Principal Program Manager

Principal Program ManagerWintrust provides community and commercial banking, specialty finance and wealth management services through its 16 bank charters and nine non-bank businesses. Wintrust delivers the sophisticated solutions of a large bank while staying true to the relationship-focused, personalized service of our community banking roots. We serve clients in all 50 states with more than 200 branch banking locations in Illinois, southwestern Florida, northwestern Indiana, west Michigan and southern Wisconsin and commercial banking offices in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Mich., and in key branch banking locations throughout Illinois. Our people are the heart of our business and we are proud to rank consistently as a top place to work. Wintrust is a $66 billion financial institution based in Rosemont, Illinois, and listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "WTFC."Why join us?An award-winning culture! We are rated a Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune (past 12 years) and Employee Recommended award by the Globe & Mail (past 6 years)Competitive pay and discretionary or incentive bonus eligibleComprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life, a 401k plan with a generous company match and tuition reimbursement to name a fewPromote from within cultureWhy join this team?This position has the opportunity to interface with and have a positive impact on multiple areas of Wintrust's businessWe hold ourselves accountable to high standards, share wins, operate ethically, and have funPosition OverviewThe Principal Program Manager is the most senior program management position and responsible for leading and coordinating strategic business initiatives, operational priorities, and cross-functional programs that support the Senior Vice President and the overall business line. They are leaders driving execution through collaboration, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. They are accountable for ensuring business initiatives, operational priorities, and enterprise projects consistently deliver business value, align with business and technical strategy and provide exceptional customer experience for our business partners. This role serves as a strategic partner to the Senior Vice President, leading execution of key business initiatives, operational improvements, and organizational priorities and will work closely with executive leadership, cross-functional business partners, operations, finance, compliance, technology, and external partners.The Principal Program Manager will organize, coordinate and provide status on strategic initiatives, operational performance, executive priorities, and enterprise projects to ensure delivery of current and future business needs. Collaborates with functional areas for effective use of resources to meet business needs.What You'll DoDevelop proactive relationships with senior leaders of supported business units that are built on trust, transparent communication, and a spirit of collaborationForecast IT resource requirements and equipment needs based on business units; pipeline of planned projectsSupport executive communications, leadership presentations, board materials, and strategic planning activitiesPartner with Risk, Compliance, Finance, and Operations to ensure adherence to organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and governance standardsPartner with the Senior Vice President to translate strategic priorities into actionable business plans, business cases, and measurable outcomesRepresent the business line's priorities across the organization, ensuring stakeholders remain informed, engaged, and aligned throughout strategic initiatives and operational projectsPartner with business leaders and cross-functional teams to remove operational roadblocks, improve processes, and accelerate high-priority business initiativesQualificationsBachelor's degree in business or technology10+ years working in a financial services environment with special emphasis on coordinating large cross functional programs and stakeholder management8+ years of management experience in which one or more of the following has occurred:Demonstrated high competency in the prioritization of various competing deliveries of effortsDemonstrated competency in strategic thinking and leadership with strong abilities in relationship managementExperience in managing resources to meet goals across multiple projectsExperience in leading multidisciplinary, high-performance work teams/groupsDemonstrated competency in developing efficient and effective solutions to diverse and complex business operationsWorking knowledge of general IT and business operationsMust possess exceptional leadership, time management, facilitation, and organizational skillsBenefitsMedical Insurance • Dental • Vision • Life insurance • Accidental death and dismemberment • Short-term and long-term Disability Insurance • Parental Leave • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • Traditional and Roth 401(k) with company match • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) • Employee Stock Purchase Plan at 5% discount • Critical Illness Insurance • Accident Insurance • Transportation and Commuting Benefits • Banking Benefits • Pet InsuranceCompensationThe estimated salary range for this role is $117,000.00 - $158,000.00, along with eligibility to earn an annual bonus. Actual salaries may vary based on several factors, such as a candidate's qualifications, skills and experience.Wintrust Financial Corporation, including community banking and financial services subsidiaries, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.