Program Manager - Global MDM, Data Quality, and Governance

Position Overview

The Program Manager — Global MDM, Data Quality, and Governance is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading and driving all programs, projects, and strategic initiatives within the MDM, Data Quality, and Governance organization. This role serves as the operational backbone of the team, owning the end-to-end delivery of the program portfolio including roadmap execution, resource planning, vendor management, financial oversight, and executive reporting.

This role combines team coordination with program management leadership — ensuring the team operates with discipline, transparency, and accountability. The Program Manager will lead and drive project managers across multiple concurrent workstreams and domains, manage vendor relationships and contracts, and serve as the primary point of coordination between the MDM organization and enterprise leadership.

The successful candidate will bring deep program management expertise, a bias for operational rigor, and the ability to drive outcomes across complex, cross-functional initiatives spanning multiple regions and business functions.

Key Responsibilities Program & Portfolio Management

• Help execute the end-to-end roadmap for the MDM, Data Quality, and Governance team across all domains (customer, supplier, contact, item)
• Lead and drive project managers on various projects within the portfolio
• Manage deliverables, timelines, risks, dependencies, and budgets across multiple concurrent workstreams
• Establish and maintain program governance structures, status cadences, and escalation paths
• Conduct portfolio-level planning, prioritization, and resource allocation
• Track and manage cross-project dependencies and resolve conflicts
• Maintain a consolidated view of program health and proactively identify and mitigate risks

Executive Reporting & Stakeholder Communication

• Prepare and deliver Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) to senior leadership
• Lead monthly operations reviews and monthly portfolio reviews
• Produce executive-level reporting on program status, risks, financials, and milestones
• Serve as the primary communication point between the MDM team and enterprise stakeholders
• Tailor communications for diverse audiences — from technical teams to executive leadership
• Maintain dashboards and reporting mechanisms for real-time program visibility

Vendor & Contract Management

• Lead RFP preparation, vendor evaluation, and response scoring processes
• Manage vendor relationships, performance, and accountability
• Oversee contract management including terms, deliverables, and compliance
• Validate vendor invoices against deliverables and contractual obligations
• Manage contractor extensions, onboarding, and offboarding processes
• Drive vendor accountability and escalate issues as needed

Financial & Operational Management

• Own program budget tracking, forecasting, and variance reporting
• Validate invoices and ensure alignment with contracted deliverables and milestones
• Manage resource planning and capacity across internal and external teams
• Ensure operational discipline in procurement, contracting, and financial processes
• Track and report on cost efficiency and value delivery

Team coordination functions

• Drive organizational alignment and ensure the team operates with clarity and purpose
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives and ensure follow-through on leadership decisions
• Prepare materials for leadership meetings, town halls, and strategic planning sessions
• Identify and drive process improvements to increase team efficiency and effectiveness
• Manage action items, decisions, and commitments across the organization
• Support hiring and onboarding coordination for new team members

Required Qualifications Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience managing complex programs and projects
• Proven track record of leading multi-workstream programs with cross-functional dependencies
• Experience managing program portfolios with multiple concurrent projects
• Demonstrated ability to lead and drive project managers and coordinate across teams
• Experience with vendor management, RFP processes, and contract management
• Proven ability to manage program budgets, forecasts, and financial reporting
• Experience with executive-level reporting and stakeholder communication

Program Management Skills

• Deep expertise in program governance, risk management, and dependency tracking
• Strong proficiency in portfolio planning, roadmap management, and resource allocation
• Experience conducting QBRs, monthly operations reviews, and portfolio reviews
• Ability to manage ambiguity and drive clarity in complex, evolving environments
• Strong financial acumen including budget management, invoice validation, and forecasting
• Experience with RFP preparation, vendor evaluation, and contract negotiation

Leadership & Communication

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for executive and technical audiences
• Strong facilitation skills for leading reviews, governance meetings, and cross-functional sessions
• Ability to influence without direct authority across organizational boundaries
• Proven ability to drive accountability and follow-through across teams and vendors
• Experience operating in a chief of staff or similar strategic coordination capacity

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP certification (strongly preferred)
• PgMP or similar portfolio/program management certification
• Master Data Management (MDM) program experience, particularly in customer, supplier, contact, or item domains
• Manufacturing industry experience across multiple countries and regions
• Experience managing large-scale data or technology transformation programs
• Familiarity with data governance and data quality program delivery
• Experience working with offshore vendor partners on large-scale initiatives
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, ServiceNow, Jira)

Core Competencies

• Operational rigor: Drives discipline in execution, reporting, and financial management
• Strategic coordination: Connects program execution to organizational strategy and priorities
• Stakeholder management: Builds trust and drives alignment across diverse audiences and regions
• Vendor accountability: Ensures vendors deliver on commitments with quality and timeliness
• Portfolio thinking: Manages trade-offs, dependencies, and priorities across the full program landscape
• Influence without authority: Drives outcomes through clarity, credibility, and structured decision-making