Associate Program Director (.NET / Java background)

Happiest Minds Technologies; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,200,000 - 6,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Happiest Minds Technologies in Bengaluru is seeking an Associate Program Director to lead large-scale programs and strategic customer engagements. The ideal candidate has a strong background in program delivery, stakeholder management, Agile execution, and operational governance, with the ability to drive business outcomes across distributed teams.

This leadership role requires owning end-to-end program delivery, managing customer relationships, ensuring operational excellence, and driving

Qualifications

• 14+ years IT experience with 5-6 years in Program Management or Delivery Leadership roles.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale programs as 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.
• Experience managing distributed teams across multiple locations and functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead 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 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.
• Champion Agile delivery practices and drive adoption of Scrum, Kanban, and modern project management methodologies.
• Coach teams and stakeholders on Agile principles and best practices.
• Leverage prior software development experience to guide technical teams and delivery decisions.

Skills

Program management

Delivery leadership

Agile methodologies

Stakeholder management

SDLC

Risk management

Leadership

Distributed teams

Communication

Cloud/SaaS delivery

Job description

Associate Program Director Program Management

Location: Bengaluru
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.

People Leadership

• 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

• 14+ 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.