Senior Lead Program Manager

Thales; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

Thales in Austin, TX is seeking a Lead Strategic Program Manager to own and drive the organization’s highest-impact cross-functional programs within Cybersecurity Products Engineering. You will partner with Engineering, Product, Finance, Security, Sales, Legal, HR, and Talent Acquisition to establish governance, budgets, and scalable operating frameworks.

The role requires 8–12+ years in strategic program management with a strong finance background, ability to operate in ambiguity, and a track

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field with a minimum of 8-12+ years of relevant work experience or Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field with 6+ years of relevant work experience.
• 10+ years of strategic program management, business/strategic operations, or comparable cross-functional leadership experience in technology, cybersecurity, or software engineering.
• Demonstrated leadership of complex, multi-stakeholder programs from business case through execution, including compliance or regulatory programs or comparable strategic initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen in budget management, forecasting, and investment business cases.
• Proven ability to create executive- and board-level communications and present to senior leadership.
• Experience partnering with Finance, HR/Talent Acquisition, Engineering, and Security leaders to scale operational frameworks.
• Experience supporting organizational or geographic expansion, workforce planning, and location business cases.
• Exceptional ability to operate in ambiguity and align teams without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive CSP’s highest-priority strategic programs, including compliance and certification, organizational expansion, and cross-functional transformation initiatives, from business case through delivery.
• Define program scope, governance, success metrics, roadmaps, commitments, timelines, risks, dependencies, and cross-functional trade-offs.
• Build investment business cases that quantify ARR impact, cost, and risk and secure leadership sponsorship.
• Translate executive priorities into operating cadence, program plans, resourcing decisions, and executive- or board-level materials.
• Present program status, risks, recommendations, and decisions to senior leadership.
• Partner with Finance on budgets, labor allocation, discretionary spend, planning, and forecasting.
• Apply data-driven analysis to workforce strategy, resource allocation, portfolio prioritization, and organizational planning.
• Design scalable frameworks for hiring, talent reviews, planning cycles, and distributed global-team growth.
• Coordinate Engineering, Finance, Legal, Security, Sales, HR, and Talent Acquisition across multi-quarter initiatives.
• Bring structure and clarity to ambiguous problems through governance, cadence, reporting, and decision frameworks.

Skills

Strategic program management

Cross-functional leadership

Budget management

Executive communications

Ambiguity handling

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/Finance/Accounting or related field

Master’s degree in Business/Finance/Accounting or related field

MBA or equivalent advanced degree

Job description

Location: Austin, United States of America
Thales people architect identity management and data protection solutions at the heart of digital security. Business and governments rely on us to bring trust to the billions of digital interactions they have with people. Our technologies and services help banks exchange funds, people cross borders, energy become smarter and much more. More than 30,000 organizations already rely on us to verify the identities of people and things, grant access to digital services, analyze vast quantities of information and encrypt data to make the connected world more secure.
This is a hybrid position in Austin, TX

Position Summary

The Lead Strategic Program Manager is a senior individual contributor within Cybersecurity Products Engineering who leads the organization’s highest-impact, cross-functional strategic programs from definition through execution. The role partners with Engineering, Product, Finance, Security, Sales, Legal, HR, and Talent Acquisition to establish governance, executive reporting, resource and investment plans, and scalable operating frameworks. The incumbent serves as a trusted advisor who brings financial and operational rigor, challenges assumptions, influences senior stakeholders without formal authority, and drives measurable business outcomes.

Essential Functions

• Own and drive CSP’s highest-priority strategic programs, including compliance and certification, organizational expansion, and cross-functional transformation initiatives, from business case through delivery.
• Define program scope, governance, success metrics, roadmaps, commitments, timelines, risks, dependencies, and cross-functional trade-offs.
• Build investment business cases that quantify ARR impact, cost, and risk and secure leadership sponsorship.
• Translate executive priorities into operating cadence, program plans, resourcing decisions, and executive- or board-level materials.
• Present program status, risks, recommendations, and decisions to senior leadership.
• Partner with Finance on budgets, labor allocation, discretionary spend, planning, and forecasting.
• Apply data-driven analysis to workforce strategy, resource allocation, portfolio prioritization, and organizational planning.
• Design scalable frameworks for hiring, talent reviews, planning cycles, and distributed global-team growth.
• Coordinate Engineering, Finance, Legal, Security, Sales, HR, and Talent Acquisition across multi-quarter initiatives.
• Bring structure and clarity to ambiguous problems through governance, cadence, reporting, and decision frameworks.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field with a minimum of 8-12+ years of relevant work experience or Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field with 6+ years of relevant work experience.
• 10+ years of strategic program management, business/strategic operations, or comparable cross-functional leadership experience in technology, cybersecurity, or software engineering.
• Demonstrated leadership of complex, multi-stakeholder programs from business case through execution, including compliance or regulatory programs or comparable strategic initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen in budget management, forecasting, and investment business cases.
• Proven ability to create executive- and board-level communications and present to senior leadership.
• Experience partnering with Finance, HR/Talent Acquisition, Engineering, and Security leaders to scale operational frameworks.
• Experience supporting organizational or geographic expansion, workforce planning, and location business cases.
• Exceptional ability to operate in ambiguity and align teams without direct authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent advanced degree.
• Direct experience with FedRAMP, Common Criteria, or another cybersecurity or government compliance authorization program.
• Experience in a matrixed, global engineering organization, including international hiring, transition, or footprint expansion.
• Background in financial analysis or accounting before moving into program or operations leadership.
• Experience producing Board of Directors or C-suite advance materials.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.
Thales champions inclusion and we believe diversity strengthens the fabric of our culture. Thales is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.
If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at [e-mail].
The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between
Total Target Cash (TTC) 105,261.00 - 205,275.00 USD Annual
This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.
(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please raise HR request through MyThales)
Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

• Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance
• Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period
• Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off
• Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program