Principal Program Manager

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We are looking for a dynamic, business-focused Principal Strategic Program Manager to join our growing Corporate Program Management Office (CPMO) leading transformation programs to deliver Zendesk's company strategy.

The Principal Strategic Program Manager partners with leaders and teams across the company to spearhead transformation initiatives from initial visioning to launch. This involves working with leadership from Sales, Marketing, CX, Product and G&A functions to ensure appropriate alignment with and support for transformation goals and objectives. The role establishes structure to the full lifecycle of a program, leading program design, planning, delivery, and operational excellence. The role requires high business acumen, strong strategic and analytical thinking, effective communication and interpersonal skills, and agile program management capabilities.

What you get to do everyday:

• Own one or more transformation programs in partnership with senior leadership, serving as subject matter expert in areas such as program structure, governance design, business case development, program delivery. organizational change management, and team facilitation.
• Guide teams in translating corporate strategies into execution-ready program plans and governance models, then drive cross-functional execution teams to deliver on their objectives.
• Establish cross-functional, cross-geo program teams and engage them to ensure high quality, timely program execution. Ensuring clear, proactive communication across teams to meet deadlines and create appropriate levels of awareness and action.
• Provide high-quality, data-backed guidance and recommendations to senior leadership to drive business outcomes.
• Conduct ongoing issue and risk management activities, identifying and resolving roadblocks, objections, conflicts, and negotiations as they arise. Proactively mitigate risks.
• Lead development of systems and processes to track and measure program success.
• Lead organizational change management activities, as needed.
• Coordinate and contribute to development of reporting, leadership and Board updates, and other program communications.
• Cultivate a culture of openness and transparency to increase the likelihood of program success.
• Lead by influence rather than authority to build trust across the organization.
• Positively impact the effectiveness and efficiency of program team members by sharing your experiences and contributing to the continuous improvement of our methodology.

What you bring to the role:

• Proven track record of successfully delivering several large-scale, complex programs, including Sales, CX and GTM (Go-to-Market) domains.
• Minimum of 8 years in a Sr. Program Manager role within a fast-paced SaaS environment or management consulting focused on strategic programs and transformation efforts.
• Experience working with and supporting operations teams and managing programs that impact large employee groups.
• Demonstrated success working across diverse teams and geographies, with the ability to synthesize what may appear to be competing priorities.
• Serves as an invaluable business partner to the teams you support with a diverse skill set that spans business operations, process design and improvement, data/analytics, and program management.
• Able to distill complex, multi-faceted topics into an organized, structured approach and mobilize the right people to execute.
• Extremely strong collaboration, planning, influencing, prioritization, and time management skills.
• Ability to tailor your approach and those of the Corporate PMO to meet the needs of Zendesk teams.
• Ability to follow and positively influence Corporate PMO methodology and best practices.
• Experience with Atlassian toolset (JIRA, Confluence), Smartsheet, and/or process mapping software (Lucidchart) a plus.
• PMP and/or Prosci Change Management certifications a plus.

Where We Work
Zendesk is not your average tech company. We have all the stuff you'd expect - competitive pay, benefits, appealing offices, snacks, and more. We also have a culture deeply dedicated to enabling conversations and providing appreciative support. We help our staff keep work-life balance, from flexible hours to remote work, to the most dynamic parental leave plans on the market. Our Social Impact team is actively engaged in our community and enables us to invest thousands of hours with local community groups each year. We invest in diversity and inclusion so that our team reflects the diversity of the world around us. We have a whole crew dedicated to ensuring our workplace experience is top notch and welcoming for all.
The Intelligent Heart Of Customer Experience
Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love. We advocate for digital first customer experiences—and we stick with it in our workplace. Over 5,000 employees worldwide are collaborating from kitchen tables, home offices, coworking spaces, and Zendesk workspaces to make one team.
Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.
Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to with your specific accommodation request.
Being digital first doesn't mean we're digital only. In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our Mexico City office on a weekly basis for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.

Please note that anyone hired into this position must be physically located in and plan to work from Mexico City (CDMX) or Mexico State (Estado de Mexico).

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.

About Zendesk - Champions of Customer Service

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love. We advocate for digital first customer experiences—and we stick with it in our workplace. Over 5,000 employees worldwide have the flexibility to choose where they work. The fact is, we know great work happens anywhere. Whether you're collaborating from your home office, a Zendesk workspace, or the kitchen table, you're part of one team at Zendesk.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to with your specific accommodation request.

Zendesk crée des logiciels pour de meilleures relations avec les clients. Nous donnons aux organisations le pouvoir d'améliorer l'engagement envers leurs clients et de mieux les comprendre. Les produits de Zendesk sont faciles à utiliser et à implémenter. Ils donnent à nos clients la souplesse d'agir rapidement, la possibilité de se concentrer sur l'innovation et de suivre la croissance de l'entreprise.

Plus de clients payants utilisent les produits Zendesk dans plus de 150 pays et territoires. Situé à San Francisco, Zendesk est actif aux États-Unis, en Europe, en Asie, en Australie, et en Amérique du Sud.

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Zendesk est un employeur promouvant l'égalité des chances d'emploi et nous sommes fiers de nos efforts continus pour favoriser la diversité globale, l'équité et l'inclusion en milieu de travail. Les décisions d'embauche sont prises selon des critères professionnels sans égards à la race, l'origine ethnique, la couleur, la religion, le genre, l'orientation sexuelle, l'identité de genre, le statut d'état civil, l'âge, l'information génétique, le pays d'origine, les handicaps, le statut de militaire ou de vétéran ou d'autres classifications protégées par la loi applicable.

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