Program Manager I

At Citizens, core banking modernization is not just a technology upgrade - it’s a strategic and cultural commitment to transforming how we serve our customers and empower our colleagues. By reimagining our core systems, we are creating seamless, intuitive, and personalized experiences that give customers greater control, transparency, and confidence in managing their finances.

For our colleagues, modern core platforms mean simplified workflows, integrated tools, and real-time data access enabling them to focus more on building relationships and delivering exceptional service. This transformation is foundational to our ability to innovate, adapt, and lead in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

We are seeking a hard-charging, dynamic Program Manager to lead this large-scale, multi-year transformation initiative. This role is central to our mission of driving digital innovation, automation, simplification, and network optimization across the bank. As a key leader in this effort, you will manage a complex program of interconnected workstreams, guiding the transition from legacy systems to a modern, scalable, and customer-centric platform.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead the implementation of the core banking technology eco-system, including successful integration of the platform with other banking systems.
• Lead the Discovery and create a detailed cross-functional multi-workstream roadmap for the program.
• Facilitate solutions across the organization; working with legal, risk, operations, UX, and technology teams to prioritize and deliver solutions that align with the roadmap. 
• Define and execute a program roadmap while continuously monitoring and tracking success against OKRs and pivot as needed based on business strategy and progress against roadmap.
• Prioritize functionality and integrations based on business value.
• Leverage domain and technical expertise to set direction and drive project execution. Foresee and proactively address risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Work with business, operations, internal technology teams, and with vendor partners to ensure successful project delivery.
• Act as the primary liaison between the vendor (that owns the Core platform today) and internal technology teams.
• Define and activate program governance, communication plan, and operating model.
• Manage stakeholder expectations with respect to scope, deliverables, and timelines, budgets.
• Communicate overall program status and health to executive stakeholders.
• Program management support for cross functional development and product teams includes managing project budgets/costs, release plans, cross functional dependencies, performance management, status updates, and risks.
• Access systems to analyze and deliver weekly and monthly metrics. Manage reporting cadences and identify program risks.
• Provide support to senior leaders across several connected programs.
• Learn and understand Command and team organizational relationships to effectively communicate information appropriately and effectively.
• Evaluate current processes and procedures and initiate process improvement actions to improve team performance.
• Assist with technical and business analyses and reporting for assigned projects.
• Coordinate and schedule meetings. Capture meeting minutes; assign and tracking action items; and coordinate and facilitate leads and working groups to meet program objectives.
• Proven time management and organizational skills.

  Qualifications

• Experienced and dynamic leader with minimum 15 years of experience.
• Implementation and integration experience in a consumer bank is preferred - ideally with core banking/FIS.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage delivery of complex, integration projects in a matrix organization.
• Strong technology delivery capability and leadership from strategy alignment, solution design, E2E program/project delivery to problem solving.
• Able to travel periodically for on-location meetings and work sessions.

Education, Certifications and/or Other Professional Credentials 

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Masters preferred

Hours & Work Schedule 

• Location:  Remote
• Hours per Week:  40

 

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity o