Director, Corporate Program Management Office

What You'll Do

The Director, Corporate Program Management Office (CPMO) leads Avalara's most complex, cross-functional programs where transformation is critical to achieving long-term business outcomes. Reporting to the Chief Strategy and Product Officer, this role drives alignment, accountability, and execution across teams by establishing clear governance, prioritization, and delivery frameworks. As a people leader, this role builds organizational capability and ensures sustainable execution through scalable solutions that become embedded within the business. 

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What Your Responsibilities Will Be

• Lead Avalara's portfolio of enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, ensuring programs are aligned to business priorities and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Partner with the Chief Strategy and Product Officer to assess organizational capacity, prioritize initiatives, and establish execution plans that balance impact, risk, and resource constraints.
• Drive execution of complex, cross-functional programs, including product and technology initiatives, AI transformation efforts, and mergers and acquisitions integrations, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives and timelines.
• Identify and address program risks, dependencies, and barriers to execution, escalating issues appropriately and driving resolution to protect business outcomes.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of program management professionals, creating a culture of ownership, curiosity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and standardize CPMO methodologies, operating rhythms, reporting, and best practices to improve execution consistency and organizational effectiveness.
• Leverage AI tools and automation capabilities to improve program delivery, portfolio visibility, reporting efficiency, and decision-making across the enterprise.
• Build strong partnerships across all business functions to align stakeholders, resolve issues, manage trade-offs, and maintain momentum on critical initiatives.

What You’ll Need To Be Successful

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Business, Information Management, Operations, Technology, or a related field
• 12+ years of experience leading complex, cross-functional programs, transformation initiatives, or enterprise portfolios in a fast-paced environment
• 5+ years of people leadership experience, including hiring, coaching, developing, and managing program management professionals
• Proven experience leading enterprise program management office functions, including governance, portfolio management, prioritization, and executive reporting
• Experience partnering with executive leadership teams to drive accountability, alignment, and successful execution of strategic initiatives
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale product and technology programs, AI transformation initiatives, and mergers and acquisitions integration efforts
• Strong program management expertise, including portfolio planning, dependency management, risk management, governance, and organizational change management
• Ability to translate business objectives into clear execution plans and measurable outcomes across multiple functions
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and systems-thinking skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and complex organizational dynamics
• Excellent communication and executive presentation skills, with experience influencing senior leaders and facilitating decision-making at the executive level
• Demonstrated experience leveraging AI tools, including solutions such as Cursor, Glean, and similar technologies, to improve productivity, decision-making, and program execution

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification or equivalent
• Experience building, scaling, or transforming a Corporate Program Management Office
• Experience in a SaaS (Software as a Service) or enterprise software company
• Advanced experience leading AI transformation initiatives and adoption programs
• Experience supporting public company operating models and governance processes

Avalara is an AI-first Company

AI is embedded in our workflows, decision-making, and products.  Success here requires embracing AI as an essential capability.

• You’ll bring experience using AI and AI-related technologies, ready to thrive here.<