Program Director – Large-Scale Transformation

Job Title: Program Director – Large-Scale Transformation (Travel Industry)Location: Sydney, AustraliaExperience: 20+ yearsEmployment Type: Full-Time

Role Overview

We are seeking a seasoned Program/Transformation Director to lead a multi-year, large-scale transformation program within the travel/airline industry, with a strong focus on Sales & Distribution and Customer / Passenger experience and engagement.

This role will be responsible for end-to-end program leadership, driving strategic transformation, ensuring seamless onshore-offshore delivery, and maintaining strong executive stakeholder engagement.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in complex program management, product/platform implementation, and risk governance, combined with strong domain understanding of travel distribution and retailing transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Leadership & Governance
• Lead and deliver multi-year, multi-million-dollar transformation programs across business and IT functions
• Establish and manage program governance, operating model, KPIs, and reporting cadence
• Drive alignment with enterprise strategy, business objectives, and customer outcomes
• Manage the Transformation Office and lead a team of Program managers, delivery leaders, business and technology architects driving the transformation
• Govern the vendor partners, product teams, technology and business teams to collaborate and deliver as per the transformation objectives and timelines
• Offer & Order Transformation (Mandatory)
• Lead implementation of Offer & Order (O&O) platforms, including NDC, ONE Order, and modern retailing capabilities
• Drive transition from legacy PSS to next-generation airline retailing systems
• Work closely with product, architecture, and vendor teams to ensure scalable and future-ready solutions
• Onshore–Offshore Delivery Management
• Manage global delivery teams across onshore and offshore locations
• Establish efficient delivery models, SLAs, and collaboration frameworks
• Optimize delivery through agile, hybrid, and scaled execution models
• Stakeholder & Customer Engagement
• Act as the primary interface for executive stakeholders (CXO-level)
• Provide clear, transparent communication on program status, risks, and outcomes
• Build strong relationships with business, technology, and external partners
• Risk & Issue Management
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program risks and dependencies
• Lead governance forums for issue resolution and escalation management
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, operational, and organizational standards
• Product & Platform Implementation
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of enterprise platforms and products
• Ensure alignment with architecture standards, integration patterns, and data strategies
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices and DevSecOpsFinancial & Commercial Management
• Manage program budgets, forecasts, and financial performance
• Drive cost optimization and value realization across the program lifecycle
• Oversee vendor contracts, negotiations, and performance management
• Required Qualifications & Experience20+ years of experience in IT services/consulting with at least 8–10 years in Program Director roles
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale transformation programs (>USD 50M+)
• Mandatory experience in Travel/Airline industry, with strong exposure to:
• Passenger Service Systems (PSS) modernization
• Passenger engagement systems upgrade & modernisation
• Strong experience in onshore–offshore delivery models
• Deep expertise in program management methodologies (Agile, SAFe, Waterfall hybrid)
• Demonstrated ability to manage CXO-level stakeholders and global teams
• Key Skills &

Competencies

• Strategic thinking and transformation leadership
• Executive communication and influencing skills
• Strong governance, risk, and financial management
• Product/platform implementation expertise
• Vendor and partner management
• High resilience and ability to lead through ambiguity

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with leading airline platforms
• Exposure to modern airline retailing ecosystems and processes
• Certifications in PMP, PgMP, SAFe, or equivalent