Principal Project Manager 1

The Principal Project Manager 1 serves as a senior-level project management leader responsible for driving the successful delivery of the organization's most complex and high-impact strategic initiatives. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, this role leads large-scale, cross-functional programs that span multiple departments, business units, and external partners. The Principal Project Manager 1 serves as a subject matter expert and organizational leader in project management discipline, setting standards, shaping governance frameworks, and influencing strategic direction. This role requires a seasoned professional who combines deep technical project management expertise with strong executive presence, business acumen, and the ability to navigate ambiguity at the highest levels of the organization.

Here's what you’ll do:

Strategic Planning and Program Leadership

• Leads the end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of multiple large-scale, enterprise-wide strategic initiatives simultaneously.
• Develops and maintains comprehensive program roadmaps that align project objectives with organizational strategy and business priorities.
• Establishes and enforces project governance frameworks, standards, and best practices across the organization.
• Defines program scope, success metrics, and key performance indicators in partnership with senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Anticipates and navigates organizational complexity, ambiguity, and competing priorities to keep programs on track.

Cross-Functional Team Leadership

• Leads and coordinates large, diverse cross-functional teams that may include internal departments, external vendors, and third-party partners.
• Drives alignment across multiple workstreams and ensures all team members understand roles, responsibilities, and interdependencies.
• Facilitates high-stakes planning sessions, program reviews, and decision-making forums with senior and executive leadership.
• Builds and sustains high-performing team cultures grounded in accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Serves as the primary escalation point for complex project issues, conflicts, and decisions requiring senior-level judgment.

Risk, Issue, and Change Management

• Develops and maintains sophisticated risk management frameworks including detailed risk registers, mitigation strategies, and contingency plans.
• Proactively identifies systemic barriers, organizational risks, and cross-program dependencies that could impact delivery.
• Leads change management efforts associated with major project initiatives, ensuring stakeholder readiness and adoption.
• Makes high-impact decisions with limited oversight, balancing risk tolerance with the need to maintain program momentum.
• Manages complex scope changes and ensures proper governance and approval processes are followed.

Budget and Vendor Management

• Owns and manages significant program budgets, including forecasting, tracking, variance analysis, and financial reporting to leadership.
• Ensures financial accountability across all program workstreams and drives cost optimization where appropriate.
• Partners with product, engineering, finance, and procurement teams to ensure compliance with organizational policies and controls.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Manages relationships with senior and executive-level stakeholders, providing clear, concise, and strategic program communications.
• Develops and delivers executive-level status reports, presentations, and program dashboards tailored to audience needs.
• Builds trust and credibility with stakeholders at all levels by demonstrating consistent delivery, transparency, and sound judgment.
• Influences without authority across organizational boundaries to drive alignment and remove obstacles.

Mentorship and Organizational Development

• Provides formal and informal mentoring and coaching to junior and mid-level project management staff.
• Contributes to the development of project management talent pipelines and capability-building programs.
• Leads or contributes to the continuous improvement of project management methodologies, tools, and processes within the organization.
• Serves as a go-to resource and thought leader for resolving the most complex and ambiguous project management challenges.

What you’ll need to be successful:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related field preferred.
• Master's degree or MBA a plus.

Experience

• 3 – 5 years of progressive project and program management experience, with a demonstrated track record of delivering complex, enterprise-scale initiatives.
• Proven experience managing large cross-functional teams, senior stakeholder relationships, and significant program budgets.
• Experience guiding vendor management and contract oversight for strategic engagements.
• Prior experience in a mentorship, coaching, or team leadership capacity.

Certifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required.
• Program Management Professional (PgMP), Agile certifications such as PMI-ACP or SAFe, or other advanced project management credentials strongly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Expert-level proficiency in project management methodologies including Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid approaches.
• Advanced proficiency in project management tools and platforms such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, or equivalent.
• Exceptional analytical and strategic problem-solving capabilities with the ability to synthesize complex information and drive sound decisions.
• Strong executive presence with outstanding written and verbal communication skills tailored to all audience levels.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, navigate organizational complexity, and drive alignment across competing priorities.
• Deep understanding of business operations, financial management, and organizational change management principles.
• High degree of self-direction, adaptability, and comfort operating in ambiguous and fast-paced environments.

May require a background check due to job duties requiring routine access to DIRECTV and DIRECTV customer’s proprietary data. Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction will be considered for employment in accordance with local ordinances and state law.

This is a remote position that can be located anywhere in the contiguous United States. #LI-Remote

A career with us comes with big rewards:

DIRECTV's compensation structure is designed to be market-competitive and fully supports efforts to attract and retain employees. It is the company's policy to offer pay that is competitive with other employers in the local market. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location.

The Base Salary range displayed below reflects the minimum and maximum target salary for each of DIRECTV's 4 (four) US Labor Market Zones. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

DIRECTV WAGE ZONES: $100,947 - $183,299

Low (N1): $100,947 - $151,421

Mid (N2): $106,260 - $159,390

High (N3): $116,886 - $175,329

Top (N4): $122,199 - $183,299

Click HERE to review information on some of the largest Designated Market Areas (DMAs). Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Please note that the salary ranges reflect base salary only and do not include bonus or benefits - when you consider all of these together, it represents a pretty impressive total compensation package.

Apply today!