Title: Technical Program Manager

Location: Portland, OR / Hybrid

Reports to: Platform Manager or CIO / CTO

Organization: Technology

Role Overview

The Program Manager is responsible for orchestrating complex, cross‑team technology initiatives that span Platform, Development, Operations, and Product at CLI.

This role exists to ensure that multi‑system, multi‑team initiatives move forward predictably, with clear sequencing, managed dependencies, and transparent risk—without burdening engineering teams with coordination overhead.

The Program Manager does not own feature delivery or people management. Instead, the role serves as the execution backbone for platform‑ and system‑level initiatives that no single team owns end‑to‑end.

This role closely partners with Platform leadership and Development teams to support CLI’s DevOps operating model: embedding operational readiness, reliability, and delivery discipline directly into how work is planned and executed.

Core Responsibilities

Program Execution & Coordination

Drive execution of cross‑functional technology programs spanning multiple teams and systems
Translate strategic and architectural goals into clear, executable program plans
Identify, sequence, and manage inter‑team dependencies and critical paths
Maintain momentum across initiatives that cut across Platform, Development, and Operations
Ensure delivery is predictable, risks are visible, and tradeoffs are explicit

Dependency, Risk & Readiness Management

Proactively surface risks, constraints, and delivery blockers early
Coordinate resolution across teams without direct authority
Track readiness for major milestones, releases, or system changes
Ensure operational, security, and reliability considerations are addressed—not deferred
Drive disciplined go‑/no‑go decision support for leadership

Platform & Development Partnership

Work closely with Platform Managers, Architects, and Development Leads to understand system impacts
Support DevOps ways of working by reducing handoffs and ambiguous ownership
Reinforce shared accountability for production outcomes
Help teams plan work in a way that balances delivery speed with platform stability

Communication & Stakeholder Alignment

Provide concise, decision‑ready updates to senior technology and business leaders
Maintain clear program artifacts (roadmaps, dependency maps, risk dashboards)
Facilitate planning, review, and alignment forums without creating unnecessary ceremony
Act as a trusted connector between technical and non‑technical stakeholders

Continuous Improvement

Improve how programs are planned, tracked, and executed over time
Establish lightweight, repeatable practices for dependency tracking and delivery hygiene
Contribute to maturing CLI’s execution discipline as platforms scale
Help institutionalize learnings from major initiatives

What Success Looks Like

Cross‑team initiatives ship with fewer surprises
Dependencies are identified and resolved before they become blockers
Engineering and Platform leaders spend less time coordinating and escalating
System reliability and operational readiness improve alongside delivery velocity
Leadership has confidence in timelines, risks, and tradeoffs

Qualifications

Required

5–10+ years of experience in Technical Program Management, Engineering Program Management, or similar roles
Proven experience coordinating complex, cross‑team technology initiatives
Technical fluency with modern software systems (cloud, APIs, DevOps lifecycles)
Demonstrated ability to lead through influence rather than authority
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially with senior stakeholders

Preferred

Experience partnering closely with platform, infrastructure, or reliability teams
Familiarity with DevOps and Agile delivery models
Background working in SaaS, real‑time platforms, or high‑availability environments
Comfort translating architectural or technical complexity into execution plans
Experience with telecom projects (particularly call centers)
Experience supporting platform migrations, reliability initiatives, or system modernization

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