Principle Program Manager

Location: Hybrid or Home-based, US  

Position Summary: 

As a Principal Program Manager, you will be a pivotal individual contributor responsible for shaping the future of Bentley’s IT organization. You will be a critical leader in developing and maturing our core program and portfolio management practices, whilst serving as a change agent, guiding our IT team's evolution towards a more agile and product-model way of working.  

This role requires a strategic thinker with a hands-on approach, who can influence and lead complex, cross-functional technology programs that deliver enterprise-wide impact through expertise and collaboration. 

Responsibilities:  

• Lead the planning, execution, and successful delivery of Bentley's most strategic and complex enterprise-level IT initiatives. 

• Establish, define, and mature core program and portfolio management practices, standards, and governance models for the IT organization. 

• Champion and actively guide the IT team's transition from traditional project-based approaches to a more agile and product-oriented delivery model. 

• Act as a subject matter expert, coach, and mentor to project managers and teams on best practices in Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid methodologies. 

• Define and track key success metrics for large-scale IT and digital transformation efforts to ensure accountability and measure value delivery. 

• Serve as the primary escalation point for major risks and issues on key programs, providing expert analysis, recommendations, and driving resolutions. 

• Partner with and influence technology, product, and business stakeholders at all levels, including executive leadership, to ensure strategic alignment and buy-in. 

• Deliver clear, concise, and consistent communication to executive leadership regarding program progress, impediments, and outcomes. 

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by leading retrospectives, embedding learnings into future efforts, and fostering innovation. 

Qualifications:   

• A minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in IT program/project management within a B2B technology-driven environment. 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field; Master’s degree is a plus. 

• A proven track record of leading large-scale, complex, cross-functional programs and driving organizational change as an individual contributor. 

• Deep expertise in developing and implementing program and portfolio management frameworks from the ground up. 

• Demonstrated, hands-on experience leading a global organization through an agile and/or product model transformation. 

• Strong technical acumen and a thorough understanding of enterprise IT infrastructure, cloud platforms (Azure/AWS), and modern software development lifecycles. 

• Certifications such as Program Management Professional (PgMP), SAFe Program Consultant (SPC), Certified Scrum Professional (CSP), or similar are highly advantageous. 

• Proven ability to influence and lead without direct authority, and to engage executive stakeholders with clear, data-driven insights. 

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills; able to deconstruct complex problems and develop actionable, strategic plans. 

• Strong communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with senior and C-level stakeholders. 

• Thrives in a fast-paced, matrixed environment, comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities. 

What We Offer: 

• A great Team and culture – please see our colleague video. 

• An exciting career as an integral part of a world-leading software company providing solutions for architecture, engineering, and construction - watch this short documentary about how we got our start. 

• An attractive salary and benefits package. 

• A commitment to inclusion, belonging and colleague wellbeing through global initiatives and resource groups. 

• A company committed to making a real difference by advancing the world’s infrastructure for better quality of life, where your contributions help build a more sustainable, connected, and resilient world. Discover our latest user success stories for an insight into our global impact.  

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