Project / Program Manager - Agile Delivery

Mcgraw Hill; Columbus (OH); Remote; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

McGraw Hill is seeking a Program Operator to support agile programs within a fully remote US environment. You will coordinate multiple product initiatives, ensure teams follow agile processes, and help align plans with business goals and customer needs.

You will facilitate ceremonies, manage dependencies and risks, and provide operational support while reporting progress to stakeholders. A PM/Business/IT degree and strong communication are required.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in an agile environment with program or project coordination.
• Experience coordinating multi-team agile programs.
• Familiarity with Jira, Trello, or similar tools.
• Knowledge of Scrum, Kanban and PM best practices.
• Strong communication and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning, execution, and delivery of large, complex agile programs while ensuring teams follow agile processes.
• Organize and facilitate agile ceremonies such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives for program teams.
• Identify, track, and manage dependencies and risks between teams, projects, and stakeholders.
• Provide day-to-day operational support to agile teams and align tools/resources to timelines.
• Maintain status reports and communicate program progress to stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across teams.
• Document roadmaps, timelines, releases, and issue logs for programs.

Skills

3+ years experience

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Leadership skills

Track multiple initiatives

Agile frameworks knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/PM/IT or related field

Tools

Jira

Trello

Job description

Overview

Build the Future

At McGraw Hill, we are dedicated to delivering digital learning experiences that transform education for learners and educators. Our focus is on creating seamless, impactful products that truly benefit our users while supporting growth and collaboration across teams. We foster a culture that values innovation, teamwork, and a balance between career growth and personal well-being.

How can you make an impact?

The Program Operator plays a pivotal role in supporting the successful execution of agile programs, overseeing the coordination and operational aspects of multiple projects or product initiatives within an agile environment. The Program Operator ensures that all teams adhere to agile principles and methodologies, facilitates communication across teams, manages dependencies, and removes operational obstacles to ensure program success. This role requires strong organizational and problem-solving skills to oversee the day-to-day execution of the program, while maintaining alignment with business goals and customer needs.

This is a remote position open to applicants authorized to work for any employer within the United States.

What You'll Do:

1. Agile Program Management:
   • Assist in the planning, execution, and delivery of large, complex agile programs by ensuring that teams follow agile processes and methodologies.
   • Ensuring that scope is documented and kept up to date.
   • Coordinate cross-functional team efforts to ensure timely delivery of program objectives.
   • Support the Program Manager or Scrum Master in monitoring program progress and identifying any blockers or risks.
   • Ensure alignment between multiple product teams working within the program.
2. Facilitate Agile Ceremonies and Practices:
   • Organize and facilitate agile ceremonies such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives for the program teams.
   • Support teams in adhering to their sprint goals and work to resolve operational roadblocks.
   • Ensure consistency and effective communication of agile practices across teams, maintaining high standards for agile execution.
3. Dependency and Risk Management:
   • Assist in the identification, tracking, and management of dependencies between teams, projects, and external stakeholders.
   • Proactively address potential risks to program delivery, escalating issues when necessary to appropriate stakeholders.
   • Coordinate mitigation strategies and ensure risks are appropriately managed and communicated.
4. Operational Support:
   • Provide day-to-day operational support to agile teams, helping them adhere to timelines and deliverables.
   • Ensure that the tools and resources required by the teams are available and functioning.
   • Act as a liaison between technical teams, product teams, and business stakeholders to ensure operational needs are met.
5. Stakeholder Communication and Reporting:
   • Maintain transparent communication with stakeholders, ensuring they are informed of program status, risks, and any changes to scope or delivery timelines.
   • Prepare and present regular status reports, key metrics, and updates on program progress and performance.
   • Ensure stakeholder expectations are managed effectively and that any changes or issues are communicated in a timely manner.
6. Continuous Improvement:
   • Drive continuous improvement initiatives by identifying areas for process optimization and efficiency gains.
   • Support agile teams in adopting new tools, techniques, or processes that improve team performance and overall program delivery.
   • Facilitate knowledge-sharing between teams and encourage a culture of innovation.
7. Program Documentation and Metrics:
   • Ensure that all program-related documentation is maintained, including roadmaps, timelines, release plans, and issue logs.
   • Track and analyze program performance metrics, including velocity, burn-down charts, and release progress, to inform decision-making.
   • Use data-driven insights to identify trends, optimize workflows, and guide strategic decision-making.
8. Support Product and Technical Leadership:
   • Work closely with product managers, program managers, scrum masters, and technical leads to ensure product goals and program objectives align with business priorities.
   • Help bridge the gap between business strategy and execution by translating high-level objectives into actionable plans for the teams.

What you bring:

• Experience:
  • 3+ years of experience in an agile environment, with at least 1 year in a program or project coordination role.
  • Familiarity with managing cross-functional programs involving multiple agile teams.
  • Experience with agile tools (e.g., Jira, Trello, or similar).
• Skills:
  • Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
  • Ability to track multiple initiatives, manage dependencies, and ensure deadlines are met.
  • Knowledge of agile frameworks (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) and program management best practices.
  • Solid understanding of risk management and issue resolution techniques.
  • Comfortable working with stakeholders at all levels, including product, technical, and business leaders.
• Education:
  • A degree in Business, Project Management, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent work experience in program or project management within an agile framework.
• Soft Skills:
  • Strong problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities.
  • High attention to detail and a focus on results.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to foster collaboration among diverse teams.
  • Self-starter with the ability to work independently and take initiative.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Agile certifications (e.g., Certified ScrumMaster, Certified Scrum Product Owner, or similar).
• Experience with large-scale agile frameworks (e.g., SAFe, LeSS).
• Familiarity with DevOps and CI/CD practices.
• Experience in coordinating global or distributed teams.

Why work for us?

The work you do at McGraw Hill will be work that matters. We are collectively building experiences that will help shape the future of education. Play your part and experience a sense of fulfilment that will inspire you to even greater heights.

The pay range for this position is between $55,000 - $90,000 annually. However, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location. An annual bonus plan may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical and/or other benefits, depending on the position offered.

McGraw Hill recruiters always use a "@mheducation.com" email address and/or from our Applicant Tracking System, iCIMS. Any variation of this email domain should be considered suspicious. Additionally, McGraw Hill recruiters and authorized representatives will never request sensitive information in email.

McGraw Hill uses an automated employment decision tool (AEDT) to assist in the screening process by recommending candidates with "like skills" based on resume and job data. To request an alternative screening process, please select "Opt-Out" when asked to "Consent to use of Automated Employment Decision Tools" during the application.