Principal Technical Program Manager

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WP Engine empowers companies and agencies of all sizes to build, power, manage, and optimize their WordPress websites and applications with confidence. Serving 1.5 million customers across 150+ countries, the global technology company provides premium, enterprise-grade solutions, tools, and services, including specialized platforms for WordPress, industry-tailored eCommerce and agency solution suites, and developer-centric tools like Local, Advanced Custom Fields, and more. WP Engine’s innovative technology and industry-leading expertise are why 8% of the web visits a WP Engine-powered site daily. Learn more at wpengine.com.

What's cool about this job:
 

The Enterprise Transformation Program Manager is  responsible for overseeing and delivering large-scale transformation projects and programs within the organization. The role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of business processes, and a proven track record of managing highly complex programs with intricate interdependencies that drive organizational change to achieve adoption. The successful candidate will work closely with executive (CxO) and other senior leadership, cross-functional teams, external vendors, and external stakeholders to ensure successful implementation and ultimately adoption of transformation initiatives.  Enabling change and driving adoption is the ultimate success criteria for this role.

As a key member of WP Engine’s leadership team this person will play a critical leadership role in transforming WPE’s core business processes.  This role will report to the Director of Program Management for Product and Engineering and work closely with the Director and VP of the Business Transformation organization. This role is both highly strategic and hands-on, and would be a great fit for someone who is ambitious, structured, data-driven, performance oriented, with a passion for large scale program management.

The key objective of the Business Transformation organization is to transform WP Engine’s key business tools and practices that support our lead to cash domains as well as customer service, customer success, and finance while driving the vision, strategy, and roadmap execution critical in the WPE start-up to enterprise journey.
 

Key Responsibilities:
 

Strategic Leadership: 

• Take a leadership role in the development and execution of the enterprise transformation strategy in alignment with organizational goals and objectives and in partnership organizational leaders. Identify opportunities for innovation and improvement. 

• Drive change management excellence in the organization,  be a thought leader in how we  both enable and drive successful adoption of major change across WP Engine.

• Advocate for and represent the business transformation organization at the T1 (CxO/SVP/VP) level, communicate across and align functions and business leaders

• Define transformation roadmaps, breakdown strategies and business objectives into small rapidly deliverable value and/or experiments with clear KPIs 

• Model a growth oriented, disruptive, “blue-sky” mindset where established organization norms and business practices are challenged, silos broken down, and optimal designs are architected

• Drive special programs such as application rationalization and/or M&A activities as needed
   

Program Leadership:  

• Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of enterprise-wide transformation programs, ensuring alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives.

• Develop and manage comprehensive program plans, including scope, timeline, budget, capacity management/resource allocation, risk/issue management, and success criteria, status reporting while regularly updating stakeholders on the status including progress, potential delays, and mitigation strategies.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including executives, department heads, and external partners.

• Manage external vendors for software-related engagements as necessary

• Keep abreast with Agile methodologies and program management best practices and new trends
   

Critical Path Management

• Identifying, document and comprehensively map dependencies across programs, workstreams, projects and business as usual changes and leverage a network diagram or similar project management tool to visualize the tasks and their dependencies

• Develop contingency plans for critical path tasks, and drive trade-off discussion to ensure that critical path tasks receive the highest priority in terms of resources, whether that’s personnel, budget, or tools.

• Drive cross-functional coordination between programs and teams and adjust the critical path as the program evolves. New risks, changes in scope, or delays in non-critical tasks might alter the critical path, requiring you to re-evaluate priorities and timelines.

• Optimize parallel execution and avoid bottlenecks across transformation portfolio 
   

Risk Management:

• Identify potential risks and issues associated with transformation initiatives and develop mitigation strategies.

• Monitor and report on program performance, addressing any deviations from the plan and implementing corrective actions as needed.
   

Change Leadership:

• Develop and implement change leadership strategies to facilitate smooth transitions, successful enablement and minimize disruption with effective communication and stakeholder engagement throughout the transformation process.

• Define adoption strategies, incentives and campaigns to drive value realization 

• Monitor adoption, recommend design changes to improve adoption, track value delivered and optimize impact to profitability and sustained growth.

• Maintains healthy partnerships with  training, communications and change enablement resources within the business to craft product training criteria, curriculum, content and oversee the delivery of training

• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and empathy for our business partners, and users
   

Continuous Improvement:

• Drive continuous improvement by evaluating program outcomes and incorporating feedback to enhance future initiatives.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies relevant to transformation efforts.

Your Expertise and Passions

• Demonstrated success in program management of complex initiatives with business-wide impact

• Experience as an empowered cross-functional leader who is comfortable leading change throughout an organization.

• Thorough understanding of commonly used project/program management techniques and methods

• Sound understanding of the software development life cycle, product development lifecycle and Lean / Agile frameworks

• Passionate about fostering an agile mentality while meeting the needs of the business, helping to create an environment where people can thrive and have fun, while getting stuff done!

• Excellent at managing change through complex organizational dynamics

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, highly comfortable communicating with senior executives and technical team members.

• Comfortable translating technical things to non-technical people, and helping technical people understand business and non-technical concerns

• Ability to identify, prioritize, and solve critical challenges in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment

• Skilled at initiating and coordinating new projects/programs with little guidance or supervision

• Skilled at tailoring approach to various team styles and needs

• High emotional intelligence, including the ability to encourage, mentor and influence peers
   

Minimum Requirements

• A highly motivated, self-starting leader with a genuine interest in business transformation, program management, change management and driving adoption 

• Experience in Lead to Cash transformation, leveraging technologies (but not limited to) such as Salesforce, Hubspot, Netsuite, ZenDesk, Gainsight, Segment, Big Query, WorkDay

• 8+ years of enterprise transformation management experience

• Preferably industry experience in technology or high-tech
   

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience working with internal service products and systems a plus

• Experience working with enterprise identity and billing systems a plus

• Experience running large and/or sophisticated system integrations and organizational change a plus

• Bachelor's degree in math, science, engineering, or significant work experience in a related technical field a plus.

• Advanced level experience with Jira and Confluence

• PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM or CPO certification a plus 

• WordPress, Hosting platform experience or DevOps experience a plus

The Perks And Benefits

• Company Stock Options (Every employee is an owner in the company)

• Great Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Accident & Critical Illness)

• Fertility Benefits (IVF/Fertility drug coverage)

• HSA Company contribution $750 for employee / $1500 for family

• 401(k) with a 4% match

• Disability Insurance 

• Paid Family and Caregiver’s Leave

• Employee Assistance Program

• Generous Vacation Time (Who doesn’t like time off)

• One-time $500 payment to set up your home office

• 4 Company Wellness Days a year

• 1 floating holiday

• $100 monthly wellness allowance to spend on what you want

• Free subscription to Calm

• Pet Insurance

• On-going education through LinkedIn Learning, Workday Learning and our Career Growth Portal

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$168,000.00 - $252,000.00

We believe that compensation should be reflective of the impact you have within the organization relative to the market value of your role. The estimated base salary range for this position is as listed above. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay. Our salary ranges are determined by job role and responsibilities and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for salaries for the position nationwide. The actual base pay will vary based on various factors including job-related skills and individual qualifications objectively assessed during the interview process. Your talent acquisition partner can share more about the total rewards package at WP Engine including any additional total rewards components such as equity, variable pay plans (if applicable), and benefits during the hiring process.