Director, Strategic Planning & Pgm Mgmt

Reporting directly to the VP of SMB Payments, the Director of Strategic Planning & Program Management will play a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of our organization. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing strategic plans that drive growth, improve efficiency, and deliver for the customer to enhance our competitive position in the market. Additionally, they will oversee the successful execution of key programs and initiatives, ensuring alignment with company goals and objectives.

Reporting directly to the VP of SMB Payments, the Director of Strategic Planning & Program Management will play a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of our organization. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing strategic plans that drive growth, improve efficiency, and deliver for the customer to enhance our competitive position in the market. Additionally, they will oversee the successful execution of key programs and initiatives, ensuring alignment with company goals and objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning:

• Lead the development of comprehensive strategic plans that align with the company's vision, mission, and long-term objectives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align on prioritization, resourcing, and key milestones.
• Monitor program progress and track status of project relative to strategic goals, KPIs, and milestones for delivery. 
• Provide visibility to execution risks and facilitate forums for adjusting as needed to drive success.

Program Management:

• Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of key programs and initiatives across the organization.
• Provide a governance structure to proactively identify interdependencies, risks, resource constraints and program impediments so that these issues can be quickly addressed or escalated as necessary to ensure timely resolution. 
• Define project scopes, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Develop and implement project management best practices, processes, and tools to ensure successful outcomes.
• Provide leadership and guidance to project teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Monitor project budgets, timelines, and risks, taking proactive measures to mitigate issues and ensure on-time delivery.
• Keep leadership informed and up to date about the status/progress of committed work and/or all relevant or useful information relative to the portfolio’s day-to-day activities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with department heads, executives, and other stakeholders to create aligned plans on strategic initiatives, inclusive of motions up and downstream of product development such as go-to-market coordination, phased adoption plans that consider sales, support and integration teams. 
• Facilitate communication and coordination across teams to ensure holistic and seamless execution of programs, new products/features, and portfolio management. 
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, providing insights and recommendations to support decision-making.

Performance Measurement and Reporting:

• Establish metrics and KPIs to measure the effectiveness and impact of strategic initiatives.
• Develop methodologies and tools to effectively track progress and communicate results to stakeholders.
• Analyze data and trends to identify areas for improvement and optimization.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Certification in one or more of the following a plus: PMP, PgMP, PfMP, IAPM, Six Sigma. 
• 10+ years of experience in strategic planning, program management, or related roles within a product organization with a proven track record of leading and delivering complex initiatives.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing successful strategic plans and leading complex programs to completion.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Expertise defining and establishing program governance with proficiency using JIRA/Confluence or similar industry leading program planning tools.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated leadership ability, with a focus on driving results, fostering innovation, and building high-performing teams.