Principal Program Manager

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together. The Enterprise Programs team at Appian sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, driving cross-functional programs that propel our business forward. We build the operational backbone that powers Appian's leadership in AI-Powered Process Automation, enabling our global teams to scale seamlessly and deliver high-impact results. THE OPPORTUNITY As a Principal Program Manager, you will serve as a trusted partner to executive leadership, tackling some of Appian's most critical, company-wide initiatives. This isn't just about managing schedules—it's about acting as a strategic force multiplier. If you want to leave a lasting mark on a high-growth enterprise platform company by leading complex, high-visibility transformations, this is the environment for you. WHAT YOU'LL DO Lead Enterprise Strategy: Own the end-to-end strategy, planning, and execution of complex enterprise-wide programs spanning multiple core business functions. Drive Strategic Alignment: Partner directly with executives and functional leaders to define success metrics, establish multi-year roadmaps, and drive clear decision-making. Establish Execution Excellence: Build and refine robust governance frameworks, operating rhythms, and KPI tracking to ensure initiatives deliver measurable business impact on schedule. Guide Change Management: Lead cross-organizational change strategies, ensuring key stakeholders across the business are engaged, informed, and aligned. Foster Cross-Functional Synergy: Facilitate seamless communication and alignment across Product, Engineering, Sales, Finance, IT, and People teams. Elevate the Practice: Mentor program managers within the team, elevating enterprise program management standards and best practices across the organization. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Education: Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Business, Technology, Operations, or a related field. Experience: 10+ years of proven experience in program management, business operations, or strategic execution within a technology or enterprise software organization. Demonstrated track record of leading large-scale enterprise programs with direct executive visibility and measurable outcomes. Proven expertise in program management methodologies, governance models, and tools like Jira, Confluence, or Asana. Exceptional executive-level communication skills, with a proven ability to distill complex topics into actionable clarity. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Background in enterprise SaaS, cloud technology, or enterprise transformation management. We value experience within enterprise ecosystems like Salesforce or ServiceNow, as these skills translate exceptionally well into our Enterprise-Grade Orchestration environment. Prior experience in management consulting, business transformation, or corporate strategy. Strong working knowledge of organizational change management frameworks (e.g., Prosci ADKAR). Industry certifications such as PMP or PgMP. The base salary range represents a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant work experience, qualifications, internal peer equity, and market and business conditions that exist when extending an offer. A discretionary bonus may be awarded in recognition of individual and company performance. In addition, Appian provides generous benefits offerings that include a 401(k) plan with company match, flexible time off, paid parental leave, medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, disability insurance, wellness programs, flexible spending accounts, health savings account contributions, an employee referral bonus program, and learning and development resources. Certain positions may be eligible for equity awards. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation, commission, bonus, or benefit plans. Base Salary Range $150,000—$275,000 USD Tools and Resources Training and Development: During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires. Growth Opportunities: Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for new and aspiring managers, a comprehensive library of specialized department training through Appian University, skills based training, and tuition reimbursement for those aiming to advance their education. This commitment ensures that employees have access to a holistic range of development opportunities. Community: We’ll immerse you into our community rooted in respect starting on day one. Appian fosters inclusivity through our 8 employee-led affinity groups. These groups help employees build stronger internal and external networks by planning social, educational, and outreach activities to connect with Appianites and larger initiatives throughout the company. Benefits Appian offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and financial future. Benefits may include health coverage, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support, life and disability insurance, an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), a retirement/pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits and more. Benefits vary by country—please ask your Talent Acquisition contact for details specific to the location you are applying to. About Appian Appian provides AI automation for mission-critical work. We automate complex processes in large enterprises and governments. Our platform is known for its unique reliability and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN] Follow Appian: LinkedIn, Youtube, Instagram, Facebook Appian is an equal opportunity employer that strives to attract and retain the best talent. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Appian provides reasonable accommodations to applicants in accordance with all applicable laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at ReasonableAccommodations@appian.com. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address. Appian's Applicant & Candidate Privacy Notice