Program Manager, Data Platforms & Emerging Technology at Versant — Englewood Cliffs, NJ

The Program Manager, Data Platforms & Emerging Technology is responsible for driving the planning, coordination, and execution of strategic initiatives across VERSANT’s Data Platform and Innovation & Emerging Technology organizations. This role serves as a key operational partner to engineering, data, product, and business leaders, ensuring the successful delivery of programs spanning data platforms, AI/ML solutions, analytics capabilities, and emerging technology adoption.

This individual will help translate strategy into execution by establishing program governance, managing cross-functional dependencies, tracking delivery progress, and ensuring alignment between technical teams and business stakeholders. The Program Manager will play a critical role in enabling scalable data platform and AI capabilities while fostering collaboration across Engineering, Product, Editorial, Corporate Functions, and Operations.

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Execution

• Lead end-to-end delivery of strategic initiatives across Data Platforms, AI/ML, analytics, and emerging technology programs.
• Develop and maintain integrated program plans, milestones, timelines, and dependency tracking across multiple teams.
• Coordinate execution across engineering, product, data, editorial, and business stakeholders to ensure alignment and predictable delivery.
• Facilitate program governance, including roadmap reviews, status reporting, risk management, and executive communications.
• Identify, manage, and mitigate cross-functional risks and dependencies that may impact program success. Partner with Data Platform, ML Engineering, and Innovation leaders to track progress against strategic objectives and key results.
• Support prioritization and intake processes for new data, analytics, AI, and automation initiatives.
• Maintain visibility into project health, resource allocation, delivery metrics, and business outcomes.
• Coordinate readiness activities for major platform launches, AI deployments, and technology rollouts.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with business leaders to understand objectives, communicate program status, and drive adoption of new capabilities.
• Facilitate collaboration between technical and non-technical stakeholders, translating complex initiatives into clear business impacts.
• Support organizational readiness activities, including communications, training coordination, and adoption tracking for new technologies.
• Drive transparency through regular updates, executive dashboards, and program reviews.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Establish and continuously improve program management standards, reporting frameworks, documentation practices, and delivery processes.
• Implement mechanisms to track program performance, outcomes, and value realization.
• Support governance processes related to AI, data management, vendor partnerships, and technology adoption.
• Contribute to the development of repeatable operating models that enable scale across Data and Emerging Technology teams.

Basic Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in program management, technical program management, project management, or related roles.
• Experience delivering complex technology initiatives involving data platforms, analytics, AI/ML, cloud technologies, or enterprise software.
• Strong expertise in program planning, roadmap execution, dependency management, and risk mitigation.
• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, product, data, and business stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience using project and portfolio management tools such as Jira, Confluence, Asana, or similar platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting data platform, analytics, machine learning, or AI-focused initiatives.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms, data engineering concepts, or modern software development practices.
• Experience in media, entertainment, digital publishing, or consumer technology environments.
• Experience supporting technology enablement, innovation, or emerging technology adoption programs.
• PMP, PgMP, Scrum Master, SAFe, or similar certification preferred.
• Experience working with executive stakeholders and presenting program updates to senior leadership