Manager Portfolio Demand Management (Emirati Talent)

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An experienced Manager Portfolio Demand Management role focused on Emirati Talent is open onsite in the United Arab Emirates. You will own the end-to-end demand lifecycle across BAU, projects and strategic initiatives, enforce entry criteria and standardized artefacts (BRDs, epics, CRs), and act as the single orchestration point for business demands on IT. Expect to lead portfolio prioritization, capacity and financial alignment, and oversee both Agile and Waterfall delivery while providing data driven executive insights and ongoing process improvement. Requirements: 10+ years in IT demand or portfolio management, multi vendor exposure, telecom IT experience preferred, a Bachelor’s degree, and ideally PMP/Agile certifications; UAE national status preferred. To apply, foreground measurable outcomes (predictability, time to market, throughput), highlight governance and cross functional leadership, and show Jira/Confluence proficiency.

Key Accountabilities:

• Demand Intake & Governance
  • Own and manage the end-to-end demand lifecycle from intake to closure across BAU, projects, and strategic initiatives.
  • Ensure all demands meet entry criteria (business case, scope clarity, dependencies, and priority alignment).
  • Enforce standardized demand artefacts (BRDs, epics, CRs) in collaboration with Product, Architecture, and Delivery teams.
  • Act as the single point of orchestration for Business demands impacting IT systems.
  • Cultivate strong relationships and communication channels with Business [Commercial & Customer and Channels], IT [design, delivery and development. etc], Technology [Architecture, Service Operation, Network, TSRM], and Support Functions [Finance, HR, Procurement, etc].
  • Key contributor for Product simplification and rationalization, MVP focus, embedding digital first components as applicable for fastest TTM and highest value. 
• Portfolio Prioritization & Planning
  • Drive portfolio prioritization aligned to business strategy, regulatory needs, and IT roadmap.
  • Balance short-term BAU, revenue-generating initiatives, and long-term strategic investments.
  • Facilitate prioritization forums with senior Business and IT stakeholders.
  • Maintain a single version of truth for the demand and project portfolio.
• Capacity & Financial Alignment
  • Partner with Capacity & Planning teams to align demand forecasts with available capacity (internal teams and strategic vendors).
  • Ensure demand plans are feasible within budget, MD capacity, and delivery constraints.
  • Highlight capacity bottlenecks, funding gaps, and trade-off options to leadership.
  • Support budget planning, forecast accuracy, and portfolio-level financial transparency.
• Agile & Waterfall Portfolio Oversight
  • Manage demand flow across Agile squads and Waterfall delivery streams, ensuring clarity on execution model.
  • Ensure Agile backlogs are sufficiently refined and aligned with PI/quarterly planning.
  • Track execution progress, dependencies, and risks across both models.     
• Stakeholder Management & Communication
  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior Business stakeholders on demand feasibility and sequencing.
  • Provide clear, data-driven portfolio insights to IT leadership (status, risks, trade-offs, value).
  • Resolve cross-functional conflicts related to priority, capacity, and delivery ownership.
• Reporting, Metrics & Continuous Improvement
  • Define and track portfolio KPIs (e.g., demand throughput, execution predictability, scope stability, time-to-market).
  • Provide executive-level dashboards and insights for decision-making.
  • Continuously improve demand management processes, tools, and governance frameworks.

Qualifications, Experience And Skills:

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor in Information Technology/ Information Services/ Computer Science
• Certifications such as Project Management, Agile Methodologies is preferred
• Master’s degree is a plus

Experience

• 10 years of experience in IT demand, portfolio, program, or delivery management
• Prior experience working with large transformation programs and BAU portfolios
• Exposure to multi-vendor delivery environments
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, IT, or Business (MBA preferred)

Skills

• Strong portfolio and demand management expertise in large IT environments
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills
• Ability to make trade-off decisions balancing value, cost, risk, and capacity
• Structured, data-driven, and outcome-oriented mindset
• Experience in telecom IT environments (BSS/OSS preferred)
• Strong understanding of Agile, SAFe, and Waterfall delivery models
• Solid grasp of capacity planning, MD-based delivery models, and vendor governance
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, and portfolio reporting tools

Success Measures

• Improved demand predictability and on-time delivery
• Reduced unplanned work and scope volatility
• Higher portfolio throughput and business satisfaction
• Clear alignment between strategy, funding, capacity, and execution