Mainframe Program Director

Set Europa; España; Remote; EUR 356,000 - 623,000; Part time

Job summary

Set Europa is seeking a highly experienced Project Director / Program Director to lead a large-scale transformation program for a major client. The role is Europe-based with remote delivery and a freelance (+12 months) arrangement.

You will drive mainframe exit initiatives, oversee governance and budgets, and manage multi-vendor environments while collaborating with senior executives to ensure on-time delivery and financial targets.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as a Project Director, Program Director, or Senior Program Manager.
• Mandatory experience with Mainframe environments and COBOL-based systems.
• Proven experience leading Mainframe transformation, migration, or modernization programs.
• Successful track record managing programs with budgets above $40 million.
• Experience leading delivery organizations of more than 100 professionals.
• Strong expertise in enterprise program governance, financial management, and risk management.
• Excellent supplier, vendor, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working directly with C-level executives.
• Strong knowledge of Waterfall, Agile, SAFe, and hybrid delivery methodologies.
• Fluent English.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the end-to-end delivery of complex enterprise transformation programs.
• Drive Mainframe Exit and modernization initiatives involving legacy COBOL-based systems.
• Oversee program governance, financial performance, budgets, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Coordinate large, multidisciplinary teams of more than 100 resources.
• Manage strategic suppliers and vendors in complex multi-vendor environments.
• Maintain strong relationships with senior executives and C-level stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment with business objectives, delivery milestones, and financial targets.
• Define and implement appropriate delivery methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile, SAFe, or hybrid approaches.
• Provide executive reporting and support strategic decision-making.

Skills

Project Director

Program Director

Senior Program Manager

Mainframe

COBOL

Governance

Stakeholder mgmt

Budget mgmt

Vendor management

Delivery leadership

Executive comms

Job description

The Company

Our client is a recruitment consultancy specializing in IT, Finance, HR, and Digital Technology. We are seeking a highly experienced Project Director / Program Director to lead a large-scale, business-critical transformation program with enterprise-wide impact.

Location

Europe (Remote)

Contract

Freelance (+12 months)

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the end-to-end delivery of complex enterprise transformation programs.
• Drive Mainframe Exit and modernization initiatives involving legacy COBOL-based systems.
• Oversee program governance, financial performance, budgets, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Coordinate large, multidisciplinary teams of more than 100 resources.
• Manage strategic suppliers and vendors in complex multi-vendor environments.
• Maintain strong relationships with senior executives and C-level stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment with business objectives, delivery milestones, and financial targets.
• Define and implement appropriate delivery methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile, SAFe, or hybrid approaches.
• Provide executive reporting and support strategic decision-making.

Requirements

• Extensive experience as a Project Director, Program Director, or Senior Program Manager.
• Mandatory experience with Mainframe environments and COBOL-based systems.
• Proven experience leading Mainframe transformation, migration, or modernization programs.
• Successful track record managing programs with budgets above $40 million.
• Experience leading delivery organizations of more than 100 professionals.
• Strong expertise in enterprise program governance, financial management, and risk management.
• Excellent supplier, vendor, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working directly with C-level executives.
• Strong knowledge of Waterfall, Agile, SAFe, and hybrid delivery methodologies.
• Fluent English.

Nice to have

• Previous experience delivering large-scale Mainframe Exit programs.
• German language skills.