Principal Program Manager, IT

Intro

Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board!

Why you'll love this job

• ​This job is a member of the Technology Workforce Strategy and Transformation team within the Information Technology Division. As a member of this team, you will help shape how American Airlines builds, scales, and sustains a modern global technology workforce aligned to our corporate vision, mission, and long-term transformation priorities.
• This is a highly visible role for someone who enjoys connecting strategy to execution by building structure from ambiguity, managing complex dependencies, improving decision-making through data, and helping leaders navigate change. You will play a critical role in working directly with senior leaders, Finance, HR and other key technology stakeholders to advance workforce transformation priorities, helping to enable the work performed across the Workforce Strategy and Transformation team today, including transformation planning, governance, and execution, stakeholder coordination, executive reporting, workforce analytics, and day-to-day execution support our Technology organization.

What you'll do

• Develop a strong working knowledge of the solution being implemented and provide related industry trends and analysis
• Analyze and interpret program data to prepare and deliver overall program review to sponsors and stakeholders
• Deliver programs following Agile methods and best practices
• Proactively identify and develop/formulate solutions for managing dependencies, mitigating risks and resolving issues at program level
• Actively drive the analysis and ultimate disposition of all change requests impacting assigned program
• Provide thought leadership, review processes and provide efficiency recommendations for all aspects of program management with an eye to sustaining and/or evolving the practice of program management at American
• Responsible for partnering with leadership to prepare and deliver reporting, program metrics and presentations
• Conduct effective and efficient large room planning sessions to build release plans, manage risks and dependencies, plan for contingencies and other program activities that require coordination with strong facilitation
• Develop and maintain pro-active and constructive relationship with stakeholders by demonstrating an understanding of the business, associated requirements and set expectations accordingly
• Collaborate with business unit leads to prioritize work based on business value
• Act as escalation point for project managers and proactively resolve any reported issues that will have impact to the overall program timeline

All you'll need for success

Minimum Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Technology, Information Systems (CIS/MIS), Engineering or related technical discipline, or equivalent experience/training
• 5 years of work experience in program/project management
• 3 years of experience scaling Agile to the program level or participating on a complex program as a business lead

Preferred Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience

• ​7 years of applied work experience in program/project management
• Proven track record of managing large-scale projects across different functional workgroups
• Experience with practical application of Organizational Change Management methods

Skills, Licenses & Certifications

• Strong program execution skills with the ability to manage complex workstreams, timelines, risks, dependencies, decisions, and follow-through across multiple senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic workforce priorities into actionable plans, structured deliverables, executive-ready materials, and measurable outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting workforce, financial, organizational, or operational data to identify insights, support decisions, and track progress against goals.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, bring structure to complex problems, and drive alignment across teams with competing priorities.
• Strong executive communication skills, including the ability to prepare concise leadership updates, decision documents, status reports, presentations, and data-backed recommendations.
• Experience partnering across Technology, Finance, HR, and business teams to support transformation, organizational design, workforce planning, or governance initiatives.
• Strong facilitation skills with the ability to lead working sessions, align stakeholders, document decisions, and drive accountability for next steps.
• High attention to detail and ownership mindset, with the ability to manage both strategic planning and tactical execution.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, especially PowerPoint and Excel
• Experience with workforce analytics, reporting tools, or data visualization is preferred.
• Preferred experience with organizational transformation, workforce strategy, labor planning, role architecture, location strategy, or operating model design.
• Preferred knowledge of Agile delivery, program governance, change management, and technology delivery practices.
• Preferred certifications include PMP, PgMP, SAFe, Prosci/Change Management, Agile, or equivalent practical experience.
   

What you'll get

Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: 

• Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network.
• Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. 
• Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need.
• 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year.
• Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more

Feel free to be yourself at American

From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world.

Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American.