Programme Director – Application Support, Maintenance & Development

Programme Director – Application Support, Maintenance & Development
Role Overview
The Programme Director is responsible for leading enterprise-level application support, maintenance, and development programs across multiple projects, teams, and business units. The role ensures operational stability, high service quality, and successful delivery of application initiatives while aligning technology services with business strategy. The Programme Director drives governance, stakeholder engagement, financial management, and continuous improvement across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end Application Services Programs covering production support, maintenance, enhancements, and new development initiatives.
Establish and manage delivery governance, operating models, and service management frameworks.
Ensure adherence to SLA/KPI targets, including system availability, incident resolution, and service performance.
Oversee multiple program streams and manage interdependencies across projects and business units.
Act as the senior escalation point for critical incidents, risks, and delivery challenges.
Build strong relationships with executive stakeholders, clients, and business leaders.
Manage program budgets, forecasts, resource planning, and vendor partnerships.
Drive continuous improvement, automation, and DevOps adoption to enhance service efficiency.
Lead and mentor large cross-functional teams including program managers, project managers, architects, and support leads.
Ensure compliance with organizational policies, security standards, and audit requirements.
Optimized program financial performance
Required Experience
15+ years of experience in IT delivery, program management, or application services leadership.
Proven track record managing large-scale application support and development programs.
Experience leading multi-location and cross-functional teams.
Strong exposure to enterprise systems, production support models, and large client engagements.
Core Skills
Strategic Program Leadership
Service Delivery Management
Stakeholder & Client Management
Financial & Resource Management
Risk & Governance Management
Incident & Problem Management
Transformation & Continuous Improvement
Preferred Certifications
PRINCE2 / PMP / PgMP
ITIL Certification
Agile / SAFe
Automotive/DMS experience is an advantage.