Program Director

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Automation Leader to drive enterprise-wide automation initiatives across** Generative AI, RPA, and intelligent business process transformation**. This role requires a strategic leader with deep expertise in business process knowledge, stakeholder management, and end-to-end ownership of automation programs.The ideal candidate will act as a bridge between business teams and technology organizations, identifying opportunities for transformation, defining scalable automation solutions, and ensuring successful delivery and value realization. The role demands strong leadership in establishing governance, standards, best practices, and an operating model for the Automation Center of Excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the Automation Center of Excellence (CoE)for GenAI, RPA, and intelligent automation initiatives across the enterprise.Define and execute the automation strategy, roadmap, governance framework, and delivery model aligned with business priorities.Partner with business stakeholders to understand operational pain points, process inefficiencies, and transformation opportunities.Bridge the gap between** business requirements and technology solutions** by translating process needs into scalable automation use cases.Drive** end-to-end ownership** of automation programs from opportunity identification, business case creation, solution design, development, testing, deployment, and post-production value tracking.Conduct process discovery, assessment, and redesign initiatives to standardize and optimize workflows prior to automation.Lead workshops with business, operations, IT, architecture, data, and security teams to define automation opportunities and solution approaches.Oversee design and implementation of solutions involving** Generative AI, RPA, workflow automation, OCR, APIs, document intelligence, and orchestration platforms**.Establish enterprise-wide standards, reusable frameworks, templates, controls, and best practices for automation delivery and support.Ensure automation solutions are scalable, secure, compliant, maintainable, and aligned with enterprise architecture principles.Drive prioritization and governance of automation demand pipeline based on business value, complexity, and strategic impact.Monitor program delivery across timelines, risks, dependencies, budgets, and quality metrics.Measure and report automation outcomes through KPIs such as productivity gain, cost optimization, cycle time reduction, quality improvement, and user experience enhancement.Provide leadership for cross-functional teams including business analysts, process consultants, solution architects, developers, and support teams.Manage stakeholder communication at senior leadership and executive levels, ensuring alignment and visibility of progress and outcomes.Support change management, user adoption, and organizational readiness for new automation capabilities.Evaluate new tools, vendors, and platforms in the GenAI and automation ecosystem and recommend fit-for-purpose solutions.Promote continuous improvement by reviewing deployed automations and identifying optimization and scaling opportunities.Mentor teams and build organizational capability in automation, AI-led transformation, and process excellence.

Skill Requirements

Strong expertise in Generative AI, RPA, intelligent automation, and enterprise process transformation.Deep understanding of business processes, operating models, and process optimization across enterprise functions.Proven ability to bridge business and technology teams and drive consensus across diverse stakeholders.Strong experience in automation strategy, CoE setup, governance, delivery management, and value realization.Expertise in process discovery, process mapping, redesign, standardization, and automation suitability assessment.Good understanding of automation ecosystem components such as RPA tools, GenAI platforms, OCR, NLP, workflow tools, APIs, and analytics platforms.Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills.Excellent program and project management capabilities with strong risk, dependency, and budget management.Ability to define automation roadmaps, operating models, and scalable delivery frameworks.Knowledge of enterprise architecture, security, compliance, and risk considerations in automation programs.Strong leadership, mentoring, and people management skills.Analytical mindset with strong business acumen and outcome orientation.Ability to drive change management and adoption across large organizations.

Other Requirements

20+ years of overall experience in enterprise technology, digital transformation, business process improvement, automation, or related domains.Significant experience leading** large-scale automation and transformation programs** across multiple business functions.Proven track record in establishing or leading an** Automation CoE / Intelligent Automation practice**.Hands-on experience delivering solutions across GenAI, RPA, workflow automation, and process transformation initiatives.Strong experience working with senior business stakeholders, technology leaders, and cross-functional delivery teams.Demonstrated success in driving end-to-end ownership from strategy through implementation and benefits realization.Experience in managing enterprise-wide automation portfolios, governance forums, and prioritization mechanisms.Exposure to large and complex organizations with matrixed teams and multiple stakeholder groups is preferred.Experience in vendor management, tool evaluation, and platform selection is desirable.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related discipline.Master’s degree in Business Administration, Technology Management, or related field is preferred.Certifications in RPA, automation platforms, process excellence, project/program management, or AI/GenAI will be an advantage.Strong understanding of digital transformation methodologies, process excellence frameworks, and enterprise solution delivery.