Senior Manager, Strategic Project / Program Management

Cox Automotive is a leading company transforming the automotive industry, and they are seeking a Senior Manager, Strategic Project / Program Management. This role is responsible for overseeing complex, cross-functional technical programs and leading a team to ensure successful execution and adoption of software solutions.

Responsibilities:

• Owns the delivery of the most complex, cross-functional software release programs across vAuto's module portfolio — from product inception through release, launch, and market adoption
• Develops a point of view on portfolio trade-offs and brings prioritization recommendations to Directors and AVPs with clear rationale — does not simply present options and wait for direction
• Proactively identifies when program scope has drifted from strategic intent and raises the conversation with executive sponsors — including recommending course corrections or stops when warranted
• Establishes right-sized governance (SteerCos, risk councils, escalation paths) that reduces decision latency and unblocks dependencies across concurrent module releases
• Ensures KPIs, benefits tracking, and delivery milestones are in place and actively maintained throughout the program lifecycle
• Serves as the escalation point for the most complex programs across the module portfolio; influences senior-level decision-making on launch strategies and release sequencing
• Owns PMO delivery frameworks, playbooks, and templates for the modules pillar; leads capability-building for the team and drives continuous improvement grounded in lessons learned
• Leads and develops a team across multiple levels, providing coaching, guidance, and structured feedback that raises the capability bar across the pillar
• Fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and consultative delivery — modeling the standards expected of every practitioner on the team
• Actively manages team capacity across concurrent programs; aligns resources to strategic priorities and escalates resourcing constraints before they threaten delivery
• Identifies and cultivates succession paths within the team; invests in practitioner growth as a deliberate leadership responsibility
• Drives clarity and reduces uncertainty across the module portfolio by communicating program status, risks, and decisions proactively — calibrating message and medium to the audience
• Produces high-quality executive narratives for Directors and AVPs — translating execution detail into business-relevant insights that enable faster decisions
• Earned a seat at the table before the agenda is set; engages senior stakeholders during planning and problem framing, not just execution
• Demonstrates political acumen and tact in escalation; exercises sound judgment in how and when to surface issues across organizational levels
• Actively communicates team and individual wins; ensures the work of the module pillar is visible to senior leadership
• Champions responsible AI adoption across the modules pillar; identifies, pilots, and scales AI-assisted workflows to reclaim team capacity for higher-value work
• Establishes team norms for responsible AI use aligned to Cox Automotive policy; models critical evaluation over uncritical adoption
• Builds the team's AI fluency as a durable capability; stays current on emerging tools relevant to software release delivery
• Ensures all impacted teams — internal and external — are informed, prepared, and equipped to adopt changes before launch
• Independently executes change management on mid-to-high complexity programs; partners with Change Enablement on the most organizationally complex releases
• Tracks adoption indicators post-launch and escalates sustainment risks before they become rollback risks
• Accounts for external dealer impact by coordinating appropriate readiness activities alongside internal change management — ensuring sustainable behavioral change, not just on-time delivery
• Maintains a forward-looking view of vAuto's strategic initiatives and goals — anticipates where the portfolio needs to move before being asked, and positions the team accordingly
• Builds genuine partnerships with Business, Marketing, and Product Directors and AVPs — showing up as a thought partner in planning conversations, not just a delivery resource at execution time
• Connects portfolio decisions to business outcomes; consistently links program trade-offs and sequencing recommendations to strategic objectives, not just delivery timelines
• Brings a point of view to every conversation. Arrives with recommendations, not options — and is willing to say what senior leaders need to hear, not what is easiest to report
• Earns trust through judgment. Is sought out for their read on organizational risk, stakeholder dynamics, and strategic fit — not only for delivery metrics

Requirements:

• 8+ years of program management experience delivering large, complex enterprise programs independently
• 3+ years of people leadership experience with a demonstrated track record of developing and elevating team members
• Strong executive presence with proven ability to influence and partner with Directors and AVPs — comfortable leading SteerCo-level conversations and arriving with recommendations, not just status
• Excellent ability to translate complex program status into clear executive narratives — verbal, written, and in the room
• Fluency in Agile, hybrid, and traditional delivery methodologies across software product portfolios
• Demonstrated familiarity with AI productivity tools and genuine curiosity for adopting emerging technology
• Proficiency with Smartsheet, Microsoft 365, and Teams
• Experience supporting and implementing large scale Information Technology projects
• Retail software experience strongly preferred (Client Support, Program Management, Business Operations, Performance Management, etc.)
• PMP, PgMP, HCD, Six Sigma, Agile certifications