Lead Technical Program Manager (Director level, individual contributor)

Manulife • Boston, MA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead (Director level) Technical Program Manager (TPM) will be the lead point of contact on assigned initiatives that require delivery of end-to-end technology solutions. The TPM will work closely with the business initiative owner to align the technology services and capacity needed to deliver on the technology commitments. TPMs will work with the business to understand program requirements, manage different phases of development and testing plans, and ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Requirements

• Strong foundation in software engineering, systems engineering, solution architecture, or technical product leadership, with the ability to review and challenge system designs, APIs, integrations, data flows, deployment models, test strategies, and non-functional requirements.
• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture, platform modernization, cloud adoption, security, data, DevSecOps, observability, operational resilience, and architectural trade-offs across legacy and modern technology stacks.
• Strong knowledge of current-state technologies, including .NET Framework, VB.NET, C#, WinForms, ASP.NET Web Forms, IIS, SQL Server, ETL, batch processing, reporting, legacy calculation engines, document generation, and point-to-point integrations.
• Strong knowledge of target-state technologies and patterns, including modern .NET, ASP.NET Core, RESTful APIs, modular monoliths, microservices, event-driven architecture, React, Angular, TypeScript, relational and NoSQL platforms, containers, orchestration, Python, automation, and AI-assisted engineering.
• Ability to engage credibly with architects, engineering leads, developers, quality engineers, infrastructure teams, security partners, vendors, and senior leaders to guide migration strategies that balance business outcomes, risk, cost, maintainability, performance, and delivery timelines.
• Deep understanding of life insurance product structures and calculation drivers across Term, Whole Life, Universal Life, Indexed Universal Life, and Variable Universal Life, including premiums, charges, interest or crediting assumptions, guarantees, loans, withdrawals, cash values, riders, and regulatory illustration requirements.
• Knowledge of insurance illustration engines, including inputs, assumptions, product rules, calculations, ledger generation, scenario management, disclosures, output generation, and reproducibility.
• Understanding of producer point-of-sale and quote-to-submission workflows, including integrations with product and rate sources, CRM or portals, e-signature, case management, new business, underwriting, and policy administration.
• Experience partnering with Product, Actuarial, Compliance, Legal, Distribution, Operations, and Technology to translate product and regulatory changes into traceable technology outcomes.
• Knowledge of controls and evidence required for calculation validation, illustration compliance, releases, assumption changes, effective dating, and auditability.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large initiatives and multiple interdependent workstreams across teams, platforms, vendors, and organizational boundaries.
• Strong strategic thinking, structured problem solving, judgment, negotiation, facilitation, conflict resolution, and executive communication.
• Ability to influence and drive execution without direct management authority.
• Ability to create clarity in ambiguous situations, frame options and recommendations, and drive timely decisions.
• Experience managing scope, schedule, budget, capacity, dependencies, risks, quality, release readiness, and value realization using appropriate delivery methodologies.
• Ability to communicate technical vision, modernization strategy, delivery confidence, business impact, and risk to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• People leadership experience or demonstrated capability to coach, mentor, align, and motivate cross-functional teams.
• 8+ years of progressive experience delivering complex technology programs in insurance, financial services, or another highly regulated industry.
• 5+ years leading large, multi-year, cross-platform technology initiatives involving multiple engineering teams, business functions, vendors, and senior stakeholders.
• 5+ years of life insurance technology experience strongly preferred, with direct exposure to product development, actuarial or calculation capabilities, illustrations, point-of-sale, new business, underwriting, policy administration, or related distribution platforms.
• Prior experience in software engineering, solution architecture, systems analysis, technical product ownership, engineering leadership, or another technically intensive role strongly preferred.
• Experience leading modernization involving one or more of the following: VB.NET to C#, .NET Framework to modern .NET, desktop to web, monolithic to API-driven architectures, on-premises to cloud-enabled environments, or replacement of legacy and end-of-life components.
• Proven delivery experience across large application ecosystems consisting of desktop, web, services, APIs, databases, batch, reporting, document generation, and external integrations.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, software engineering, information systems, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience implementing or governing modern engineering practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, DevSecOps, observability, infrastructure automation, and AI-assisted software delivery.
• Experience with test governance for calculation engines, including actuarial validation, parallel testing, defect triage, regression evidence, and formal sign-off.
• Experience leading regulated releases involving product, rate, assumption, disclosure, or effective-date changes while coordinating technology and business readiness.
• Excellent communication, presentation, documentation, relationship-management, and executive stakeholder skills.
• Highly adaptable, resilient, and effective in a dynamic environment with competing short-term commitments and long-term transformation objectives.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing the entire lifecycle of an initiative including initiating programs, driving delivery, and providing support when issues arise
• Responsible and accountable for ensuring all aspects of delivery of technology services including Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring/Controlling, Closure, and Post initiative evaluation activities to deliver on scope, budget, and schedule for technology commitments.
• Using their background in understanding software engineering and technology to implement technology strategies and ensure effective software delivery
• Providing cross-functional leadership and building alignment for efforts such as product architecture and synchronizing the ask with the IT organization service areas to deliver services.
• Identifying and mitigating technical risks that could impact project success
• Works closely with Business Initiative lead to build schedule, milestones, goals, and scope by aligning and incorporating technology aspects from components, solutions, feasibility and delivery.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, while actively driving alignment and productivity for aligned Team

Benefits

• health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans.
• various retirement savings plans (including pension/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources.
• up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year
• full range of statutory leaves of absence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Associate degree