Program Manager, Commercial Excellence

THE ROLE

At Great Dane, we rely on makers and we’re calling on them to join our expanding team, the time has never been better to Embrace Your Great and work in an environment with the highest safety standards in the industry.  

The Position: The Program Manager – Commercial Excellence will be responsible for leading strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing our commercial effectiveness and driving business growth. Additional responsibilities include facilitating and orchestrating Agile Release Train (ART) processes and ceremonies, ensuring alignment, collaboration, and delivery excellence across multiple teams, both Agile-trained and non-Agile trained. Our organization is just beginning to embrace agile methodologies in our work practices and look to enhance our expertise and broaden our capabilities through the engagement of this role.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Strategic Program Management: Lead the planning, execution, and monitoring of strategic programs and initiatives aligned with company’s goals and objectives.
• Facilitate Agile Release Train (ART) Processes: Lead and facilitate ART processes and ceremonies, including Program Increment (PI) Planning, Scrum of Scrums, Inspect and Adapt workshops, and other Agile ceremonies.
• Accountable for Execution Delivery: Identify and address obstacles and dependencies that may impact team’s ability to deliver on time and within scope, monitor progress towards sprint goals, tracking key performance indicators, and provide regular updates to stakeholders.
• Drive Collaboration and Alignment: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategies to drive business growth, enhance customer satisfaction, and optimize operational efficiency. Foster collaboration and alignment among Agile teams, stakeholders, and leadership to ensure the successful delivery of program increments and business outcomes. Take ownership of deliverables, ensuring they meet the acceptance criteria, and coordinate with stakeholders for validation and acceptance.
• Coach and Mentor Teams: Provide guidance, coaching, and mentoring to Agile teams, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and other stakeholders on Agile principles, practices, and frameworks.
• Business Agility Implementation: Drive the implementation of business agility practices, frameworks, and methodologies across the organization, including SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) or other scaled Agile frameworks. Provide support for teams that aren’t fully agile-trained and need other workload management support.
• Continuous Improvement: Promote a culture of continuous improvement by identifying areas for enhancement within the Agile Release Train (ART) and implementing strategies to address them.
• Metrics and Reporting: Provide regular updates and reports to management on program progress, milestones, and KPIs. Define and track key metrics to measure the performance and health of the Agile Release Train (ART), providing regular updates and reporting to stakeholders and leadership.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks and dependencies that may impact the successful delivery of program increments, collaborating with stakeholders to address issues and challenges proactively.
• Other duties as assigned.

YOUR SKILLS & ABILITIES (REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS)

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, or related field. MBA or relevant certifications preferred.  
• Experience: Proven experience in strategic program management, with a track record of successfully leading complex initiatives from conception to completion.
• Skills: Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and frameworks (SAFe), with experience implementing business agility practices and frameworks.
• In-depth knowledge of Agile principles, practices, and frameworks (e.g., Scrum, Kanban, Lean).
• Experience with Agile work item management tools such as Jira, Microsoft Viva Goals (Jira experience preferred but not required).
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and mentoring skills with the ability to influence and inspire teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt quickly to change.
• Experience working in Agile transformation initiatives or large-scale Agile programs is a plus.
• Travel: As needed.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Office and plant environment.
• Keyboarding, lifting, standing, bending, walking.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

ABOUT GREAT DANE

With a history dating back to 1900, Great Dane has established itself as a transportation solutions leader of today – delivering innovative products and exceptional services that help our customers and employees succeed. We not only engineer durable and high-quality trailers and truck bodies; we foster relationships that last a lifetime. 

WHY WORK FOR US?

Great Dane is a leading manufacturer of dry-freight vans, refrigerated trailers, and flatbeds with 10 manufacturing facilities and 20 service centers throughout the United States. With a legacy like ours comes a dedication to the hard-working individuals that make Great Dane what it is today. Our jobs are waiting to be filled by driven, challenge-focused & enthusiastic people like you.

Our culture is comprised of “Champions” and offers a rewarding workplace rooted in core values of safety, leadership, integrity, quality, and passion. Every employee has opportunities to learn, to grow, to succeed and to be engaged in a collaborative environment.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW

• Competitive compensation
• Benefits, including but not limited to dental, vision, and medical with employer contributions
• Retirement programs, including a Pension Plan and 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid holidays and vacation
• And more!

Great Dane is an Equal Opportunity Employer