Program Manager

Program Manager
- Be part of a high performing supportive team
- Flexible work arrangements - work in a way that suits you best
- Initial 12 Month contract
- Location: Melbourne

**Description of division and business unit**

Platforms is one of two growth businesses for AMP, and as such, is supported by a substantial investment in projects. It exists in a very competitive market, and a robust regulatory environment, which requires regular reviews of strategic direction and operational emphasis. The target segment for Platforms is mass affluent through the advised channel, with some service provided directly to clients that become unadvised. **This is contingent contract role working at AMP**.

**The Opportunity**

The role will plan and manage end-to-end large sized programs of high complexity, with a high level of risk and with significant business criticality. The role will ensure program results contribute positive business value and meet agreed scope, cost, schedule and quality objectives utilising multiple delivery approaches, including waterfall and agile. The role will maintain the overall integrity and coherence of the program, with strong management of inter-dependencies including oversight of any risks and issues arising. It includes the co-ordination of new capability for the business to enable effective change and realisation of projected benefits.

**About the role**:

- Lead and oversee the planning, development, and execution of strategic programs and projects
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, to ensure alignment and seamless execution of initiatives.
- Provide strategic direction and guidance to project managers and teams, ensuring project objectives, timelines, and budgets are met.
- Develop and manage program budgets, tracking expenses and resource allocation to ensure optimal utilization and cost-effectiveness.
- Establish and maintain program management methodologies, tools, and best practices to drive consistent project delivery excellence.
- Identify potential risks and issues that could impact program success and develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans.
- Communicate program progress, status updates, and key performance metrics to senior leadership and stakeholders.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the program and across the organization, supporting positive employee engagement and satisfaction.
- Mentor and coach business stakeholders and project managers, team members, fostering professional development and growth.
- Uplift ways of working, driving efficiencies and quality in delivery of strategic outcomes; Support a shift to agile ways of working and corresponding uplift in quality, efficiency, and speed from concept to release
- Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to drive program innovation and competitiveness.
- Ensure Business and IT engagement in the success of any program.
- Propose challenging yet realistic project plans, including schedules and resource plans; these plans to be agreed with the Director, Strategy & Transformation prior to aligning with other key stakeholders as necessary.
- Accurately size any stranded costs from any program and determine an efficient plan to exit them, working with key stakeholders as required.

**Job Specific capabilities required**:

- Strong team leadership and ability to develop and instill a vision for any given program, creating a motivating environment and building a team culture with focus on ownership, delivery and collaboration across business and IT
- Identifying opportunities to enhance service, deliver efficiencies and scalability using operational excellence principals.
- Leading solution design on workflow and process optimisation.
- Contemporary project management skills, including strong planning with an ability to prioritize work to meet deadlines, manage interdependencies, assumptions, risks and issues and instill stakeholder confidence
- Demonstrable hands-on experience in end-to-end program delivery, leveraging matrixed and distributed teams of 50+ resources
- Ability to establish effective and efficient (right-sized) project governance and controls to deliver quality outcomes
- Ability to negotiate outcomes with governing bodies inside and outside of AMP
- Strong commercial focus and business judgement with the ability to drive program budget efficiencies
- Strong stakeholder management and leadership skills, demonstrating ability to maintain effective relationships, ensure project is aligned to business objectives and negotiate trade-offs between business need and project do-ability
- Delivering effective communications tailored for different audiences at all levels
- Strong Vendor management & Relationship skills
- Ability to guide and empower multiple Project Managers (and other resources allocated to a given program as appropriate)
- Ability to proactively anticipate and resolve problems/roadbloc