Program Manager (Contractor)

Company Overview:Panoptois a dynamic and rapidly growing leader in interactive video solutions, backed by a leading private equity firm. Our team of approximately 200 dedicated professionals is committed to empowering learners through powerful, interactive video technology. With the recent acquisition ofElai.io, an innovative AI-driven startup specializing in video generation — we’re expanding our capabilities to drive the future of learning with cutting-edge AI and video innovation.Project Overview: We are seeking a detailed and highly organized Program Manager to provide senior-level program management services to support strategic product development initiatives within the R&D group. The engagement encompasses comprehensive program oversight, agile facilitation, and cross-team coordination across up to 7 distributed development teams operating in the United States and European markets. Scope of Work:

• Program Leadership & Strategy: Lead end-to-end project and program management for high-impact R&D initiatives, from conception through delivery and post-launch optimization. Collaborate with leadership to define program vision, success metrics, and resource allocation strategies. Drive cross-functional alignment between product management, engineering, design, and other key stakeholders
• Agile Program Management: Facilitate agile ceremonies and practices across multiple distributed teams, adapting methodologies to suit diverse team dynamics. Monitor and report on program health through key performance indicators, sprint metrics, and milestone tracking. Identify and remove impediments that could impact program delivery timelines or quality
• Cross-Team Coordination: Manage dependencies and integration points between development teams and cross functional business units. Establish effective communication channels and cadences to ensure seamless collaboration. Coordinate resource planning and capacity management across multiple teams and projects
• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Serve as the primary point of contact for project status, risks, and strategic decisions to leadership and the broader organization. Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to effectively drive initiatives and change.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program risks across technical, operational, and business dimensions. Develop contingency plans and ensure program resilience in the face of changing requirements or market conditions. Drive continuous improvement initiatives based on retrospective findings and industry best practices

Key Responsibilities & Deliverables:

• Current state assessment report including team capabilities, processes, and tooling evaluation. Specific areas of improvement identified with a plan for how to remediate
• Program-level metrics dashboard and KPI tracking system
• Cross-team dependency mapping and management framework for cross functional work
• Resource optimization recommendations and capacity planning tools to enable better roadmap planning and execution
• Weekly program status updates and team coordination meetings
• Monthly stakeholder reports and executive briefings
• Jira set-up improvements, including merging of two separate Jira instances into a single instance

Skills & Qualifications (Must-Haves):

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Information Technology, or a related field is preferred.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in program management, with at least 5 years in a technology focused environment managing large-scale, global programs.
• PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, or equivalent program management certification is highly desirable
• Understanding of software development lifecycle, agile methodologies, and modern product development practices
• Proven track record of successfully delivering large-scale technical initiatives involving multiple engineering teams, platforms, and stakeholders
• Experience working with distributed teams across multiple time zones and cultural contexts
• Exceptional project management skills with experience using tools like Jira, Confluence, MS Project
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with strong facilitation and conflict resolution skills
• Excellent stakeholder management abilities, with experience presenting to both technical and executive audiences
• Proven ability to build consensus and drive decision-making in complex, matrixed organizations
• Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment, deals well with ambiguity and focuses on driving measurable impact

Project Length & Commitment:

• Project Start Date: Immediately
• Estimated Project End Date: 12 months after start date with potential to extend
• Estimated Weekly Hours: 40 hours a week
• Location: Remote

Why Partner with Us? Opportunity to work on impactful projects with a growing company. Collaborative and supportive team environment. Flexible work arrangements. How to Apply: Interested candidates are invited to apply and submit the following:

• Your Resume/CV outlining relevant experience
• A Cover Letter detailing your interest in this specific project, your relevant skills, and your proposed rate (i.e. annual, monthly, etc.)
• Portfolio/Work Samples: [Link to online portfolio, attach relevant documents, or describe examples of your work]

Availability: Please indicate your earliest start date and estimated weekly availability. Contract Terms: This is a contractor/vendor role. You will not be an employee of Panopto. You must be able to invoice us for services rendered and be responsible for your own taxes and benefits. All deliverables must comply with our confidentiality/IP/data handling policies. Competitive rates are based on experience and project scope. Be prepared to discuss your budget.