Lean Portfolio Value Manager

Wellmark•Des Moines, IA

About The Position

The main focus of this role is to connect Wellmark's strategy to execution at both the portfolio and enterprise level. You will provide thought leadership and strategic thinking to optimize enterprise execution and build enterprise-wide thinking leaning on Lean Portfolio Management discipline. You will provide enterprise-wide or portfolio specific strategic investment governance to guide and champion portfolios to achieve value delivery. In addition, you will provide insightful recommendations to optimize execution, help ensure the enterprise and portfolios make sound economic decisions to improve health and pace of investment delivery by adapting Lean Portfolio Management discipline to business context. The crucial role will support the entire enterprise and all agile release trains.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in related field or direct and applicable work experience.
Minimum 7 years of experience including the following: implementing and managing lean portfolio management frameworks and principles, understanding how agile ways of working enable sustainable flow, and applying lean budgeting practices based on enterprise needs and interacting with senior level executives.
SAFe LPM certification or other transferable scaled related certification(s), must obtain within one year in role.
Prosci certification, or other change management related certification(s), must obtain within one year in role.
Strong ability to identify patterns within the portfolio kanban to manage and optimize portfolio flow.
Ability to manage WIP and WIP related conversations.
Ability to create compelling stories based on stakeholder expectations, leveraging analytical data and trends to inform stakeholder decisions and challenge assumptions; understands the "bigger picture."
Strong business acumen and understanding of business dynamics to guide and coach portfolio decisions without formal authority and create alignment among stakeholders.
Exceptional communication skills with the ability to facilitate and conduct conversations that influence and guide stakeholders to mature portfolio investment decisions and discussions.
Strong problem-solving abilities, including problem definition, root cause analysis and providing recommendations for resolution.
Strong ability to recognize patterns, connect work to strategic objectives, conduct scenario planning, risk assessment and develop mitigation plans.
Ability to interpret a stakeholder's request and clearly articulate a recommendation.
Able to navigate an ever-changing environment appropriately, act as change resource for portfolio to help individuals navigate their ADKAR journey.
Exceptional storytelling skills to communicate complex topics that inspire and influence senior level stakeholders to work differently.
Exhibits strong application of change management principles to own work.
Experience working with Agile methodologies.
Naturally curious and thrives in ambiguous situations by identifying situational context to resolve problems at hand.
Ability to work well in a team environment and capable of building and maintaining positive relationships with others.
Experience with relevant tools and applications.
Ability to learn, navigate, and leverage new tools and applications quickly.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (ex. MBA).
Experience in the healthcare or insurance industry.

Responsibilities

Exhibits strategic thought leadership advising portfolio on optimizing execution leveraging lean portfolio management principles and frameworks within portfolio context.
Accountable for ensuring portfolios operate within the guardrails of the epic lifecycle.
Accountable for maintaining portfolio kanban and ensuring flow through the pipeline.
Working closely with lean portfolio consultants and analysts to track, monitor, analyze, synthesize, and communicate key portfolio performance and execution metrics into actionable recommendations.
Provide portfolio leadership with strategic recommendations to improve the flow of value, advance portfolio strategy, reduce epic queuing time, manage work in progress limits and support economic decision making.
Demonstrate strong collaboration and communication tactics across stakeholders impacted by epic lifecycle within or across portfolio(s).
Plan, organize and facilitate multiple portfolio events as a neutral, third party within the Program Increment (PI) to create forums and conditions that encourage and mature economic decision making.
Build strong rapport across many stakeholders, including Officers and SLT members.
Analyze strategy, execution and capacity data across portfolios to visualize progress and advance multi-year and annual objectives within portfolio context.
Champion OKR framework and tooling amongst portfolios to align work to strategic objectives.
Facilitate strategic conversations to proactively identify and secure investment decisions.
Other duties as assigned.