Principal Program Lead

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our global theme park destinations, consumer products, and experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through our powerhouse film and television studios, including Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Focus Features, and the four global television studios under the Universal Studio Group banner, and operate industry-leading theme parks and experiences around the world through Universal Destinations & Experiences, including Universal Orlando Resort, home to Universal Epic Universe, and Universal Studios Hollywood. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. Visit www.nbcuniversal.com for more information.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Job Description

The Principal Program Lead is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading the organization’s most complex, high-visibility strategic programs. Working across business, technology, operations, and external partners, this role drives alignment, governance, execution, risk management, and delivery of initiatives that are critical to organizational success.

Principal Program Leads are deployed against the company’s highest-priority strategic initiatives and may move between programs over time based on business needs and portfolio priorities. These leaders operate with significant autonomy and are accountable for driving successful outcomes across highly matrixed environments.

The initial assignment for this position will focus on technical delivery and operational readiness associated with major media facility construction and relocation initiatives. Partnering closely with Global Real Estate, Engineering, Production Operations, Technology, Security, and external vendors, the Principal Program Lead will coordinate the successful delivery of all technology-related workstreams required to activate and transition new media facilities.

This role does not own facility design, construction, or real estate delivery. Instead, it serves as the strategic program leader responsible for integrating and coordinating the technology, operational readiness, and business transition activities necessary to support successful facility launches.

Level and Scope

The Principal Program Lead represents one of the highest levels of individual contributor program leadership within the organization.

The role is equivalent in scope, complexity, organizational impact, strategic influence, and executive engagement to Director and Senior Director-level positions while remaining an individual contributor role.

Success in this position requires the ability to lead through influence, align diverse stakeholder groups, navigate organizational complexity, and deliver results without direct authority over resources or teams.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Program Leadership

• Lead large-scale, cross-functional strategic programs from initiation through delivery.
• Establish program governance structures, operating models, and executive reporting frameworks.
• Develop and manage integrated program plans, milestones, dependencies, and critical path activities.
• Drive alignment across business, technology, operations, and external stakeholders.
• Translate strategic objectives into executable delivery plans and measurable outcomes.

Program Execution & Delivery

• Coordinate complex workstreams spanning multiple functions, teams, and vendors.
• Manage program risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, and mitigation strategies.
• Drive decision-making processes and issue resolution across stakeholder groups.
• Monitor program health and proactively address delivery challenges.
• Ensure successful execution against program objectives, timelines, and business outcomes.

Executive Stakeholder Management

• Build trusted relationships with executive leaders and key stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver executive communications, status reporting, and decision support materials.
• Facilitate governance reviews, steering committees, and cross-functional leadership forums.
• Influence outcomes across teams where no direct reporting relationships exist.

Organizational Readiness & Change Leadership

• Drive readiness planning and organizational alignment for major initiatives.
• Coordinate transition activities required to move programs from planning into operational execution.
• Ensure business, operational, and technical stakeholders are prepared for implementation and adoption.
• Support successful realization of intended business outcomes and value.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience leading large-scale, cross-functional programs in complex organizational environments.
• Demonstrated success delivering strategic initiatives involving multiple business, operational, and technology stakeholders.
• Strong expertise in program governance, risk management, dependency management, and executive communications.
• Proven ability to lead through influence in highly matrixed environments.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to operate effectively with executive-level stakeholders.
• Ability to travel to different NBCU markets. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading enterprise transformation, operational change, technology modernization, infrastructure, facility activation, or other large-scale strategic initiatives.
• Experience coordinating complex technical workstreams across multiple organizations.
• Familiarity with media, broadcast, production, workplace technology, networking, security, or related technical environments.
• Experience supporting facility relocation, expansion, or operational transition programs.

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Delivery of strategic programs against business objectives.
• Effective management of risks, dependencies, and stakeholder alignment.
• Achievement of program milestones and readiness objectives.
• Executive stakeholder confidence and satisfaction.
• Successful realization of intended business outcomes.
• Ability to lead complex initiatives across organizational boundaries.

This position reports to the VP, Portfolio & Program Management and serves as part of the organization’s strategic program leadership team.

Additional Information 

Fully Remote: This position has been designated as fully remote, meaning that the position is expected to contribute from a non-NBCUniversal worksite, most commonly an employee’s residence.

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website. Salary: $185,000- $200,000 (bonus & LTI eligible) 

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. 

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access nbcunicareers.com as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by emailing AccessibilitySupport@nbcuni.com.

For LA County and City Residents Only:  NBCUniversal will consider for employment  qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in a manner  consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, where applicable.