Senior Program Manager | From Banks Only

Job Description – Senior Program Manager

Banking & Digital Transformation

Location: Pakistan Department: Program Management / Delivery Employment Type: Full-Time Experience: 15 Years, preferably with significant Banking / Financial Services experience

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Program Manager to lead and oversee complex, strategic technology and transformation programs for the banking and financial services sector.

The ideal candidate should be a seasoned professional currently working, or having substantial experience, within a bank, financial institution, or large enterprise environment. This role requires someone who understands banking culture, governance structures, regulatory considerations, organizational complexities, and executive-level expectations.

The position will be responsible for managing large-scale programs involving multiple vendors, internal business units, technology teams, senior stakeholders, and external partners, while ensuring successful delivery against strategic, operational, financial, and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage large-scale, complex banking and enterprise technology programs from initiation through successful delivery.

• Establish overall program strategy, governance framework, implementation roadmap, milestones, priorities, and success criteria.

• Manage multiple projects and workstreams running simultaneously under a broader transformation program.

• Coordinate effectively with multiple technology vendors, implementation partners, consultants, internal teams, and third-party service providers.

• Act as the primary point of accountability for program progress, delivery, risks, dependencies, and key decisions.

• Engage regularly with senior executives, business heads, technology leadership, steering committees, and other key stakeholders.

• Prepare and present program status, risks, achievements, challenges, and recommendations to senior and top management.

• Ensure alignment between business objectives, technology implementation, operational requirements, and organizational priorities.

• Develop strong stakeholder relationships across Business, Technology, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Information Security, Finance, and other relevant functions.

• Identify program-level risks, issues, interdependencies, and potential delivery challenges and establish appropriate mitigation plans.

• Manage vendor performance and ensure contractual commitments, timelines, quality standards, and deliverables are achieved.

• Facilitate decision-making and resolve conflicts between internal teams, vendors, and senior stakeholders.

• Ensure appropriate program governance, documentation, reporting, escalation mechanisms, and change-control processes.

• Monitor program budgets, resource utilization, timelines, deliverables, and overall program health.

• Ensure that implemented solutions meet business requirements, quality expectations, security requirements, and applicable banking standards.

• Support organizational change management and business readiness for major technology and transformation initiatives.

• Maintain executive-level visibility and accountability throughout the entire program lifecycle.

Required Experience

• Minimum 15 years of professional experience, with substantial experience managing large and complex programs.

• Strong experience within Banking, Financial Services, Fintech, or a large enterprise environment.

• Preference will be given to candidates who have worked directly within a bank or major financial institution.

• Demonstrated experience managing enterprise-level technology, digital transformation, banking transformation, or similar strategic programs.

• Proven experience managing multiple vendors and multiple stakeholders simultaneously.

• Strong understanding of banking organizational structures, internal governance, decision-making processes, and stakeholder dynamics.

• Experience interacting with C-level executives, senior management, steering committees, and business leadership.

• Strong experience in program governance, risk management, dependency management, budgeting, reporting, and executive communication.

• Ability to manage complex environments involving business, technology, operations, risk, compliance, and external partners.

• Experience with banking technology implementations, digital banking, payments, core banking, channels, or enterprise transformation initiatives would be highly advantageous.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Program & Portfolio Management

• Banking / Financial Services Domain Knowledge

• Digital & Technology Transformation

• Multi-Vendor Management

• Executive Stakeholder Management

• Program Governance

• Risk & Issue Management

• Strategic Planning

• Change Management

• Budget & Resource Management

• Vendor & Partner Management

• Cross-Functional Leadership

• Conflict Resolution & Negotiation

• Executive Reporting & Presentations

• Strong Decision-Making Skills

• Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline.

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Technology Management, Project Management, or a related discipline would be an advantage.

• Professional certifications such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, SAFe, or similar program/project management certifications would be preferred.

Preferred Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a mature and commercially aware program leader who:

• Has firsthand experience working within the culture and complexities of a large bank or financial institution.

• Can confidently manage relationships with senior executives and top management.

• Has successfully delivered programs involving several vendors, business units, and technology teams.

• Understands that program management extends beyond project tracking and requires strategic ownership, governance, executive communication, and accountability.

• Can operate effectively in high-pressure, complex, and highly visible transformation environments.

• Possesses the leadership presence required to influence stakeholders without necessarily having direct authority over all participating teams.

• Is comfortable taking full ownership of critical program outcomes and representing program performance to senior management.

Preferred Industry Background

Candidates currently or previously associated with the following environments will be strongly preferred:

Banks | Financial Institutions | Large Enterprises | Digital Banking | Payments | Banking Technology | Enterprise Transformation

Interested candidates may also apply at sana.naz@avanzasolutions.com

Pay: Up to Rs500,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person