Project Management, Program Director

Talcott Financial Group, Ltd.•Hartford, CT

47d

About The Position

The appointed Project Director will join Talcott's Portfolio Management Organization (PMO), taking ownership of delivering high-impact programs within established timelines and budgets. This leader will foster a culture rooted in accountability, agility, and measurable results. The ideal candidate demonstrates an inclusive approach, exceptional business acumen, and a history of successful project delivery across diverse regions and business units. This position requires strategic influence, outstanding communication, and collaboration skills. Success in matrixed environments and expertise in PMO methodologies, governance, and business alignment are essential. We are seeking a decisive, execution-focused leader to guide governance and drive delivery for complex, enterprise-wide initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, finance, economics or related fields. Experience in insurance preferred.
Minimum of 15 years of experience in program leadership in Insurance and/or Financial Services domain
Deep knowledge of project portfolio management, program governance, risk management, and change enablement.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop PM talent and instill PM best practices across functions.
Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization in a matrixed organization.

Nice To Haves

Certifications in PMP, PgMP, and Agile strongly preferred (e.g., PMI-ACP, SAFe, CSM).

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, and control activities across projects of varying complexity, ensuring delivery within defined scope, timeline, and budget.
Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, track key milestones, dependencies and phase reviews across the lifecycle.
Collaborate with project sponsors and senior stakeholders to align goals with strategic objectives and define success metrics and business cases.
Apply best-practice methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid) to plan, execute, and monitor projects efficiently.
Identify and manage project risks, issues, and changes proactively, developing contingency plans as needed.
Lead Steering Committee meetings and drive effective senior leadership decision making.
Oversee project budgets, resource allocation, stakeholder communication, and executive reporting.
Support change management, user adoption, and operational readiness.
Influence cross-functional teams and vendors to ensure accountability and drive project outcomes.
Champion a culture of continuous improvement by regularly evaluating project management processes, tools, and methodologies to identify opportunities for increased efficiency, effectiveness, and quality.
Promote knowledge sharing and cross-team collaboration to leverage collective expertise and accelerate problem-solving.
Encourage a mindset of agility and adaptability, enabling teams to respond effectively to changing business needs and project requirements.
Build strong, effective business relationships that contribute to driving our strategic priorities.