Senior Program Manager in Chicago, Illinois at Sidley Austin LLP

The Senior Program Manager leads the delivery and governance of complex, cross-functional programs within Sidleys Data & AI function. Reporting to the Director, Program Management Data & AI, this role manages multiple interconnected programs, establishes consistent delivery practices, coordinates dependencies and risks, and provides leadership with clear visibility into program performance. The Senior Program Manager partners with Product Management, IT, and business stakeholders to translate strategic priorities into executable plans, improve program management processes, and promote accountability and effective delivery across the Data & AI portfolio.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end delivery of multiple complex Data & AI programs, coordinating workstreams, milestones, dependencies, risks, and resources to achieve defined objectives.
• Partner with Product Management and other stakeholders to translate strategic priorities and roadmaps into executable program plans with clear milestones, ownership, dependencies, and success measures.
• Establish and maintain consistent program governance and delivery practices, including documentation, change control, planning cadences, retrospectives, and program reporting.
• Monitor program health, risks, milestones, OKRs, and KPIs; identify issues and dependencies, facilitate corrective action, and escalate significant risks or decisions as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, status reports, and executive communications that provide the Director and Data & AI leadership with timely visibility into program performance, priorities, risks, and blockers.
• Coordinate across Product Management, IT, Knowledge, Communications, and other stakeholders to manage cross-functional dependencies, resolve delivery issues, and maintain alignment on shared commitments.
• Facilitate program reviews, steering meetings, and other governance forums to support decision-making, accountability, and alignment among stakeholders.
• Advise and provide guidance to Program Managers and colleagues on delivery strategy, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and program management practices.
• Evaluate and improve program management processes, tools, and standards, including effective use of Jira, Confluence, Aha!, and related platforms to improve consistency, transparency, and program predictability.
• Partner with appropriate teams to maintain internal resources and communications that accurately describe the Data & AI function's services, priorities, and engagement model.

Education and/or Experience:

Required:

• Bachelors degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of program or project management experience, including experience leading complex, cross-functional programs.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple interconnected programs, workstreams, dependencies, risks, and competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle and experience coordinating delivery across technical and non-technical teams.
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, and related program management and collaboration tools.
• Experience applying agile delivery practices within cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing program reporting and communications for senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and build effective working relationships across functions and organizational levels.

Preferred:

• Experience in a law firm or other professional services environment.
• Experience supporting Data, AI/ML, data engineering, Knowledge Management, or related technology programs.
• Experience applying OKR and KPI frameworks to program planning and performance measurement.
• PMP, PMI-ACP, PgMP, SAFe, or comparable program or agile management certification.

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.