How will this role impact First Command?

As a Program Manager at First Command, you will help drive strategic alignment and operational excellence leading enterprise-wide programs that significantly impact operational efficiency. This role focuses on ensuring the successful execution of a key initiative supporting First Command’s mission of empowering military families with trusted financial advice and solutions. The Program Manager will work closely with other senior leaders to align execution with a Program’s goals and assigned resources.  Your ability to bring structure, clarity, and momentum will help shape First Command’s ongoing transformation and innovation efforts.

What will the employee be doing? 

Program Leadership and Execution:

• Lead business sponsors and project managers through all phases of project delivery, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closeout.
• Develop program scope and deliverables, required resources, program plan, risk management, budgeting, and internal / external program performance reporting.
• Manage the Program Team to ensure solutions are delivered on time and within specification in order to maintain program scope and schedule.
• Apply appropriate project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, or Hybrid) based on project needs.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:

• Facilitate effective communication between business units, technical teams, vendors, and leadership.
• Organize and lead regular Program meetings, status updates, and steering committee presentations.
• Translate business needs into actionable plans and help align  multiple dependent projects to ensure outcomes align with strategic priorities.

Risk and Issue Management:

• Identify Program risks and issues early, and work proactively to mitigate or resolve them.
• Maintain documentation, decision logs, and change control records spanning across multiple projects accordance with First Command EPMO standards.
• Escalate concerns when necessary to ensure timely resolution and maintain Program momentum.

Collaboration and Continuous Improvement:

• Build positive working relationships across the organization to promote teamwork and collaboration.
• Work effectively with Digital Product and other Agile teams in service to Program objectives.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of project management tools, documentation, and best practices.
• Support a culture of continuous learning by sharing lessons learned, participating in team development, and mentoring more junior teammates.
• Lead cross-functional teams of internal staff, external partners, and subject matter experts to execute project work, organize team efforts, and drive accountability.
• Coordinate with project managers to align on shared goals.

What skills & qualifications does this employee need? 

Education

• Bachelor’s degree is required.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience project management experience, 5+ years focused on managing complex technical and IT-related projects. 3+ years in Program Management preferred. .
• Demonstrated success in leading both Agile and Waterfall projects in a fast-paced, regulated environment – preferably in financial services.
• Proven experience managing enterprise system implementations, cloud migrations, digital initiatives, or data/infrastructure projects.

Certifications

• PMP (Project Management Professional) required
• Agile certification (e.g., SAFe, CSM, PMI-ACP) preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Solid understanding of Program, Project, and software development life cycles
• Understanding of the financial services environment and customer-centric solutions is a plus.
• Solid understanding of Program lifecycle activities, risk management, and team collaboration strategies.

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