Program Manager Shared & Corp Services

Job Title: Shared & Corporate Services Program Manager, IT Delivery Team

FLSA Status: Exempt Reports to: Delivery Group Manager Schedule: Full-Time

Location: Lynnwood, WA at Zumiez HQ

Location: On-site in Lynnwood, WA at Zumiez HQ

About Zumiez:

Since 1978, Zumiez has been a beacon for the action sports lifestyle, offering an array of apparel, equipment, and accessories that resonate with the adventurous spirits of our customers, allowing them to individuate. Our dedication to our customer fuels innovation and growth, marking our retail presence as distinctive and dynamic.

Role Summary:

The Program Manager at Zumiez is a strategic, product-minded leader responsible for orchestrating cross-functional initiatives that deliver measurable business and customer value. Situated within the Delivery Team of the IT organization, this role serves as a key connector between business objectives, product development, and technology execution. The Program Manager owns a specific domain—both business and technical—and is accountable for aligning investments, capabilities, and team efforts to drive continuous improvement, innovation, and strategic outcomes. The Shared and Corporate Services Domain is tasked with driving the successful operation of technology solutions to support key areas of the enterprise, such as Accounting, Finance, HRIS, Store Operations, and more.

This position blends principles of product management, lean portfolio leadership, and agile delivery to support Zumiez’s evolving digital and retail landscape. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguity, communicates with clarity, and consistently champions customer-centric, value-driven decision-making

Reporting Structure:

The Program Manager reports to the Delivery Team Group Manager and is a key member of the Zumiez IT Delivery Team. This role operates in a highly collaborative environment, partnering closely with stakeholders across Accounting, Finance, HRIS, Store Operations, and Technology, as well as with external partners and vendors.

While the role is primarily strategic and product-focused, it may include leading cross-functional or initiative-based teams depending on organizational priorities and business needs. The Program Manager may also oversee Product Managers, Business Analysts, or other contributors, depending on team structure and the complexity of the program portfolio. This role requires strong leadership in aligning domain-level technology initiatives with Zumiez’s strategic objectives and ensuring value is realized through efficient and adaptive delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Alignment & Program Planning
  • Define and maintain clear program scope, objectives, deliverables, and milestones aligned with Zumiez’s strategic goals.
  • Establish transparent, ongoing alignment between initiatives and evolving business priorities.
  • Identify risks and mitigation plans early in the planning process.
  • Proactively communicate strategic shifts and alignment outcomes to stakeholders and teams.
• Product-Oriented Demand & Portfolio Management
  • Create lightweight, lean intake processes for new product ideas.
  • Translate business needs into actionable product domain initiatives through clear business cases.
  • Visualize and manage portfolio demand; minimize Work-in-Progress (WIP) to increase flow and efficiency.
• Prioritization & Value Delivery
  • Use business outcome data, cost of delay, and customer impact to drive product backlog and initiative prioritization.
  • Apply a rapid, iterative prioritization cadence that reflects product and customer feedback cycles.
  • Balance precision with speed—focusing on data that’s "good enough" to make informed decisions quickly.
• Investment & Resource Management
  • Allocate investment based on product team capacity and long-term domain strategy.
  • Use venture-style budgeting for complex problem spaces and milestone-based funding for well-scoped efforts.
  • Optimize personnel, technology, and financial resources across the program portfolio.
• Stakeholder & Change Management
  • Act as the primary communication conduit between product teams and business stakeholders.
  • Maintain continuous engagement with stakeholders, aligning expectations and facilitating resolution of concerns.
  • Lead change management plans to ensure successful adoption and smooth transitions for new capabilities.
• Performance & Measurement
  • Set and track OKRs and KPIs that reflect customer and business value.
  • Leverage leading indicators to adjust direction early and often.
  • Establish feedback loops for continuous learning and improvement.
• Risk & Compliance
  • Distinguish between experimental (acceptable) and operational (preventable) failures.
  • Embed risk, security, and compliance practices into delivery without slowing innovation.
• Quality Assurance
  • Maintain a quality mindset across the product lifecycle.
  • Implement regular audits, feedback loops, and user testing to ensure products meet standards and deliver value.
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Mentor product managers and cross-functional team leads across technology and business.
  • Foster a culture of ownership, autonomy, mastery, speed, purpose, science, and openness.
  • Promote psychological safety and continuous learning within and across teams.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in program, product, or portfolio management—preferably in a retail or technology-driven environment.
• Deep understanding of Agile, Lean Portfolio Management, and product lifecycle principles.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-team delivery, stakeholder relationships, and budget oversight.
• Familiarity with frameworks such as TBM, SAFe, or other scaled agile approaches.

Preferred Skills:

• Strong systems thinking and strategic planning abilities.
• Proven leadership in aligning cross-functional teams toward customer-centered outcomes.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and facilitation skills across executive and operational levels.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and driving clarity in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Competence in tools such as Jira, Aha!, Azure DevOps, Miro, PowerBI, and similar.
• A customer-first mindset with the ability to translate vision into iterative, high-value delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and grow product and delivery talent.

Who You Are:

• A Leader with Vision: Capable of strategically managing complex projects with precision.
• A Great Listener: Attuned to customer needs and industry trends, shaping relevant product development.
• A Collaborator: Effective in partnering with diverse teams to deliver high-quality results.
• An Innovator: Creative thinker bringing transformative ideas to market.
• A Lifelong Learner: Dedicated to personal and professional growth.
• A Teacher: Generous in sharing knowledge, mentoring, and leading your team toward mastery.
• Ready to Grow: Excited about making a significant impact and growing within Zumiez.

What We Offer:

• A competitive compensation package.
• A collaborative and innovative work environment.
• An influential role in a leading Zumiez into the future.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Zumiez champions diversity and inclusivity, striving for a workforce as dynamic as the communities we serve. We invite candidates of all backgrounds to bring their unique perspectives to our team, fostering creativity and driving excellence.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to fifteen pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to thirty pounds.
• Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee will work in an office environment. The noise level is generally moderate.
• Occasional travel for professional development and collaboration (<5%). Attendance and participation in company events as required

BENEFITS:

• Salary Range: $120,000-140,000/year

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, following an initial wait period.

• 401k after meeting qualifications

• Long Term Incentive Eligible

• Bonus Eligible

• Paid Parental Leave

• Life Insurance

• Paid Vacation

• Paid Sick Leave

• Stock Purchase Program

• Employee Discount on Zumiez product

Application Process:

• Motivated by innovation and eager to make a significant impact? Send your resume, personalized cover letter, and work samples to [paulkisicki@zumiez.com].
• Join Zumiez in our mission to deliver an unparalleled retail experience that captivates and inspires our customers and employees.