Associate Program Director (.NET / Java)

Happiest Minds Technologies; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Happiest Minds Technologies in Bengaluru seeks an Associate Program Director to lead large-scale programs and strategic customer engagements. The role requires ownership of end-to-end delivery, governance, and SDLC activities across distributed teams.

You will drive Agile execution, stakeholder management, and continuous improvement, ensuring quality, predictability, and client satisfaction while mentoring project managers and delivery teams.

Qualifications

• 18+ years of IT experience with 5–6 years in program management or delivery leadership.
• Proven ability to manage large-scale projects and programs as PM/Delivery lead.
• Strong expertise in Agile methodologies including Scrum, Kanban, and scaled Agile.
• Excellent stakeholder management and customer relationship skills.
• Solid understanding of project financials, resource planning, contracts and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage large-scale, multi-project programs with ownership of delivery, quality, timelines, and customer satisfaction.
• Drive successful execution of complex programs across distributed and cross-functional teams.
• Oversee end-to-end SDLC activities from planning to deployment and support.
• Establish delivery governance, tracking mechanisms, and performance monitoring.
• Ensure programs are delivered within scope, budget, and agreed timelines.
• Build and maintain relationships with customers, business leaders and internal stakeholders.
• Serve as primary contact for governance, escalations, delivery reviews and strategic discussions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Program management

Agile delivery

Stakeholder mgmt

Distributed teams

Job description

Associate Program Director - Program Management

Experience: 14 - 16 Years

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Associate Program Director to lead large-scale programs and strategic customer engagements. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in program delivery, stakeholder management, Agile execution, and operational governance, along with the ability to drive business outcomes across complex and distributed teams.

This role requires a seasoned leader who can own end-to-end program delivery, manage customer relationships, ensure operational excellence, and drive continuous improvement while maintaining high standards of quality, predictability, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Program & Delivery Leadership

• Lead and manage large-scale, multi-project programs with complete ownership of delivery, quality, timelines, and customer satisfaction.
• Drive successful execution of complex programs across distributed and cross-functional teams.
• Oversee end-to-end Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) activities, from planning and estimation to deployment and support.
• Establish delivery governance, project tracking mechanisms, and performance monitoring frameworks.
• Ensure programs are delivered within scope, budget, and agreed timelines.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, business leaders, and internal stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for program governance, escalations, delivery reviews, and strategic discussions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders on project requirements, staffing plans, financials, contracts, and resource management.
• Provide regular status updates, executive-level reporting, and actionable insights to customers and leadership teams.

Risk & Escalation Management

• Proactively identify project and program risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Manage critical issues and escalations effectively while minimizing business impact.
• Drive decision-making and resolution of complex delivery challenges.
• Ensure delivery predictability through effective planning, governance, and risk management practices.

Agile Program Management

• Champion Agile delivery practices and drive adoption of Scrum, Kanban, and modern project management methodologies.
• Facilitate program planning, sprint governance, release management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coach teams and stakeholders on Agile principles and best practices.

Technical & Operational Leadership

• Leverage prior software development experience to guide technical teams and delivery decisions.
• Work closely with engineering and architecture teams to ensure scalable, high-quality solution delivery.
• Manage programs involving SaaS platforms, cloud-based solutions, and enterprise digital transformation initiatives.
• Promote automation, operational efficiency, and engineering best practices across projects.
• Lead, mentor, and develop project managers, Scrum Masters, and delivery teams.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and capability-building initiatives.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 18+ years of overall IT experience with at least 5-6 years in Program Management or Delivery Leadership roles.
• Proven experience managing and delivering large-scale projects and programs as a Project Manager, Program Manager, or Delivery Leader.
• Strong expertise in Agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, and scaled Agile practices.
• Excellent stakeholder management and customer relationship management skills.
• Strong understanding of project financials, resource planning, contracts, and delivery governance.
• Experience managing distributed teams across multiple locations and functions.
• Hands-on software development background with a strong understanding of application development and deployment lifecycles.
• Experience managing SaaS-based products or platforms.
• Strong knowledge of delivery metrics, reporting, governance, and operational excellence.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, negotiation, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in digital transformation, cloud, and enterprise application programs.
• Strong understanding of automation, DevOps, CI/CD, and modern software engineering practices.
• Exposure to AI-enabled software development and delivery environments.
• Experience working with global customers and multicultural teams.

Good to Have

AI Literacy & Emerging Technologies

• Practical experience using AI-powered tools to improve productivity, delivery efficiency, and decision-making.
• Understanding of AI-assisted Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Agentic AI concepts, and AI-driven development frameworks.
• Experience working on projects leveraging AI for software development, testing, deployment, support, or operational automation.
• Exposure to Generative AI, AI governance, and enterprise AI adoption initiatives.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

A strategic delivery leader with strong business acumen, technical depth, customer-facing experience, and a proven track record of successfully managing large-scale programs while driving operational excellence and business growth.