Program Manager in Chicago, Illinois at Sidley Austin LLP

The Program Manager drives the successful execution of complex, cross-functional initiatives for the firm's Data and AI team. This role oversees the delivery phase of enterprise-wide solutions, ensuring projects meet requirements, adhere to timelines, and achieve business objectives, all while upholding the firm's standards for security, usability, and value.

Beyond delivery execution, the Program Manager is also responsible for representing the Data and AI team internally. This includes managing resources such as the intranet, service catalogs, and team materials to clearly communicate the team's mission, strategy, and offerings. The ideal candidate combines strong program management skills with excellent stakeholder coordination, a process-oriented mindset, and a talent for clear, compelling internal communications.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee execution and delivery of Data and AI initiatives across business and technology teams, ensuring cross-functional alignment.
• Partner with Product Management teams to translate product roadmaps and solutions into executable work plans.
• Coordinate task planning, resource allocation, risk mitigation, and status reporting across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Manage project scopes, timelines, dependencies, and delivery risks to ensure timely and successful rollouts.
• Facilitate regular program updates, steering meetings, and stakeholder communications.
• Establish and maintain consistent delivery practices, including documentation standards, change control, and project retrospectives.
• Ensure internal-facing resources (e.g., intranet pages, service descriptions, FAQs) accurately reflect the Data and AI teams value proposition and align with its strategy and personas.
• Work with Knowledge, Communications, and IT teams to publish and maintain high-quality internal documentation and communications.
• Promote collaboration and transparency within the Data and AI program and with stakeholders across the firm.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance program efficiency, agility, and stakeholder experience.

Education and/or Experience:

Required:

• Bachelors degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in program or project management, including large-scale technology delivery.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle and cross-functional program coordination.
• Demonstrated success managing complex enterprise programs involving multiple stakeholder groups.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level reporting and team documentation.
• Experience using tools such as JIRA, Confluence, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or equivalents.
• Proven ability to build relationships across departments and levels of an organization.

Preferred:

• Experience working in a law firm or other professional services environment.
• Familiarity with Data, AI/ML, or Knowledge Management technologies.
• Background in internal communications or stakeholder engagement.
• Agile certification (e.g., PMI-ACP, Certified ScrumMaster) or PMP certification.
• Experience maintaining and managing intranet content or service documentation.

Other Skills and Abilities:

The following will also be required of the successful candidate:

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities

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Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or in the future

The target salary range for this role is:

Salaries vary by location and are based on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the relevant market, skills, experience, and education of the selected candidate. Our compensation package also includes bonus eligibility and a comprehensive benefits program. Benefits information can be found at Sidley.com/Benefits.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities above satisfactorily and meet the requirements. The requirements listed above are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. If you need such an accommodation, please email sidleytalentacquisition@sidley.com (current employees should contact Human Resources).

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sidley is an elite global law firm with a known reputation of deploying innovative strategies to achieve powerful results.