Senior Program Manager, Launch Operations (contract)

We are seeking a Senior Program Manager to join our PMO team, focusing on Launch Operations and Readiness on a four month contract. Reporting to the Vice President, Program Management you will be responsible for driving and managing new product and feature releases, ensuring the proper program level planning is conducted, so that all business units across Hootsuite are prepared to promote, sell, deliver, and support our product at a level of readiness to achieve the defined launch objectives and key results. In line with Hootsuite's distributed workforce strategy, our flexible work arrangement allows for remote work or a hybrid model. This role is open to applicants located in Canada and the United States within provinces/states where we comply with our legal hiring entities. Preference will be given to those located in EST/CST timezones, or willing to work EST/CST hours. In this role, you will report to the Vice President, Program Management. 

What You'll Do:

Launch Readiness Planning:

• Develop comprehensive project plans, outlining scope, goals, deliverables, and timelines for each activity required for the level of launch defined.
• Drive communication with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment during the planning phase.
• Continuously review and adjust plans as needed to accommodate changes in scope, resources, or priorities.

Launch Readiness Execution:

• Implement a 'two-week sprint' mentality and schedule, promoting agile project management methodologies across business units that do not follow agile practices
  today.
• Monitor progress and adjust execution strategies as needed to overcome obstacles and ensure timely delivery of launches.
• Facilitate regular check-ins and updates with stakeholders to maintain alignment and visibility throughout the launch phases.

Governance and Best Practices:

• Establish and maintain standardized processes and guidelines for the launch operations program.
• Conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with established governance policies and identify areas for improvement.
• Provide ongoing training and support to team members in the adoption of best practices for launch planning and execution.

PD Delivery Partnership and Alignment:

• Collaborate with the delivery-focused Program Managers to develop and implement strategies to ensure alignment of timelines for cross-functional release schedules.
• Share insights and lessons learned from previous launches to improve overall delivery processes.
• Establish clear communication channels between program management and launch operations teams to ensure transparency and alignment.

CPO/CTO Leadership Partnership:

• Work closely with Product, Development, and Product Marketing leaders to coordinate the launch readiness program from planning through execution for all
  priorities.
• Report on major and minor release timelines, alerting leadership of major impediments and raising visibility of progress or slowdowns.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement strategies to address business objectives and drive continuous improvement of the launch operations program..
• Participate in strategic planning sessions to help shape and prioritize launch activities for the business unit.

Data Analysis and Risk Management:

• Track all major launches across the organization in a consolidated way via reporting based on the identified deliverable timelines expected across all groups.
• Utilize data gathering, analysis, and evaluation to create efficient, repeatable, and timely processes for managing launch readiness.
• Perform risk management, defining and driving actions to address strategic concerns, gaps, issues, or risks such as delayed deliverables across the organization which would impact the customer experience of the launch.
• Manage risks affecting release scope and schedule, and report on progress for all priorities with action plans for course correction

Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:

• Foster strong working relationships with individual contributors to senior-level stakeholders, both within the PMO and across the organization.
• Drive projects requiring collaboration across various teams and ensure seamless end-to-end delivery for product and feature releases.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or related discipline.
• Broad & varied experience required to include at least 3+ years of management experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Significant relevant experience working in an enterprise software organization.
• Some demonstrated real world experience executing release management practices.
• Strong problem solving and the ability to partner with Product Managers, Engineers, Program Managers and other technical roles across the organization.
• Delivering creative solutions in a fast-paced agile development environment and proven track record of shepherding deliverables from definition to release.
• Experience with Agile processes, working with Agile teams and leveraging Agile tools in order to accomplish Launch Readiness Program goals.
• Excellent facilitation, organization and collaboration skills.
• Communication skills with both management and technical audiences.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills with keen attention to detail.

Who You Are:

• Solution seeker. You’re focused on tackling new challenges, solving problems, and moving the business forward—and you don’t wait to be asked.
• Lifelong learner. You have a growth mindset – you’re here to learn, experiment, seek, apply, and provide feedback, share what works with your team, and move on from what doesn’t.
• Resilient adapter. In the face of change and challenges, you bring a thoughtful, calm approach, and a focus on finding the new opportunity.
• Intentional collaborator. You build positive working relationships across the business, bringing people together to foster new opportunities and to facilitate the efficient flow of information.
• Critical challenger. You have the trust in your team to ask difficult questions in order to get to the best end result.
• Active communicator. You listen actively and communicate ideas and information clearly, inclusively, and proactively.
• Integrated thinker. You look beyond your role and responsibilities to understand how your team’s work drives broader organizational goals.
• Accountable owner. You take pride in the work you’re responsible for with a mindset of ultimate accountability and reliability for the outcomes.
• Bar-raiser. You step up to help your team grow and succeed, even when that means going beyond what might be expected.

In all we do, our six guiding principles light the way:

Step Up: Dare to go beyond the expected to achieve greatness. #StepUp

One Team: Make Hootsuite a place we soar together by respecting each other's individuality, building trust, and showing up for the team. #OneTeam #FreeToBeMe

Customer Obsessed: Focus relentlessly on helping our customers succeed. #CustomerObsessed

Go Fast, Be Agile: Widen our competitive advantage by committing to speed and simplicity over perfection and complexity. #GoFastBeAgile

Play to Win: Commit to building an incredible, profitable company for our customers, our employees, and our stakeholders. #PlayToWin #NoExcuses

Neighbours & Allies: Give back to our communities and be an ally. #SocialForGood #Allies

Accommodations will be provided as requested by candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

#LI-EM #Li-remote