Senior Manager, Portfolio Governance

Lumen is the trusted network for the AI‑powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high‑performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities.

At Lumen, you’ll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what’s next, where performance, security, and resilience matter.

This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you’re ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI‑ready connectivity, join us today.

The Role

Lumen is transforming how technology investments are planned, prioritized, governed, and delivered through a Product Operating Model organized around enterprise value streams. As the Senior Manager, Portfolio Governance, you will build and operationalize the governance framework that guides work from intake through value realization. This is a highly visible role within a newly formed and growing team, responsible for establishing and maintaining governance standards, operating cadences, decision frameworks, tool governance, and portfolio management practices across our Security, Technology, Engineering, Product, and Network (STEPN) organization. Working closely with Product, Finance, Lean Portfolio Management, and other cross-functional stakeholders, you will create the structure and discipline that enables consistent, transparent, and value-driven portfolio decisions. This role offers the opportunity to shape how the organization operates while building a scalable governance function for the future. This role owns the governance framework that enables portfolio decisions, including decision standards, stage-gate criteria, governance forums, decision rights, and decision records. The role does not make portfolio investment decisions .

Location

This is a remote opportunity open to candidates located anywhere in the U.S.

The Main Responsibilities

- Establish and maintain governance frameworks, standards, operating procedures, and decision-making processes that support the portfolio lifecycle from intake through value realization.
- Lead governance forums, stage-gate reviews, decision tracking, executive communications, and portfolio operating cadences to ensure work is decision-ready and consistently managed.
- Drive documentation, maintenance, and governance oversight across multiple portfolios within STEPN, ensuring transparency, consistency, and auditability.
- Partner closely with Finance, Product, Lean Portfolio Management, and technology stakeholders to align governance processes, reporting, and portfolio decision-making.
- Maintain  governance tooling and data standards across platforms such as Jira and Clarity, ensuring reporting integrity, process adherence, and effective change control.
- Develop executive-ready presentations, governance readouts, agendas, decision records, and status communications for senior leadership .
- Monitor governance effectiveness through metrics, compliance tracking, decision cycle times, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Enable adoption through training, coaching, documentation, and stakeholder engagement to ensure governance processes are practical, scalable, and consistently applied.

What We Look For in a Candidate

- 7+ years of experience in portfolio governance, portfolio operations, PMO leadership, program management, business operations, process governance, or a related discipline.
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Operations, Project Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Experience designing and implementing governance frameworks, operational standards, stage gates, intake processes, decision rights, or portfolio management practices at enterprise scale .
- Experience operating within Agile, SAFe , or Lean Portfolio Management environments.
- Hands-on experience with portfolio and work management tools such as Jira, Clarity, Jira Product Discovery, or similar enterprise platforms .
- Strong project and portfolio management skills, including facilitation, meeting leadership, executive communications, reporting, presentations, and stakeholder management.
- Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive adoption of standards without direct authority.
- Experience working in complex, matrixed organizations where priorities, processes, and responsibilities continue to evolve.
- Analytical ability to evaluate performance, identify process inefficiencies, and improve decision effectiveness through measurable outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience supporting enterprise technology portfolios within a product operating model or value-stream-based organization.
- Previous leadership or people management experience, with the ability to grow into future leadership responsibilities.
- Experience partnering closely with Finance, Product, Technology, and Portfolio Management organizations.
- Experience  establishing governance functions or operating models within newly formed teams.
- Knowledge of Lean Portfolio Management, portfolio planning, intake management, funding governance, and value realization practices.
- Portfolio governance, PMO, Agile,  SAFe , Lean, or process improvement certifications.
- Experience within telecommunications, technology, software, or other large enterprise environments.
- Prior experience supporting enterprise-wide transformation initiatives.

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.

Location Based Pay Ranges

$132,232 - $176,310 in these states: AL  AR  AZ  FL  GA  IA  ID  IN  KS  KY  LA  ME  MO  MS  MT  ND  NE  NM  OH  OK  PA  SC  SD  TN  UT  VT  WI  WV  WY 
$138,844 - $185,124 in these states: CO  HI  MI  MN  NC  NH  NV  OR  RI 
$145,456 - $193,940 in these states: AK  CA  CT  DC  DE  IL  MA  MD  NJ  NY  TX  VA  WA

Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.   Learn more about Lumen's: Benefits (https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/benefits-statement)
Bonus Structure

#LI-Remote

Requisition #: 343524

Life at Lumen

Life at Lumen is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.

Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win.

To learn more about Life at Lumen and how we live the Lumen 8, please visit:  
https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/life-at-lumen

Background Screening

If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page . Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Equal Employment Opportunities

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, “protected statuses”). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.

Privacy Notice

Lumen is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information collected during the recruitment and hiring process. Our Applicant Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect applicant information, as well as how individuals may request access to or deletion of their personal data.

To review Lumen’s Global Employment Applicant and Talent Community Privacy Notice, please visit:
https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/privacy-notice

Disclaimer

The job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Please be advised that Lumen does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Lumen, they are not for employment with us, but may relate to another company with a similar name.