and track progress against scope, schedule, budget, quality, value, and outcome commitments.
• Perform risk assessments, determine interdependencies and constraints, and foster timely risk mitigation and escalation with responsible stakeholders.
• Where applicable, apply Agile, waterfall, and hybrid delivery approaches while ensuring compliance with IDS team standards and evolving working methods.

Governance, Performance, and Continuous Improvement

• Present concise portfolio and program reports to senior management, highlighting achievements, decisions required, risks, dependencies, financial performance, and corrective measures.
• Implement consistent governance practices, health checks, quality assurance, and performance management across all assigned portfolios and programs.
• Drive the use of project‑appropriate tools, dashboards, and Jira‑based reporting to improve visibility, data quality, and decision‑making.
• Promote benefit realization and value tracking so that investments remain aligned with expected operational results.
• Ensure continuous improvement of portfolio and delivery processes using metrics, feedback, and lessons learned to improve predictability, speed, and quality.
• Stay abreast of relevant regulatory, audit, security, and compliance requirements and ensure they are integrated into governance and execution.

Stakeholder, Financial, and Partner Management

• Build collaborative, trusting relationships with senior managers, Product and Platform teams, Engineering, Finance, Strategic Sourcing, as well as business partners and external vendors.
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior managers, program sponsors, and decision‑making forums, translating complex information into clear choices and recommendations.
• Facilitate alignment across teams when initiatives involve multiple products, platforms, operating structures, or investment horizons.
• Support vendor governance and coordination to enable mixed team efficiency, clear division of responsibilities, and high‑quality results.

People Leadership and Skill Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of approximately four to six portfolio, program, or project management professionals, fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high‑performing environment.
• Establish consistent methods, tools, expectations, and working methods while maintaining the flexibility needed to meet the needs of different portfolios, products, and programs.
• Develop organizational capabilities through coaching, knowledge sharing, succession planning, and targeted development of core portfolio and implementation skills.
• Promote a culture of curiosity, innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and results‑oriented execution.
• Regularly conduct performance and development discussions, provide constructive feedback, and foster career growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, technology, finance, engineering, or a related field. Graduate degree is an asset.
• At least 10 years of progressive experience in technological transformation, portfolio management, enterprise program implementation, or related leadership roles.
• Proven success leading complex, large‑scale cross‑functional initiatives or portfolio management functions in a dynamic organization.
• Strong portfolio management and financial management skills, including demand prioritization, investment planning, business cases, forecasting, resource planning, and benefit tracking.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and improve governance frameworks, delivery methodologies, management practices, reporting standards, and reusable tools.
• Experience leading and building multidisciplinary teams, as well as creating clarity within ambiguous or rapidly changing operational environments.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information to draw clear insights and recommendations for leadership.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, facilitation, and communication skills; proven executive presence and ability to influence without direct authority.
• Practical knowledge of Agile, waterfall, and hybrid delivery methods; PMP, Agile/Scrum, PROSCI, or equivalent certifications are an asset.
• Experience in the airline industry, technology vendor management, or operating model transformation is an asset.
• Demonstrate punctuality and reliability to support the overall success of the team in a fast‑paced environment.

Employment Conditions:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the country concerned at the time a job offer is made and are responsible for obtaining necessary work permits, visas, or other authorizations. Proof of eligibility must be provided before the start date.

Language Requirements

All things being equal, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.

Diversity and Inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible, and rewarding workplace that highlights the unique contribution of our employees to the success of our company.

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage diverse applications to build a workforce that is varied and representative of our customers and the communities where we live and offer our services.

Air Canada thanks all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.