Senior Technical Program Manager

Cox Enterprises, Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Cox Enterprises, Inc. is seeking a Senior Program Manager to oversee complex IT and Operations programs across cross-functional teams and multiple delivery systems in a fast-paced enterprise environment.

This role focuses on planning, organizing, monitoring, and guiding multiple Enterprise Technology programs toward defined business outcomes, with risk management, budgeting, and vendor coordination integral to success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technical, business, or management discipline (or equivalent).
• PMP certification or active in progress.
• 2+ years’ experience leading or supporting SAFe Agile teams, or equivalent program management experience on Agile projects/programs.
• Smartsheet experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex enterprise programs involving cross-functional teams and delivery systems in an Agile and matrixed environment.
• Facilitate collaboration, mobilization, and coordination across Enterprise Technology and between Product, Business, and other functions to ensure alignment on scope, timeline, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Drive AI adoption leveraging clear messaging, benefiting the teams and connecting human / AI value.
• Support all phases of the program lifecycle, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.
• Develop and deliver program management deliverables within compliance with approved methodology requirements.
• Communicate program objectives clearly and motivate the project team and delivery systems to achieve them.
• Organize work into manageable work packages or phases and determine an effective approach to completing the work.
• Manage the financial aspects of programs: budgeting, estimate-to-actual variance, and funding channel tracking.
• Analyze risks, establish contingency plans, and identify trigger events and responsibilities for initiating mitigating actions.
• Provide tracking and reporting on progress to plan, cost, and schedule, including change control.
• Manage relationships with program stakeholders, both within IT and with external business stakeholders.
• Proactively manage change to baselined scope, schedule, and cost, communicating impacts and facilitating decisions.
• Identify and elevate bottlenecks, risks, issues, and dependencies to ensure program success and realization of business outcomes.
• Manage vendor relations and procurement activities related to program requirements.
• Drive effective communication, collaboration, and commitment across teams with competing priorities.
• Provide input to refine established PM methodology and alignment with delivery systems.
• Provide performance input to team members’ functional managers.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Budgeting

Managing multiple priorities

Program administration & management

Collaboration

Communication

Execution focus

Adaptability

Facilitation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in technical, business, or management discipline

Master’s degree (alternative, per job spec)

PMP certification

SAFe Agile experience

Tools

Smartsheet

Job description

The Senior Program Manager role manages complex, high-risk technical IT and Operations programs or projects of strategic importance to the organization. This role oversees project initiatives involving cross-functional teams and multiple delivery systems, ensuring that sequencing and dependencies are monitored and managed with timely escalation of deviations from plans and commitments. The Senior Program Manager will plan, organize, monitor, and oversee multiple Enterprise Technology programs to meet defined business specifications, working closely with the Enterprise Technology Delivery organization as well as Service Area Leaders and IT Owners to guide efforts toward achieving intended business results.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead and manage complex enterprise programs involving cross-functional teams and delivery systems in an Agile and matrixed environment.

• Facilitate collaboration, mobilization, and coordination across Enterprise Technology and between Product, Business, and other functions to ensure alignment on scope, timeline, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Drive AI adoption leveraging clear messaging, benefiting the teams and connecting human / AI value.
• Support all phases of the program lifecycle, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.

• Develop and deliver program management deliverables within compliance with approved methodology requirements.

• Communicate program objectives clearly and motivate the project team and delivery systems to achieve them.

• Organize work into manageable work packages or phases and determine an effective approach to completing the work.

• Manage the financial aspects of programs: budgeting, estimate-to-actual variance, and funding channel tracking.

• Analyze risks, establish contingency plans, and identify trigger events and responsibilities for initiating mitigating actions.

• Provide tracking and reporting on progress to plan, cost, and schedule, including change control.

• Manage relationships with program stakeholders, both within IT and with external business stakeholders.

• Proactively manage change to baselined scope, schedule, and cost, communicating impacts and facilitating decisions.

• Identify and elevate bottlenecks, risks, issues, and dependencies to ensure program success and realization of business outcomes.

• Manage vendor relations and procurement activities related to program requirements.

• Drive effective communication, collaboration, and commitment across teams with competing priorities.

• Provide input to refine established PM methodology and alignment with delivery systems.

• Provide performance input to team members’ functional managers.

• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in technical, business, or management discipline and 4 years' experience in active Program/Project management role.
  • The right candidate may also possess a different combination, such as a master's degree and 2 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and 1 years’ experience; or 12 years’ experience in a Program/Project management role with no degree.

• 3+ years' experience managing Technology/Security/Operations projects.

• PMP certification required or actively in progress.

• 2+ years’ experience leading or supporting SAFe Agile teams, or equivalent program management experience on Agile projects/programs.

• Experience with Smartsheet preferred.

• Strong facilitation, communication, and organizational skills.

• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, complex technology projects or programs.

• Effective at working in a highly matrixed environment.

• Excellent facilitation and communication skills, both verbal and written.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Analytical Thinking: Applying structured problem-solving and data-informed decision-making to program challenges.

• Budgeting: Tracking and managing program budgets with attention to cost efficiency and variance reporting.

• Managing Multiple Priorities: Balancing concurrent workstreams and adjusting to shifting demands across a program portfolio.

• Program Administration & Management: Using tools and methodologies for planning, tracking, and reporting effectively.

• Collaboration: Building productive working relationships across teams, removing obstacles, and sharing relevant information.

• Communication: Tailoring messages to audiences, encouraging feedback, and presenting clearly at all organizational levels.

• Execution Focus: Following through on commitments, tracking progress against goals, and escalating proactively.

• Adaptability: Navigating ambiguity and changing priorities with a constructive and solution-oriented mindset.