Sr Director, IT Program Management

It's More Than a Career, It's a Mission.

Our people are the foundation of our success. By joining our growing team at Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), a subsidiary of McKesson, you will have the opportunity to become part of one of the largest community-based cancer programs to advance oncology treatments and improve outcomes for cancer patients across the globe. We look for mission-driven candidates who have a desire to advance the fight against cancer and make a difference in the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer every day.

Our Mission

People who live with cancer - those who work to prevent it, fight it, and survive it - are at the heart of every decision we make. Bringing the most innovative medical minds together with the most passionate caregivers in their communities, we are transforming care and personalizing treatment. Through clinical excellence and cutting-edge research, SCRI is redefining cancer care around the world.

Senior Director, IT Program Management

The Senior Director, IT Program Management is a strategic and operational leader responsible for building, scaling, and optimizing SCRI's Portfolio & Project Management Office (PMO). This role defines and implements governance models, investment prioritization, and delivery excellence for SCRI's digital transformation initiatives-including enterprise platform migrations and clinical technology programs. The leader will drive data-driven decision-making, performance monitoring, and strategic partnerships, while fostering a high-performing, accountable team culture.

This position oversees project managers, who are responsible for detailed project planning, resource management, risk mitigation, stakeholder engagement, and quality assurance across SCRI's technology digital transformation initiatives.

Portfolio Strategy & Investment Planning

• Develop and execute multi-year portfolio strategies for clinical research platforms and digital initiatives.
• Lead investment prioritization and governance processes (Project SteerCos, MBRs etc).
• Align portfolio decisions with SCRI's mission, enterprise goals, and evolving research needs.
• Partner with Finance and cross-functional teams to oversee budget planning and resource allocation, ensuring financial accountability and ROI.

Program & Project Delivery Excellence

• Build a culture of accountability, consistency, and resiliency to drive strategic initiatives.
• Oversee execution of complex, multi-phase programs (e.g., legacy clinical trial platform migration).
• Establish and maintain project management standards, delivery frameworks, risk management, and lifecycle management.
• Champion Agile and Scrum methodologies while maintaining proficiency in Waterfall for programs requiring traditional governance.
• Lead the organizational transition from Waterfall to Agile over time, ensuring change management and stakeholder alignment.
• Ensure program managers and project managers apply Agile principles, facilitate Scrum ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives), and leverage tools like Jira or Azure DevOps for backlog management and sprint tracking.
• Monitor project health, resource allocation, and milestone achievement across all workstreams.

Cross-Functional & Stakeholder Leadership

• Partner with Product, IT, Operations, Compliance, and external vendors/partners for seamless collaboration and delivery.
• Lead stakeholder engagement to ensure transparency, buy-in, and continuous feedback.

PMO Development & Team Enablement

• Build and lead a high-performing project management team.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members to foster growth and excellence.
• Promote Agile mindset and continuous improvement culture within the PMO.

Performance Monitoring & Analytics

• Define and track KPIs, success metrics and ROI for digital investments and portfolio initiatives.
• Deliver executive-level reporting on portfolio health, adoption, satisfaction, and financial impact.
• Apply advanced analytics and data modeling to inform strategic decisions and optimize performance.

Skills & Competencies

• Project Management Expertise: Strong command of both Waterfall and Agile methodologies, with ability to apply hybrid approaches as needed.
• Agile Leadership: Deep understanding of Scrum, SAFe, and Kanban frameworks; ability to coach teams and scale Agile practices across enterprise programs.
• Scrum Facilitation: Skilled in conducting Scrum ceremonies (stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives) and backlog refinement.
• Change Management: Ability to lead organizational transformation from traditional delivery models to Agile, ensuring stakeholder engagement and adoption.
• Tools & Metrics: Proficiency in Jira, Azure DevOps, and Agile metrics (velocity, burndown charts); familiarity with PMO dashboards and reporting tools.
• Strategic Thinking: Portfolio planning, investment prioritization, and governance expertise.
• Leadership & Coaching: Strong servant leadership, mentoring, and team development capabilities.
• Certifications Required: PMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe Agilist, or equivalent.

Minimum Requirements:

• 15+ years in project/program leadership, clinical technology delivery, or enterprise portfolio management for digital transformation
• 6+ years of direct leadership in matrixed, cross-functional environments, including coaching and developing high-performing teams.
• Experience in healthcare, clinical research, life sciences, or healthcare environments.
• Proven success in enterprise-scale platform migrations, PMO development, and governance implementation.
• Strong background in advanced analytics, financial modeling (ROI analysis), and digital portfolio optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to define and track KPIs, ROIs, and performance metrics across complex portfolios.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and drive alignment.
• Experience with portfolio management tools, digital analytics platforms, and agile delivery frameworks.
• Using tools such as Jira, Smartsheet and Planview
• Strategic mindset with hands-on leadership style, balancing long-term vision and day-to-day execution.

About Sarah Cannon Research Institute

Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) is one of the world's leading oncology research organizations conducting community-based clinical trials. Focused on advancing therapies for patients over the last three decades, SCRI is a leader in drug development. In 2022, SCRI formed a joint venture with former US Oncology Research to expand clinical trial access across the country. It has conducted more than 750 first-in-human clinical trials since its inception and contributed to pivotal research that has led to the majority of new cancer therapies approved by the FDA today. SCRI's research network brings together more than 1,300 physicians who are actively enrolling patients into clinical trials at more than 250 locations in 24 states across the U.S. Please click here to learn more about our research offerings.

We care about the well-being of the patients and communities we serve, and that starts with caring for our people. That's why we have a Total Rewards package that includes comprehensive benefits to support physical, mental, and financial well-being. Our Total Rewards offerings serve the different needs of our diverse colleague population and ensure they are the healthiest versions of themselves. For more information regarding benefits through our parent company, McKesson, please click here.

As part of Total Rewards, we are proud to offer a competitive compensation package. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered.

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