Senior Technology Program Manager - Hawthorn East

We’ve been trusted to serve Aussie communities since 1914 and grown to become a top 30-listed on the ASX with over 115,000 team members and a portfolio of iconic brands. At Coles Group, you’ll not only get to make a difference to millions of Aussie lives—you’ll also get to see your impact.

About the team

Our Technology team is the backbone of the business, building and maintaining the information technology infrastructure that support Coles Group. As a part of the Technology team, you get the opportunity to work through complex, challenging, meaningful problems using large data sets and new technologies to expand your skills and experience.

Key responsibilities include:

Program Establishment & Team Leadership

• Build and lead a high-performing team focused on delivering technology solutions and initiatives not limited to Data and Integration, Coles’ retail media, customer and loyalty functions
• Define team structure, roles and responsibilities to enable effective program delivery​
• Drive a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement​
• Develop capability plans to ensure the team has the skills and tools required to succeed​
• Identify opportunities to leverage technology for greater business efficiency or effectiveness
• Partner with the Senior Engineering Manager, Operations Manager and Quality Manager to define effective best practices and processes

Strategic Program Delivery

• Lead the planning, execution and delivery of complex technology programs aligned to business objectives​
• Ensure all initiatives are delivered on time, within scope and on budget while maintaining quality standards​
• Partner with business and product stakeholders to prioritise and sequence initiatives based on value and readiness
• Partner with the business and product stakeholders to facilitate effective quarterly and monthly prioritisation and planning aligned to Objectives & Key Results​
• Embed best-practice delivery methodologies, including agile, hybrid or waterfall as appropriate​
• Executing through others, specifically creating a common vision and influencing peers towards executing against it as part of a broad transformation program

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Build strong relationships with senior business leaders in Coles360, Customer and Loyalty portfolios, ensuring alignment of program outcomes with organisational and functional strategy​
• Act as the primary point of contact for program progress, risks and dependencies​
• Facilitate decision-making forums to address roadblocks and ensure delivery momentum​
• Communicate complex program status and technical concepts in clear, business-relevant terms

Governance, Risk & Financial Management

• Establish governance frameworks for program oversight, reporting and decision-making.​
• Identify, manage and mitigate program risks and issues
• Track, manage and report on program budgets, ensuring efficient use of resources
• Ensure compliance with organisational policies, security standards, and regulatory requirements.

Continuous Improvement & Value Realisation

• Define and track key success metrics to measure program impact on functional performance
• Drive post-implementation reviews to capture lessons learned and embed them into future delivery practices​
• Identify opportunities to optimise delivery processes and accelerate time-to-value​
• Ensure delivered solutions are adopted, supported, and delivering expected benefits

About you and your skills:

• Proven experience leading large-scale, multi-stream technology programs in complex organisations​
• Demonstrated success establishing new delivery teams and frameworks from the ground up​
• Extensive experience delivering customer-focused technology initiatives, ideally in retail, marketing or loyalty contexts​
• Strong track record of managing cross-functional teams, vendors and third-party delivery partners​
• Experience in both agile and traditional delivery methodologies, with ability to apply the right approach for the initiative​
• History of managing significant program budgets and tracking value realisation​
• Experience in managing large-scale, complex technology projects from initiation to delivery​
• Experience working with data, integration, and customer-facing technology platforms​
• Strong understanding of agile and waterfall methodologies, with the ability to tailor approaches to fit project needs
• Degree in Information Technology, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)​
• Exceptional program management skills, with relevant certifications highly desirable (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, Agile)​
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and mobilise teams toward shared goals​
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels​
• Commercial acumen and experience managing budgets and business cases​
• Deep understanding of technology delivery processes, tools and governance frameworks​
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity in fast-paced, evolving environments​
• Strong understanding of business transformation, digital, technology and change delivery

What’s in it for you?

• Flexible working options: We know that work is only one part of your life, so we actively encourage a positive work-life balance and provide hybrid working options to help you achieve it.
• Office perks: Take advantage of our gym facility and fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, fooderie hub where you can sample new products before they hit the shelves, school holiday program and so much more when you come in.
• Discounts: Eligible team members receive 5% discount all year round on your Supermarket and Liquor online and in-store purchases. We also offer additional periods of double discount (10%) at various times throughout the year. As well as hotdeals exclusive to team members that translate into additional savings.
• Reward through recognition: Give and receive recognition, linked to our Coles values, through our digital recognition platform ‘mythanks’. You can accumulate points to redeem in the online shop for exciting gifts and electronic gift cards from an extensive range of retailers.
• Opportunities for learning and development: No matter where you start within our diverse business, you’ll have experiences, exposure, and education to satisfy you. Discover and explore a variety of career development programs and job-specific training.
• Paid parental leave: We understand how important your life outside work is and offer permanent team members paid parental leave to support you in balancing work and family.
• Investment in your future: Our annual team member share plan offer allows eligible team members to make regular pre-tax salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.

About the recruitment process

We’re continuing to build a gender equitable team, and a culture that is just as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as the communities we serve. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe and respectful for our team. We encourage applications from people of all ages, cultures (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.

We’re happy to adjust our recruitment process to support candidates with disability. For further information and additional contact details visit the ‘Our Recruitment Process’ section of our careers site or email inclusionrecruitment@coles.com.au

Job ID: 166041

Employment Type: Full time

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