Senior Program Manager - AI Innovation Lab

Zions Bancorporation’s Enterprise Technology and Operations (ETO) team is transforming what it means to work for a financial institution. With a commitment to technology and innovation, we have been providing our community, clients and colleagues the best experience possible for over 150 years. Help us transform our workforce of the future, today. 

We are seeking a Sr. Program Manager to join the Zions Bancorporation Innovation Lab. The Sr. Program Manager is responsible for overseeing and guiding a portfolio of innovative projects and experiments from ideation to proof-of-concept. This role collaborates with emerging technology partners, internal business units, and IT to build and refine our innovation roadmap, ensuring the successful delivery of strategic initiatives. The Sr. Program Manager will lead dynamic, multidisciplinary teams, manage portfolio budgets, and drive progress against ambitious timelines while interacting directly with senior business and technology leaders. This position is pivotal in championing a culture of innovation, defining the scope of experiments, and ensuring that projects yield valuable insights and learning. This role will also track, analyze, and communicate the results and potential impact of the innovation portfolio, functioning as a key point of contact for all innovation initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Plan and manage the work of project teams on a portfolio of innovation projects and proof-of-concepts.
• Collaborate with IT, business units, and external partners to develop and maintain the innovation roadmap.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced, experimental environment, managing budgets and delivering against timelines.
• Directly interact with senior leadership and executive sponsors to communicate progress and insights from the innovation portfolio.
• Define the scope, objectives, deliverables, and resource requirements for innovation projects and experiments.
• Develop and maintain an overall portfolio schedule and resource plan to ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
• Oversee portfolio budgets with direct financial accountability for innovation initiatives.
• Track, analyze, and trend the results of innovation projects to resolve issues and identify opportunities.
• Assess and mitigate risks associated with new technologies and business models, and report progress to stakeholders.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire team members; other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Executive Presence: Proven ability to create high-impact presentations and confidently present to executive stakeholders
• Strong client relationship, decision-making, and problem-resolution skills.
• Experience with AI
• Expert knowledge of project and portfolio management, including agile methodologies, lean startup principles, and tools for managing innovation pipelines.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, risk management, and change management skills, with a tolerance for ambiguity.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, interpersonal, and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to identify, analyze, and resolve complex issues in a fast-paced, experimental environment.
• Expert negotiation and facilitation abilities; comfortable working with a high degree of autonomy.
• Advanced working knowledge of emerging technologies, innovation frameworks, and design thinking.
• May lead or train lower-level staff.
• 8+ years of experience in program or portfolio management, with a focus on technology, innovation, or product development.
• Requires a Bachelor's in Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.

Work Location:

This position will be a hybrid work schedule (3 days a week in office) at the new Zions Technology Center in Midvale, UT.

The Zions Technology Center is a 400,000-square-foot technology campus in Midvale, Utah. Located on the former Sharon Steel Mill superfund site, the sustainably built campus is the company’s primary technology and operations center. This modern and environmentally friendly technology center enables Zions to compete for the best technology talent in the state while providing team members with an exceptional work environment with features such as:

• Electric vehicle charging stations and close proximity to Historic Gardner Village UTA TRAX station.
• At least 75% of the building is powered by on-site renewable solar energy.
• Access to outdoor recreation, parks, trails, shareable bikes and locker rooms.
• Large modern cafe with a healthy and diverse menu.
• Healthy indoor environment with ample natural light and fresh air.
• LEED-certified sustainable building that features include the use of low VOC-emitting construction materials.

Benefits:  

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance - START DAY ONE!  
• Life and Disability Insurance, Paid Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• Health Savings (HSA), Flexible Spending (FSA) and dependent care accounts
• Paid Training, Paid Time Off (PTO) and 11 Paid Federal Holidays
• 401(k) plan with company match, Profit Sharing, competitive compensation in line with work experience
• Mental health benefits including coaching and therapy sessions
• Tuition Reimbursement for qualifying employees
• Employee Ambassador preferred banking products