Program Manager – Core Banking Contract

Job Title: Program Manager
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Engagement: Contractual
Duration: 12 Months (Extendable | Long-term on Marc Ellis Payroll)

Job Summary:

The IT Program Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and delivering large-scale, strategic IT
programs across the organization. The role ensures timely delivery within scope and budget while maintaining
governance, quality, and business alignment. The Program Manager collaborates with cross-functional teams
and engages directly with senior leadership, including EXCO/CXO stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Project & Program Planning

• Define program scope, objectives, milestones, and deliverables in consultation with stakeholders.
• Develop detailed project plans, baselines, and schedules.
• Identify dependencies, risks, phases, and required efforts.
• Conduct resource planning and ensure capacity availability.
 

Project Execution & Delivery

• Lead the full project lifecycle: initiation → planning → execution → monitoring → closure.
• Manage internal teams, vendors, and external consultants to deliver as per plan.
• Ensure projects are delivered within defined timelines, budgets, and scope.
• Maintain deliverable quality and ensure alignment with enterprise IT strategy.

Monitoring, Reporting & Control

• Track progress using KPIs, dashboards, and defined project controls.
• Monitor project budgets and variances; ensure financial discipline.
• Manage risks, issues, and dependencies with mitigation strategies.
• Monitor defect management, fixes, testing cycles, and readiness gates.
• Deliver MIS reports, progress updates, and SteerCo presentations.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to PMO governance, templates, QMS, Risk & Audit frameworks.
• Manage scope changes, perform impact analysis, and obtain stakeholder approvals.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory bodies, including Central Bank requirements for digital channels.
• Maintain data confidentiality, security, and IT compliance standards.

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Establish communication frameworks and governance cadence.
• Conduct stand-ups, steering committee meetings, workshops, and planning sessions.
• Engage with business owners, PMO, IT leaders, and senior executives.
• Act as the escalation point for all delivery-related issues.

Team & Vendor Management

• Manage and guide teams of 30–40 multi-disciplinary members.
• Resolve conflicts, ensure productivity, and support team development.
• Oversee timesheets, performance, and contract renewals.
• Manage vendors, enforce SLAs, negotiate deliverables, and monitor performance.
• Organize training, workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions.

Key Deliverables:

• On-time, within-budget delivery of strategic IT programs.
• High-quality deliverables aligned with business objectives.
• Transparent reporting and documentation for business and PMO.
• Effective risk, issue, and dependency management.
• High customer satisfaction and stakeholder alignment.
• Compliance with audit, risk, and governance standards.

Performance Measures:

• Delivery vs. project baselines (schedule, scope, cost).
• Budget adherence (Actual vs. Planned).
• Quality metrics (defect ratio, leakage, acceptance).
• Stakeholder satisfaction (CSAT & feedback).
• Compliance to PMO, QMS, Risk & Audit guidelines.
• Team performance & resource utilization.

Required Experience:

• 10+ years overall IT experience, with 8+ years in Project/Program Management.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in Banking/Financial Services.
• Demonstrated success managing programs with budgets above AED 10M.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams of 30–40 members.
• Experience working with EXCO/CXO leadership.
• Proven delivery experience across Agile and Waterfall environments.
• Vendor and partner management experience (onshore & offshore).

Technical & Professional Skills:

• End-to-end IT Program & Project Management expertise.
• Strong knowledge of Agile (Scrum/Kanban) & Waterfall methodologies.
• Budgeting, forecasting, and financial management.
• Strong understanding of IT architecture, security, and enterprise delivery models.
• Excellent stakeholder and communication skills.
• Coaching, mentoring, and team development capabilities.
• Tools proficiency: MS Office Suite / MS Project / Visio / Clarity PPM (Preferred)

Behavioral Competencies:

• Strategic Orientation
• Analytical & Critical Thinking
• Leadership & Team Management
• Decision-making & Problem-solving
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• Flexibility & Adaptability
• Integrity & Accountability

Education & Certifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in IT, Computer Science, or related field.
• PMP or Prince2 certification.
• Agile certifications (e.g., CSM, SAFe) are a plus.