VP - Program Management

For more than 40 years, Accelya has been the industry’s partner for change, simplifying airline financial and commercial processes and empowering the air transport community to take better control of the future. Whether partnering with IATA on industry-wide initiatives or enabling digital transformation to simplify airline processes, Accelya drives the airline industry forward and proudly puts control back in the hands of airlines so they can move further, faster. 

Vice President - Program Management

United States

As a Vice President - Program Management, you will be responsible for the strategic oversight and successful delivery of complex, high-impact programs across multiple client portfolios. You will lead the program management function, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and client deliverables within agreed timelines and budgets. You will also play a crucial role in driving the continuous improvement of program management practices and methodologies across the organization.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: Provide strategic direction and leadership for the program management function, ensuring alignment with the company’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives.

Portfolio Management: Oversee the end-to-end delivery of multiple, large-scale programs across diverse client portfolios, ensuring adherence to quality standards, timelines, and budget constraints.

Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Project- and Program Managers, Release Managers and Scrum Masters fostering a culture of trust, transparency, excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, executive leadership, and cross-functional teams, to ensure successful program delivery and customer satisfaction.

Governance & Compliance: Establish and maintain robust program governance frameworks, ensuring compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices.

Risk Management: Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with program delivery, ensuring proactive measures are in place to address potential issues.

Performance Monitoring: Define and implement evaluation strategies to monitor program performance, identify areas for improvement, and drive continuous enhancement of program management processes.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Product, and Technology teams to support business development activities, including RFP responses and solution design, ensuring alignment with delivery capabilities.

Innovation & Improvement: Champion the adoption of innovative program management tools, techniques, and methodologies to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and overall program outcomes.

Client Relationship Management: Develop and nurture long-term client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor and ensuring that client needs and expectations are consistently met or exceeded.

Knowledge, Experience & Skills:

• Experience: 10+ years of experience in program management leadership roles, with a proven track record of delivering large-scale IT solutions or services in global, complex, and dynamic environments.

• Leadership: Exceptional leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to lead, coach and mentor high-performing, geographically dispersed teams.

• Stakeholder Management: Strong stakeholder management and customer service skills, with experience in engaging with C-level executives and senior stakeholders.

• Program Management Expertise: Deep knowledge of program management methodologies, tools, and best practices, with relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) preferred.

• Strategic Thinking: Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with the capability to translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and deliverables.

• Change Management: Excellent knowledge of change management principles and practices, with the ability to drive and manage organizational change effectively.

• Communication: Superior interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate at all levels of the organization.

• Industry Knowledge: Prior experience in professional services, software delivery, and implementation, with a deep understanding of the travel industry trends and client needs.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required; an advanced degree (e.g., MBA) is highly desirable.

This role is pivotal in driving the success of our program management function, ensuring the delivery of high-quality solutions that meet and exceed client expectations while contributing to the overall growth and success of the organization.

What do we offer?

• Open culture and challenging opportunity to satisfy intellectual needs

• Flexible working hours

• Smart working: hybrid remote/office working environment

• Work-life balance

• Excellent, dynamic and multicultural environment

About Accelya

Accelya is a leading global software provider to the airline industry, powering 200+ airlines with an open, modular software platform that enables innovative airlines to drive growth, delight their customers and take control of their retailing.

Owned by Vista Equity Partners long-term perennial fund and with 2K+ employees based around 10 global offices, Accelya are trusted by industry leaders to deliver now and deliver for the future.

The company´s passenger, cargo, and industry platforms support airline retailing from offer to settlement, both above and below the wing. Accelya are proud to deliver leading-edge technologies to our customers including through our partnership with AWS and through the pioneering NDC expertise of our Global Product teams.

We are proud to enable innovation-led growth for the airline industry and put control back in the hands of airlines.

For more information, please visit www.accelya.com 

What does the future of the air transport industry look like to you? Whether you’re an industry veteran or someone with experience from other industries, we want to make your ambitions a reality!