PMO (R&D Operations)

Matrix Eastern Europe, the offshore division of Matrix IT, one of the leading global R&D services companies with more than 11,000 professionals, is looking for a PMO (R&D Operations) to join one of our teams in Skopje!

We are looking for a strategic, data-driven PMO / R&D Operations Lead to partner directly with our R&D leadership team. In this role, you will not just manage individual projects; you will shape how our entire R&D department operates. You will design our Jira infrastructure, establish clear engineering metrics, facilitate the roadmap planning process, and create high-level visibility that allows our engineering teams to scale efficiently.

Responsibilities:

• R&D Metrics & Reporting: Define, track, and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) for R&D (e.g., velocity, capacity, cycle time, predictability, and resource allocation). Provide clear, actionable dashboards for the VP of R&D and executive leadership.
• Jira & Tooling Architecture: Own the structure, workflows, and board configurations in Jira. Build standardized, cross-team templates, portfolio boards (e.g., Jira Advanced Roadmaps), and automated reporting to keep teams aligned and eliminate administrative overhead.
• Roadmap & Portfolio Management: Partner with R&D and Product leadership to establish, maintain, and track the high-level R&D roadmap. Ensure individual team backlogs align with broader strategic milestones.
• Process Optimization & Governance: Evaluate and refine our agile processes across multiple teams. Define “definition of ready” (DoR) and “definition of done” (DoD) standards and help engineering managers implement them consistently.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Manage dependencies, risks, and alignment across geographically dispersed R&D teams (including nearshore/offshore locations). Act as the central point of contact for complex, multi-team initiatives.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in a PMO, R&D Operations, or Technical Program Manager (TPM) role within a software development/IT environment.
• Jira Power-User status (Administrator-level knowledge of Jira Software, Jira Product Discovery, or Advanced Roadmaps is highly preferred). You know how to build clean, automated workflows and portfolio-level boards.
• Strong data literacy: Proven experience defining R&D metrics, building dashboards (Jira, EazyBI, Tableau, or PowerBI), and translating raw data into strategic insights for executives.
• Deep understanding of Agile at scale: Beyond basic Scrum, you understand how to scale agile methodologies across multiple teams and geographic locations.
• Strategic thinking & influence: Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence engineering managers and product leads without direct authority.
• Experience with global teams: Proven track record working with geographically dispersed teams (e.g., Europe/Macedonia) and understanding cross-cultural work dynamics.

What we can offer:

• Additional 20 days of paid leave
• Professional and career benefits
• Top-quality work environment
• Online courses
• Online sports activities
• Team Buildings and Christmas Parties