Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Program Director / Product Owner to lead and govern the strategic Cost Optimization Program within our Technology & Operations division. Managing a high-impact portfolio of approximately 40 concurrent projects, this role is critical to maintaining macro-level control, driving delivery accountability, and aligning executive leadership on key financial and operational milestones. The ideal candidate excels at strategic oversight, risk trend analysis, and executive communication. You will synthesize granular project data into high-level portfolio trends, ensuring senior management stays focused on critical insights, major risks, and actionable decision-making.

Key Responsibilities Portfolio & Program Governance: Oversee and coordinate a portfolio of ~40 cost optimization initiatives, ensuring standard governance frameworks, progress tracking, and delivery consistency. Executive Reporting & Synthesis: Digest complex project details into concise, high-impact status narratives, executive dashboards, and metric-driven reports tailored for C-suite and VP-level discussions. Risk Management & Decision Support: Continuously monitor risk trends and dependencies across the program, surface critical issues requiring leadership attention, and present actionable recommendations. Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Partner with senior business leaders, technology executives, and project leads to drive alignment, remove blockers, and ensure structured follow-up on priority action items. Macro-Level Oversight: Maintain clear visibility over total program health without getting bogged down in day-to-day project mechanics, keeping executive focus on strategic outcomes and bottom-line impact.

Qualifications & Key Competencies Senior Governance Experience: Demonstrated success in a Program Director, Senior Program Manager, or Lead Product Owner capacity overseeing large-scale, multi-project portfolios. Executive Communication Skills: Superior ability to summarize complex, technical, or financial data into clear narratives, facts, and metrics for executive decision-making. Risk & Issue Resolution: Proven track record in identifying macro portfolio risks, forecasting dependencies, and driving timely resolutions across matrixed organizations. Stakeholder Management: Exceptional interpersonal and influencing skills, with a track record of building trust and managing expectations with senior leadership. Industry Experience: Previous experience in Canadian banking, financial services, or enterprise transformation environments is strongly preferred (asset), but not mandatory.