Senior Program Manager Contract

Job Description – Senior Program Manager

Client: Invest Bank

Position Title

Senior Program Manager

Location

UAE

Experience Required

12+ Years

Industry Preference

Banking / Financial Services (UAE Banking experience mandatory)

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Program Manager to lead and drive large-scale strategic technology and digital transformation initiatives within the banking domain. The ideal candidate should possess strong experience managing complex enterprise programs across multiple banking functions while ensuring alignment between business, technology, operations, compliance, and executive stakeholders.

The role demands exceptional stakeholder management, governance, delivery oversight, and program execution capabilities across digital banking, core banking, payments, cards, compliance, integration, and transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of enterprise-wide banking transformation programs.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects/workstreams across business and technology teams.
• Drive strategic planning, execution governance, risk management, and program reporting.
• Work closely with senior leadership, business heads, technology teams, vendors, and external partners.
• Ensure successful delivery within scope, timelines, budget, and quality standards.
• Establish strong governance frameworks, steering committees, and executive reporting structures.
• Manage dependencies across digital channels, middleware, integrations, core banking, CRM, payments, onboarding, and regulatory initiatives.
• Coordinate with architecture, infrastructure, cybersecurity, compliance, operations, and vendor teams.
• Drive Agile and Waterfall project delivery methodologies depending on project requirements.
• Monitor program risks, issues, escalations, and mitigation plans proactively.
• Ensure alignment with UAE banking regulations, audit, compliance, and security standards.
• Mentor project managers and delivery teams across the program landscape.
• Prepare and present executive dashboards, program status reports, and steering committee updates.

Required Skills & Experience

Must Have

• 12+ years of Program / Project Management experience.
• Strong UAE Banking domain experience.
• Proven experience managing large-scale enterprise banking transformation programs.
• Strong exposure to:
  • Retail Banking
  • Digital Banking
  • Payments
  • Cards
  • Core Banking
  • CRM
  • Customer Onboarding
  • Middleware & Integrations
• Experience managing cross-functional enterprise programs involving business, operations, technology, compliance, and vendors.
• Strong stakeholder management experience with CXO-level interactions.
• Excellent governance, risk management, budgeting, and reporting capabilities.
• Strong understanding of SDLC, Agile, and Waterfall methodologies.
• Experience managing third-party vendors and system integrators.

Preferred Skills

• PMP / Prince2 / Agile certifications preferred.
• Exposure to UAE regulatory and compliance frameworks.
• Experience in digital transformation and modernization programs.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to work in high-pressure enterprise banking environments.

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related field.
• Master’s degree / MBA preferred.

Ideal Candidate Profile