Program Manager, Technology Strategic Initiatives
(Requires relocation or residence in Seattle, onsite 3 days pers week)
Who we are
lululemon is a yoga-inspired technical apparel company up to big things. The practice and philosophy of yoga informs our overall purpose to elevate the world through the power of practice. We are proud to be a growing global company with locations all around the world, from Vancouver to Shanghai, and places in between. We owe our success to our innovative product, our emphasis on our stores, our commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we get to make in every community we are in.
About this role:
The Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives is responsible for overseeing and driving the successful implementation of large-scale, complex multi-year programs in technology. This role will assure quality, provide guidance, manage risks, and assess overall performance through key performance indicators that will achieve the program’s objectives within the broader strategic goals of the organization. This position involves a blend of strategic thinking, technical acumen, program management, and stakeholder collaboration.
Key responsibilities include:
- Collaborate with senior leadership to define the strategic goals and objectives of the technology evolution program
- Develop and manage a comprehensive program plan that aligns with the overall program strategy
- Establish and maintain effective governance structures to ensure proper oversight of the program
- Lead and direct cross-functional project teams to ensure the achievement of strategic objectives
- Define roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes for key stakeholders
- Identify and engage key stakeholders at various levels within the organization
- Communicate effectively with stakeholders to manage expectations and address concerns
- Allocate and manage resources (both human and financial) efficiently to support the program goals
- Ensure that teams have the necessary tools and technology to execute their responsibilities
- Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies
- Establish and manage a risk management framework to monitor, assess, and address risks throughout the program
- Foster a positive and supportive environment for employees during the transformation
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the success of the program
- Lead "program/feature" dependencies across multiple teams, scrum teams, functions, divisions, and collaborators
- Regularly monitor and report progress to leadership and stakeholders
- Implement quality assurance processes to ensure that deliverables meet the defined standards
- Conduct regular reviews and audits to identify areas for improvement
- Manage relationships with external vendors or partners involved in the program.
- Ensure that vendors align with the program's objectives and deliver as per contractual agreements
- Foster a culture of continuous learning to support ongoing innovation and improvement
- Partner with Change Management resources to establish a clear communication plan to keep all stakeholders informed of progress and changes
- Maintain comprehensive documentation of program activities, decisions, and outcomes
- Conduct a thorough post-implementation review to evaluate the success of the program and identify areas for further improvement
Qualifications:
- Minimum of 5 years working in Technology program delivery or operations or a related field
- 5-7+ years in project/program management role and/or 3-5+ years consulting or executive management role
- Proven experience with a focus on project/program management within high growth companies
- Help define and deliver complex programs with challenging priorities by influencing roadmaps and priorities of key stakeholders.
- Ability to master technical subjects and technologies relevant to the program
- Highly analytical, technically proficient, and able to learn new tools and software quickly.
- Experience using agile software development practices and associated tooling
- Experience delivering tech programs or products from inception to delivery
- Knowledge of user needs, gathering requirements, and defining scope
- Experience proactively identifying and mitigating risks by utilizing Agile risk management techniques to ensure project success
- Entrepreneurship and resourcefulness – a self-starter
- Self-awareness, with a desire for constant self-improvement
- Must be a team player and able to work with and through others
- Preferred: Project Management Professional (PMP), Change Management Certification (PROSCI), Process Improvement Certification (Lean Six Sigma).
Must haves:
- Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life.
- Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results.
- Communicates with honesty and kindness and creates the space for others to do the same.
- Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
- Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
- Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka does not take themselves too seriously.
For Applicants: lululemon’s compensation offerings are rooted in a pay-for-performance philosophy that recognizes exceptional individual and team performance. The typical hiring range for this position in the US is 103,500-135,900 annually; the base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. As part of our competitive Total Rewards offering, permanent employees in this position may be eligible for our competitive annual bonus and equity offerings, subject to program eligibility requirements.
At lululemon, investing in our people is a top priority. We believe that when life works, work works. In addition to our competitive Total Rewards offering, we also have personal and professional development offerings. Our offerings recognize our teams for their performance and support whole person development, including support for employees on how to grow their career:
- Extended health and dental benefits, and mental health plans
- Paid time off
- Savings and retirement plan matching
- Generous employee discount
- Fitness & yoga classes
- Parenthood top-up
- Extensive catalog of development course offerings
- People networks, mentorship programs, and leadership series (to name a few)
This role is classified as Hybrid under our SSC Workplace Policy:
Hybrid in-person collaboration is important, and much of the role can be performed remotely. Work is performed onsite at least 3 days per week.