Technical Program Manager-New Business & Underwriting

Manulife • Boston, MA

9d • $107,450 - $199,550 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Technical Program Manager leads end-to-end delivery and ongoing optimization of strategic technology initiatives across New Business and Underwriting. The role partners with business leaders, product owners, underwriters, operations, architecture, engineering, data, quality engineering, risk, and external vendors to translate business priorities into executable roadmaps. It coordinates delivery across the application journey, from intake and evidence collection through risk assessment, case management, decisioning, policy issuance, and delivery.

The TPM is accountable for integrated planning, scope and dependency management, financial oversight, testing, release readiness, and stakeholder communication. The role helps ensure solutions are delivered on schedule and within budget while meeting security, regulatory, operational, and customer commitments. Its objectives include improving producer and customer experiences, accelerating cycle times, increasing straight-through processing, supporting high-quality underwriting decisions, and reducing operational friction.

The position oversees the full software development lifecycle for initiatives supporting John Hancock Insurance priorities, from initiation and delivery through implementation, stabilization, and post-launch support. It leads technology delivery through planning, execution, monitoring and control, closure, and post-initiative evaluation; applies software engineering and technology knowledge; provides cross-functional leadership; coordinates with IT service areas; and identifies and mitigates technical risks. It partners with Business Initiative Leads to define schedules, milestones, goals, scope, solution options, feasibility, and delivery considerations. The TPM also fosters an inclusive culture of innovation and collaboration.

This is an existing vacancy with a hybrid working arrangement. The referenced salary range is $107,450 to $199,550 USD, with potential incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. Eligible employees may access customizable insurance, wellness, retirement, paid time off, and other benefits. The position is with John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), part of Manulife Financial Corporation.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of technical program management experience in a related field.
• 3+ years of experience delivering technology solutions in the life insurance industry, with direct exposure to New Business and Underwriting.
• Familiarity with life insurance regulatory and business concepts, including the operational cadence of product changes and their impacts on New Business operations and Underwriting.
• Project or initiative management skills and proficiency with relevant software tools and methodologies, including Agile and the Software Development Life Cycle.
• Understanding of Agile metrics, Scrum, and similar methodologies used to track progress, assess team performance, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Working knowledge of data, integration, and platform capabilities required for AI solutions, including secure access to approved enterprise data.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex, large-scale IT solutions, including modernization and integration work involving APIs and data pipelines in regulated environments.
• Working knowledge of insurance regulatory and compliance considerations, with the ability to partner with Compliance and Legal teams to ensure appropriate controls and evidence are in place.
• Experience with test governance, including test-driven development, parallel testing, defect triage with business subject matter experts, and sign-off processes.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively with peers and leaders.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, including balancing short-term priorities, long-term objectives, and trade-offs.
• Adaptability and resilience, with the ability to work effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to downstream life insurance capabilities.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate competing perspectives constructively.
• Ability to influence outcomes and execute work without direct authority over resources.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to articulate a technical vision and translate desired outcomes into practical options and execution plans.
• Confidence leading communications and delivering presentations to senior leaders, sponsors, and stakeholders on business cases and roadmaps.
• Commitment to continuous learning, including learning from successes and setbacks and remaining open to change and improvement.
• Ability to work effectively through ambiguity and bring clarity to situations, decisions, and expected outcomes.
• Experience partnering with Marketing and Distribution teams to translate product and regulatory requirements into technology deliverables with clear acceptance criteria and traceability.
• Ability to design and manage integrations across a technology ecosystem, including product and rate data sources, rules engines, document generation, e-signature, CRM or portal solutions, and case management systems; experience with API contracts, versioning, and backward compatibility.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the full Software Development Lifecycle for initiatives supporting John Hancock Insurance priorities, from initiation and delivery through implementation, stabilization, and post-launch support across policyholder, producer, and operations journeys.
• Lead and remain accountable for technology delivery, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, closure, and post-initiative evaluation.
• Ensure delivery meets scope, budget, schedule, regulatory, operational-readiness, and customer commitments.
• Apply software engineering and technology knowledge to support technology strategies and effective software delivery.
• Provide cross-functional leadership, build alignment on product architecture, and coordinate requests with IT service areas.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks that could affect initiative success.
• Partner with the Business Initiative Lead to define schedules, milestones, goals, and scope, incorporating technology components, solution options, feasibility, and delivery considerations.
• Foster an inclusive culture of innovation and collaboration while promoting team alignment and productivity.
• Coordinate delivery across the application journey, from intake and evidence collection through risk assessment, case management, decisioning, policy issuance, and delivery.
• Manage integrated planning, scope and dependencies, financial oversight, testing, release readiness, and stakeholder communication.

Benefits

• Eligible employees may receive 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.
• Retirement savings plans, including pension/401(k) savings plans, and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions.
• Financial education and counseling resources.
• U.S. paid time off includes up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law).
• Statutory leaves of absence.
• Opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.
• Flexible environment that supports well-being and inclusion, and opportunities to learn and grow.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed