Sr. Program Manager
About The Position
Pacific Life is seeking a Program Manager to join the Strategy & Program Management Office (PMO) in the Workforce Benefits Division (WBD), based in Newport Beach, California. This hybrid role leads complex, cross-functional programs from concept through delivery, partnering with business and technology leaders to turn divisional strategy into action. The initial focus is leading the Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program. The role calls for a self-directed delivery leader who can bring structure and clarity, maintain progress as priorities shift, and take ownership while navigating the ambiguity and complexity of scaling a new business. The Program Manager leads programs involving areas such as new product and capability development and operational readiness. The role coordinates work across business, technology, operations, enterprise teams, and external vendors; develops integrated plans; manages dependencies, risks, and trade-offs; and communicates performance and progress to senior leaders and stakeholders. Delivery may use Agile, waterfall, or hybrid approaches.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, technology, or a related discipline.
- 10 or more years of program and project management experience leading highly complex, cross-functional programs in hybrid Agile environments, including Agile, Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, or mixed models.
- Experience bringing new products or capabilities to market from concept to implementation.
- Experience managing external vendor relationships and coordinating vendor-delivered work.
- Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to lead through ambiguity.
- Experience managing delivery in environments with both iterative and milestone-driven work.
- Ability to track and manage progress across multiple teams and technologies without heavy overhead.
- Familiarity with project, portfolio, and collaboration tools such as Planview, Jira, Confluence, Azure DevOps, Microsoft Project, or Smartsheet.
- Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and coordinate across stakeholder groups.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in regulated industries such as insurance, financial services, or healthcare.
- Experience with PFML, statutory disability, leave and absence management, or group disability programs at a carrier, TPA, or state program.
- Group benefits experience.
- Familiarity with state insurance product filing and regulatory approval processes.
- Experience with insurance policy administration and claims platforms and their integrations.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment, take initiative, and drive progress with minimal direction.
- Experience working between strategy and execution, with a results-oriented mindset and the ability to drive innovation and change.
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Certified Scrum Professional (CSP).
- SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) or SAFe Agilist (SA).
- Project Management Professional (PMP).
- PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP).
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow or Green Belt.
Responsibilities
- Lead and manage multiple complex programs and projects across the division, including new product development, new capability development, and operational readiness, from concept to delivery.
- Develop integrated program roadmaps, master plans, timelines, and deliverables that align business, technology, and operational workstreams with strategic objectives and business outcomes.
- Lead delivery using Agile, waterfall, and hybrid methods, adapting plans based on team feedback, stakeholder input, and changing priorities.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams across the division’s value chain and with enterprise teams, actively managing dependencies, impediments, and delivery constraints.
- Drive timely program decisions, identify risks early, manage trade-offs, and escalate when appropriate to maintain delivery momentum.
- Monitor and report on program performance, key metrics, and progress, communicating clearly with senior leadership and stakeholders.
- Develop program and project business cases with stakeholders, defining value, key metrics, resource needs and costs, and delivery assumptions.
- Liaise between internal teams and external vendors to coordinate program execution.
- Partner with product managers, business owners, and delivery leads to align scope, timing, and outcomes.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Wellbeing Reimbursement Account for the employee or eligible dependents.
- Paid Time Off, holiday schedules, and Financial Planning Time Off.
- Paid parental leave.
- Adoption assistance program.
- 401(k) savings plan with company match and an additional company contribution regardless of participation.
- Additional incentive pay eligibility for most employees.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
