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We are seeking a seasoned leader to serve as Senior/Group Manager for Strategic Programs in IBM’s Security team for APAC & Japan. This highly visible, individual contributor role based in Gurugram, India reports directly to Director Security (APAC & Japan). You will be a part of an 86-full time employees team spread across 16 countries in APAC & Japan. The role will drive strategic alignment, orchestrate cross‑functional programs, and ensure operating rhythm and execution excellence for the broader APAC-J Security team.

As a trusted advisor and execution partner to senior leadership, the role will shape governance, organizational effectiveness, and stakeholder collaboration across functions within APAC & Japan. You will bring structure to ambiguity by turning broad goals into concrete initiatives, support executive decision-making with clear analysis and narrative, and ensure that strategic initiatives are appropriately resourced, tracked, and delivered with measurable impact.

Key responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

● Lead mid to long term strategic planning for the function, translating vision into clear roadmaps, OKRs, and measurable outcomes.

● Act as a thought partner to the Director Security (APAC & Japan), providing structured analyses, decision support, and synthesised insights on key business topics.

● Run the business cadence: quarterly business reviews, leadership meetings, strategy offsites, and governance forums, including content, pre‑reads, and follow‑through.

● Lead or oversee preparation for board updates, executive forums, and cross‑functional working groups, ensuring clear narrative, metrics, and alignment.

● Coordinate annual budget and headcount planning in partnership with Finance and HR; monitor spend, capacity, and ROI on strategic initiatives.

Program Management & Execution

● Own end‑to‑end strategic program management for high‑impact, cross‑functional initiatives, from problem definition to benefits realisation.

● Track progress on strategic priorities, identify risks and inter‑dependencies, and drive timely issue resolution and course correction.

Operational and Organisational Efficiency

● Review, design, and improve organisational structures, processes, and operating models to enhance efficiency and collaboration.

● Drive “grey space” work: clarify ownership, close gaps between teams, and create structure where none exists across ambiguous problem areas.

● Build strong stakeholder relationships across functions and geographies, acting as a central liaison for the leadership team.

• 10–15 years of total experience in strategy, program management, consulting, or business operations, with significant exposure to senior leadership.

• Demonstrated track record of leading complex, cross‑functional programs with material business impact.

• Prior experience in Strategic Programs, PMO, or Strategy & Operations role is strongly preferred.

• Graduate/Post-graduate qualification in business, program management, or a related field is preferred. Prior experience in Security is not mandatory.

Key skills and competencies

• Strong strategic thinking and structured problem‑solving; ability to break down ambiguous problems and design practical solutions.

• Expert program and project management skills, including planning, governance, risk management, and stakeholder management.

• Demonstrable experience with multi‑stakeholder programs across multiple time zones, with measurable outcomes.

• Exceptional communication and executive storytelling skills, with experience preparing materials for senior management level forums.

• High degree of ownership, bias for action, and comfort operating in fast‑paced, unstructured environments.

• Ability to influence without direct authority and build trusted relationships across senior stakeholders.

• Strong business acumen and comfort with financials, KPIs, and performance dashboards.