Associate Director - HR Focused Program Manager

RTX RTX · Aerospace · boston, MA +1 · Digital Technology

The Associate Director - Program Manager will lead complex digital transformation initiatives within HR and Payroll domains, focusing on application development, enhancements, and modernization, including SaaS implementations. The role requires strong program management, PMO governance, and technology-driven change leadership, partnering with HR, Payroll, Finance, and IT to deliver scalable solutions. This role emphasizes traditional PM structure but is expected to lean into Agile delivery, managing schedules, financials, risks, and compliance within a phase-gated governance framework.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead & drive our largest and most complex DT programs, showing up with an entrepreneurial sense of urgency and ownership, as if you were investing your own money in the program’s results.
  2. Serve as the primary point of contact between HR, Finance, Accounting, Technology, and third‑party payroll vendor. Collaborate closely with HR Business Partners to deliver payroll guidance during reorganizations, M&A, employee transitions, policy updates and system enhancements
  3. Understand and support the Strategic Vision of the organization and ensure strategic alignment as a trusted advisor.
  4. Foster trust and cultivate a collaborative partnership with digital and functional executive sponsors, ensuring a deep understanding of their strategic priorities & perspectives to drive alignment and shared success.
  5. Ability to seamlessly navigate the political landscape amongst senior leaders in the function and DT.

Skills

Required

  • university degree and 12 years prior relevant experience OR an Advanced Degree in related field and minimum 10 years experience OR in absence of a degree, 15+ years of relevant experience
  • 8+ years experience with program management oversight of DT software development or infrastructure initiatives
  • 3+ years experience building and managing schedules in MS Project
  • Experience with managing HR and payroll systems such as Workday, ADP, Oracle, or similar platforms
  • Proven experience managing large scale programs involving complex enterprise systems, such as ERP, Payroll, Data Repository, or Engineering systems
  • Demonstrated ability to interface and collaborate with concurrent Enterprise programs, managing dependencies, resources, and schedule

Nice to have

  • Expert in creating visually appealing, executive-level PowerPoint presentations with advanced proficiency with Microsoft applications (MS Project add-ins/extensions, Excel pivots/analysis, SharePoint advance features, etc.)
  • Experience developing & managing financial business cases & cost/benefit analyses for DT programs.
  • Experience with integrating multiple project methodologies including waterfall & Agile frameworks like SAFe.
  • Role model in exhibiting and intentionally developing leadership behaviors in yourself & others by Driving Results, Instilli

What the JD emphasized

  • U.S. citizenship is required
  • 8+ years experience with program management oversight of DT software development or infrastructure initiatives with 3+ years experience building and managing schedules in MS Project.
  • Experience with managing HR and payroll systems such as Workday, ADP, Oracle, or similar platforms.
  • Proven experience managing large scale programs involving complex enterprise systems, such as ERP, Payroll, Data Repository, or Engineering systems.