Senior Program Manager

Title: Senior Program Manager (SAFE / PI Planning)

Terms: Long Term Contract

Location: Atlanta area

100% REMOTE

Must live in Atlanta, GA

No 3rd party at this time

Are you looking for a career opportunity that allows you to grow your career? If so, this opportunity will genuinely excite you! Our client is transforming how their organization services their customers while aligning best in breed technology solutions. We are looking for a Senior Program Manager with SAFE expertise and strong PI Planning experience who will help build out & develop best in class work and work on innovative projects for the business.

Senior Program Manager (SAFe / PI Planning)

Job Description

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Program Manager with deep expertise in Agile delivery, Program Increment (PI) Planning, and Scaled Agile frameworks to lead complex, cross-functional programs. This role is responsible for driving strategic initiatives, aligning multiple Agile teams, and ensuring successful execution within a SAFe environment.

The ideal candidate is SAFe-certified, highly collaborative, and experienced in coordinating large-scale program delivery across business and technology teams.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Delivery

• Lead end-to-end delivery of large, complex programs across multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs).
• Define program scope, objectives, timelines, dependencies, and success metrics.
• Drive alignment between business strategy and execution across cross-functional teams.
• Manage risks, issues, dependencies, and escalations at the program level.

PI Planning & SAFe Execution

• Plan, facilitate, and lead Program Increment (PI) Planning sessions across multiple teams.
• Ensure readiness for PI Planning (backlog refinement, capacity planning, dependency mapping).
• Coordinate cross-team dependencies and ensure alignment on PI objectives.
• Track and report on PI progress, risks, and outcomes.
• Support Inspect & Adapt (I&A) workshops and continuous improvement initiatives.

Agile & SAFe Governance

• Operate within and help mature a **SAFe delivery model.
• Partner with Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Scrum Masters, and Product Management.
• Drive Agile best practices, program governance, and delivery standards.
• Support Agile transformation initiatives across the organization.

Stakeholder Management

• Communicate program status, risks, and outcomes to executive leadership.
• Facilitate alignment between business, IT, architecture, and operations teams.
• Build strong relationships across stakeholders to ensure program success.

Financial & Resource Management

• Manage program budgets, resource allocation, and capacity planning.
• Ensure efficient utilization of teams and alignment to strategic priorities.
• Track program KPIs and ROI.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, IT, Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in Program or Project Management.
• Proven experience leading large-scale Agile programs.
• Hands-on experience with PI Planning in a SAFe or scaled Agile environment.
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and enterprise delivery models.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and complex dependencies.

Required Certification

• SAFe Certification such as:
• SAFe Program Consultant (SPC)
• SAFe Agilist (SA)
• SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE) (preferred)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in enterprise environments (Fortune 500 or large-scale organizations).
• Familiarity with tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, or Rally.
• Experience working with enterprise architecture and DevOps teams.
• PMP or equivalent certification is a plus.

Key Skills

• Program & Portfolio Management
• PI Planning Facilitation
• Agile / SAFe Delivery
• Stakeholder & Executive Communication
• Risk & Dependency Management
• Continuous Improvement (Inspect & Adapt)
• Financial & Resource Planning

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is:

• A strategic thinker with strong execution skills
• Comfortable operating in complex, fast-paced environments
• A strong communicator who can influence at all levels
• Experienced in aligning business and technology teams

About GSquared Group:

Shouldn’t your recruiting partner put as much effort and value into your career as you do? With GSquared Group, we take the time to understand where you would like to take your career and what is important to you.

GSquared Group is a woman-owned boutique technology services company in the Atlanta area. Founded in 2010, we are a premier provider of IT talent search, management consulting, and software development services. We support a diverse client base that spans all industries and includes Fortune 100 to mid-market companies. We offer direct hire placement, contract, and contract-to-hire positions. We are proud to be known by our community for putting relationships at the core of everything we do.

GSquared Benefits:

• Competitive & Comprehensive Healthcare Package (available only for W2 hourly consultants)
• Simple IRA with company match (available only for W2 hourly consultants)
• Professional development & networking opportunities
• A family-friendly environment
• Nice bonuses for referrals
• A culture that supports you and your career

Hear what others are saying on Glassdoor: