Technical Program Manager (IT Operations) (Palo Alto)

Technical Program Manager (IT Operations)

Location: Palo Alto, CA (Hybrid – 3 days onsite)

Term: 6-month contract (potential conversion to full-time)

Rate: $65–70/hr (W2)

Industry: Autonomous Mobility Industry

About the Role

We’re looking for a Technical Program Manager (IT Operations) to partner closely with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to deliver complex IT programs and help advance overall IT maturity.

In this role, you’ll lead initiatives across enterprise systems, infrastructure, and IT operations , while strengthening PMO governance, standards, and operating frameworks . You’ll be a key driver of execution, alignment, and visibility across a diverse technical portfolio in a fast-evolving environment.

The ideal candidate is a strong organizer and influencer who thrives in ambiguity, communicates clearly at all levels, and takes ownership of outcomes. You bring structured problem-solving, technical curiosity, and adaptability to shifting priorities.

What You’ll Do

• Lead end-to-end delivery of IT programs across enterprise systems, infrastructure, and IT operations
• Develop and manage project plans, timelines, roadmaps, budgets, resources, and vendor deliverables
• Identify risks, dependencies, and constraints, and proactively communicate mitigation plans
• Partner with enterprise systems, infrastructure, and IT operations teams to drive execution and alignment
• Facilitate alignment between business stakeholders, technical leads, and executive sponsors
• Contribute to PMO governance, standardized delivery processes, and portfolio intake/prioritization
• Provide executive-level reporting, dashboards, and status updates
• Ensure project documentation and artifacts are accurate, complete, and up to date
• Support change management, go-live readiness, post-launch stabilization, and continuous improvement

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong experience managing complex technical programs within an IT organization
• Hands-on delivery experience in at least two of the following areas: 1) Enterprise systems (ERP, HRIS, CRM, finance, supply chain); 2) Infrastructure (network, data centers, servers, storage, cloud); 3) IT operations (service management, automation, monitoring, support)
• Proven ability to collaborate with both technical and business stakeholders
• Experience managing vendors, partners, and cross-functional workstreams
• Excellent communication skills, including translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to drive clarity in ambiguous situations
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives with competing priorities
• Experience using Jira and Confluence for project tracking and documentation
• Familiarity with Agile, Waterfall, ITIL, and hybrid delivery models

Nice to Have

• Experience contributing to or establishing PMO governance and standards
• Experience with enterprise portfolio management tools
• Comfort working in environments undergoing transformation or modernization
• Certifications such as PMP, PgMP, CSM, ITIL Foundation, or SAFe
• Exposure to cloud platforms and modern enterprise SaaS ecosystems
• Experience with integrations, data flows, and cross-system dependencies