Wealth Business Solutions - Lead Program Manager.

Summary:

Provides highest level of program/project management expertise and consultation to the business in order to meet department, cross-department and enterprise-wide strategies and goals. Accountable for aligning one or more large, complex business programs consisting of multiple efforts and/or projects supporting strategic corporate initiatives.

Program Management includes managing multiple different programs/projects within a portfolio which incorporate multiple larger initiatives and overseeing programs and initiatives which are ongoing.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Independently leads large, complex, and multi-faceted programs or portfolios. Responsible for managing scope, risk, business value, schedule, and budget.
• Defines, maintains, and revises program objectives and deliverables; accountable for defining the program structure and creating a single, unified plan to deliver on program objectives. Manages programs to ensure appropriate allocation of resources according to program objectives, specifications, deliverables, and changes.
• Accountable for building and motivating team members and influencing them to take positive action and accountability for their assigned work. Accountable for identifying and resolving issues and conflicts within the team at a portfolio/program level.
• Drives for clarity on program objectives, priorities, and measures. Develops solutions/recommendations to unique and complex problems and ensures program solutions are consistent with organizational objectives. Identifies, assesses, and mitigates program risks and issues and removes impediments.
• Develops strong relationships with business partners to manage program delivery expectations and implementation. Manages the resources and vendors assigned to program by verifying progress and removing obstacles.
• Makes connections across teams and workstreams to drive identification and facilitation of inter-dependencies.
• Responsible for gathering and delivering metrics required by the program. Uses data to make successes and challenges visible, and to drive insights and action plans to continually adjust and pursue program goals. Leveraging tools and techniques to enable end-to-end value delivery and the best ongoing rollout and ongoing experience.
• Applies extensive business acumen in depth and breadth of industry, and company initiatives, products complexities, in order to incorporate knowledge into program objectives.
• Uses extensive knowledge of program management and business requirements to understand the key business drivers as they relate to the programs. Conduct complex analysis to identify scope and nature of program deliverables; programs are intended to solve a department or business need.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree with an emphasis in, Business, Project Management or related field preferred OR a significant amount of directly-related work experience beyond the minimum required for the position.
• Experience in Financial Service industry.
• Minimum 10 years of related experience; diverse project or program management experience to include analysis, design, documentation, vendor management, project/support management.
• Ability to work with general direction to scope, plan and manage cross-department or multi-department programs.
• Ability to lead project/program, from ideation, initiation through closure, with existing or new project team members and business partners.
• Demonstrate success records of leading and managing large and highly complex assignments including those with enterprise-wide impact.
• Ability to prioritize work and handle multiple tasks simultaneously, work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Seen as a team player and demonstrate ability to focus on business objective and value to drive decision and ideas.
• Written and oral communications skills with the ability to build rapport within the company, field and /or outside vendors.
• High degree of personal initiative and motivation.
• Degree with a project management emphasis or PMI certification preferred
• Proficient in leveraging diverse project methodologies (agile, waterfall, hybrid, lean).
• Experience in gathering and documenting business requirements (user stories, use cases, acceptance criteria)

Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please c lick here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.