Senior Manager, Program Strategy & Operations

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career.

Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

The Role 

Do you love bringing strategic vision to life? Are you excited about driving large-scale business transformation? We are seeking a Senior Manager of Program Strategy & Operations to join the Enterprise Ways of Working (EWOW) team within the American Express Technology Business Enablement (TBE) organization. In this role you will have the opportunity to shape the future of how American Express builds digital products and delivers value to our customers by optimizing our ways of working (WoW) to enable a more dynamic investment planning approach that is tailored to the different types of Tech work at Amex.  

This Program Strategy & Operations role will be a critical member of the EWOW team, which is focused on the effort to transform how we plan, invest and allocate resources through scaling new ways of working across the Enterprise. In addition to program strategy & operations of scaling WoW, the EWOW team also oversees the designing and delivery of the communications and education required to enable colleagues as they adopt new ways of working. Key to the overall program’s success will be the partnerships formed across Technology, Business, Product and Design leaders, as well as portfolio and planning teams, engaging them in the development and implementation of new processes and techniques, as well as the formation and support of the new ways of working to scale across the enterprise. 

What You’ll Do 

The Senior Manager in this role will be an instrumental thought partner in strategic program planning, support the multi-year scaling roadmap, drive regular program operations, and ensure successful implementation and integration of WoW throughout the enterprise. Specifically, this colleague will: 

• Manage the multi-year roadmap and workplan, identifying ideal state, and the strategic plan to achieve it 

• Prepare executive-level materials and communications for a variety of forums on a regular basis 

• Monitor and evaluate the program’s performance by creating program reporting, analyzing progress, and synthesizing key strategic insights fit for executive-level audience 

• Develop WoW program metrics and measures of success to track progress towards aspirational targets 

• Integrate new WoW into centralized tooling to enable enterprise-wide adoption and consistent governance 

• Identify additional integration points for WoW to seamlessly be incorporated into regular Enterprise processes (i.e., investment planning processes; BU governance forums; policy such as AENB, SDLC; etc.) 

• Work closely within and across all business units to manage day-to-day scale-up activities, tracking overall progress, timeline management, and proactively identifying risks and escalating if necessary 

• Communicate with cross-functional teams throughout the enterprise to ensure alignment on program milestones and next steps while collaborating effectively and building key relationships  

• Maintain and organize centralized document repository for key program materials and resources 

• Influence others, often without direct authority, persuading with compelling data, facts, and conclusions 

Qualifications 

Must-Haves 

• Strong strategic thinking problem-solving skills and business acumen 

• Background in strategy or management consulting, strategic planning, or portfolio management 

• Proven experience in program or project management for large-scale digital or change/transformation initiatives 

• Proficient in developing high-quality executive-level presentations and communication materials with an impeccable attention to detail 

• Outstanding organizational skills with ability to manage and prioritize multiple deliverables simultaneously 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate messages to a variety of audiences across functions and levels 

• Interpersonal and influencing skills with the ability to build cross-functional relationships 

• Proficiency in SharePoint, Confluence, and Microsoft Office Suite 

• Bachelor’s degree 

   

   

  Differentiators 

   

   

   

• Experience working with C-suite or executive-level stakeholders 

• Familiarity with digital landscape & tech business management, product development lifecycle, and investment planning processes 

• Exposure to agile methodologies, working with engineering teams,  

• Experience designing operating frameworks, governance models, and new processes supported by tooling 

• Self-starter and loves working in a lean, fast-paced, environment with the ability to pivot quickly and navigate ambiguity, forming solutions out of white space 

• Prior experience in Tech/FinTech or payments/banking industry 

• High intellectual curiosity, ability to solve complex problems, strategic thinking mindset, and innovative thought leadership 

• Strong interpersonal skills and executive presence 

• MBA or advanced degree in a relevant field 

Salary Range: $103,750.00 to $174,750.00 annually + bonus + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we’ll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries 
• Bonus incentives 
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan 
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support 
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits 
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need 
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy 
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location) 
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program 
• Career development and training opportunities

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. American Express will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in accordance with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. For positions covered by federal and/or state banking regulations, American Express will comply with such regulations as it relates to the consideration of applicants with criminal convictions.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

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Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the United States is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.