Program Manager, Retail Product Transformation And Operating Model Design

Aquent is partnering with a leading Canadian retail organization seeking an experienced Program Manager to support a major enterprise transformation of product information, content, digital assets, and onboarding processes. This six-month contract offers an opportunity to shape how a complex retail business operates as it introduces modern technology, AI-enabled workflows, and new ways of working.We're looking for a senior transformation professional who combines hands-on retail product lifecycle expertise with operating model design, organizational change impact assessment, and exceptional executive communication skills.What You’ll Do
Lead the design and documentation of future-state operating models covering product onboarding, product information management, content enrichment, digital assets, workflow management, and ongoing product lifecycle processes.Map current and future-state workflows, including process changes, handoffs, RACI matrices, decision rights, and governance structures.Partner with Product, Technology, Merchandising, Marketing, HR, Operations, and other stakeholders to validate new ways of working.Conduct organizational change impact assessments to identify how new platforms and processes affect responsibilities, skills, roles, and business teams.Translate complex technical and operational changes into clear, practical materials for business leaders and impacted employees.Independently develop polished executive presentations that communicate strategic implications, recommendations, options, risks, dependencies, and decisions.Facilitate cross-functional workshops, build consensus, resolve process gaps, and support operating model readiness.Collaborate with change management and HR partners to provide accurate business inputs for training, communications, and adoption activities.What You’ll Bring
10+ years of experience in business transformation, program management, operating model design, business architecture, consulting, or organizational change.Significant experience with retail product data, product content, digital commerce, merchandising, or product lifecycle operations.Demonstrated experience designing and documenting end-to-end operating models, current/future-state workflows, RACI matrices, governance structures, and process changes.Experience assessing organizational impacts, including changes to roles, responsibilities, skills, and ways of working.Strong stakeholder leadership and workshop facilitation experience across multiple business functions.Proven ability to independently create executive-level PowerPoint presentations from complex or incomplete information, including recommendations, trade-offs, and decision narratives.Ability to work with senior leaders, HR, technology, product, and change management teams.Strong analytical thinking, business judgment, communication, and documentation skills.Ability to work on-site in Toronto Monday through Thursday.Nice to Have
Experience with Syndigo, Stibo, Akeneo, Salsify, or comparable PIM/PCM platforms.Experience with Adobe Experience Manager Assets, Adobe Workfront, Adobe Fusion, or comparable DAM and workflow solutions.Experience with vendor product onboarding, product taxonomy, data governance, product enrichment, and syndication.Exposure to AI-enabled product content, automation, and data quality initiatives.Experience supporting large-scale, multi-banner retail transformations.Why Apply
Help shape a major enterprise transformation at one of Canada’s most recognized retail organizations.Work directly with senior product leadership on high-visibility operating model decisions.Influence how product data, content, digital assets, and AI-enabled processes are managed across a complex retail environment.Collaborate with cross-functional leaders spanning Product, Technology, Merchandising, HR, and Operations.Take ownership of meaningful transformation deliverables with visible business impact.
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