Program Manager presso National Guardian Life Insurance Company

We are adding a Program Manager 
to our team!

Who We Are:

Since 1909, National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) has been one of America’s most successful and highly rated independent life insurance companies. We specialize in a suite of innovative products for life’s journey, giving people the financial stability, careful guidance and peace of mind to lead a life filled with confidence, dignity and grace.

NGL's Core Values – integrity, dependability, collaboration, compassion and growth are a foundation of our company and help to build on the interactions we have with our policyholders, partners, funeral homes and each other. We believe in creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all where diversity is celebrated, and everyone is encouraged to live their best, most authentic self. We offer Employee Resource Groups for employees to get involved, learn, network, and offer professional and personal development opportunities.

With over 100 years of experience, our passion is to serve people. Learn more. 

A Day in the Life:

The Program Manager leads the coordination of all Agile, project, and shared services teams for dedicated programs. This position coordinates schedules among several projects and manages priorities and dependencies within different Agile projects. Additional responsibilities include monitoring for impediments, tracking program financials, and designing an effective program governance framework.

Primary Responsibilities: 

Coordinate Across Teams

• Ensure there is cohesion and coordination among all teams in the program.
• Maintain relationships with vendors critical for program success and facilitate discussions.
• Align on organizational and program goals and outcomes.
• Create visible plans that incorporate team and project work, and manage flexible roadmaps.
• Identify stakeholder groups and align on engagement level and communication expectations.
• Provide current project management plans, processes, and documents.
• Responsible for approval of the overall project and change framework including tools, artifacts and roles.

Oversee Communication

• Create a standard practice for communication including but not limited to standups, scrum of scrums, and articles.
• Set clear expectations on the purpose of the communication, setting agendas when appropriate, and ensuring someone is on point for facilitating any meetings or events.
• Collaborate with teams, stakeholders, architects, communications, and others to create and share updates on the program for audiences that range from Executive Leadership/Board Members to front-line employees.
• Adjust content to match the audience who will be consuming the information to ensure it includes the appropriate detail and is understandable.
• Provide access to key NGL stakeholders responsible for delivery of project work including availability for a meeting to discuss recommendations and next steps.

Remove Obstacles

• Identify and prioritize impediments that arise in the program as various projects progress.
• Collaborate with owners or responsible parties to remove impediments.
• Update roadmaps and dependencies appropriately to show impacts of impediments, especially those that will change the release date.
• Ensure teams stay focused on the Program Vision/North Star and help them avoid getting off track when addressing impediments (i.e. avoid solutions that solve the problem but aren't aligned with the Program Vision).

Program Financial Reporting

• Highlight potential financial impact/changes and impacts to the anticipated release date.
• Track the program financials and provide updates of actuals versus expected to show how the program is tracking to the approved budget.
• Establish a system to track internal support, external contractor costs, and licensing costs across the program
• Provide monthly updates to the Accounting team, including information on capitalizable and noncapitalizable expenditures.
• Provide regular financial updates to the Program Sponsor, Steering Committee, and information that can be utilized for board updates.
• Escalate issues that will impact the ability to stay within the program budget quickly and collaborate with key stakeholders find a solution to get financials back on track.

Program Governance/Scaled Agile

• Design a Program Governance framework that addresses scaling issues for the Agile and Project teams working within the program.
• Ensure all teams are clear on what decisions they can make as a team as well as what decisions the Sponsor, Business Lead, Steering Committee, and/or others need to review and approve to minimize risk to the organization.
• Partner with teams to identify risks for the Program and collaborate with people across all levels of the organization to either address them or if the risk can be accepted.
• Ensure Program Governance framework takes into account the other Agile Program Manager responsibilities.

Essential to Your Success:

• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate high-level business objectives into actionable plans and initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Excellent leadership and coaching abilities to guide and mentor Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Project Managers to drive transformation initiatives and fostering a culture of learning and growth
• Demonstrated ability to develop others through informal and formal mentoring relationships
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity as the organization builds out practices
• Expert knowledge of Agile principles and practices with the ability to apply them effectively in complex situations
• Proven ability to lead organizational change efforts
• Ability to define and communicate a clear vision and strategy aligned with business objectives
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including developers, designers, testers, and stakeholders
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire teams, stakeholders, and leaders
• Ability to align Agile practices and principles with organizational goals and strategies
• Skilled in resolving conflicts and address issues within teams and stakeholder groups
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to support Agile initiatives
• Proven ability to negotiate to achieve mutually beneficial agreements and successful outcomes
• Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality results
• Proactive problem-solver with a growth mindset, intellectual curiosity, and a passion for driving innovation and continuous improvement
• Knowledgeable with structuring projects within JRIA

Education Requirements:

Preferred:  Bachelor’s degree or relevant work experience can be substituted.  Agile or Project Management Certifications such as Professional Scrum Master (PSM), Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), Project Management Professional (PMP), or a similar advanced certification

Years of Experience:

• A minimum of four years of experience in designing, planning, and implementing complex projects with multiple stakeholders required.
• A minimum of seven years of experience working within an Agile environment required.

What We Offer:

At NGL, we provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes competitive base pay and benefits designed to offer solutions to help meet your unique life needs.

Benefits:

• 20 days of Paid Time Off growing to 25 days after 5 years
• 11 Paid Holidays (10 company holidays and 1 personal holiday of your choice)
• Health care, dental and vision plans
• Up to $1,500 (Family) or $1,000 (Single) annually towards a Health Savings Account 
• Annual bonus based on company performance
• Paid Parental Leave
• 401(k) match up to 9%
• Paid Sabbatical after 8 years
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Education Assistance Program
• Employee Recognition Program
• And much more!

Click here to learn more about our comprehensive Total Rewards program.

NGL is committed to creating a diverse environment and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

NGL is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact [email protected].