Summary:

In 2024, we embarked on an exciting technology transformation journey. We are seeking an exceptional Assistant Director, Business Program Lead for Pega, to help us optimize the Pega platform and accelerate our transformation initiatives. As a pivotal member of our dynamic team of Program and Project Managers, the ideal candidate will be responsible for delivering and enabling technology transformation projects by effectively managing business resourcing. Our team sits within the business unit and is accountable for delivering projects on time and on budget while working directly with Product Management and Engineering teams.

The ideal candidate will be instrumental in fostering a holistic employee experience, engaging stakeholders across the enterprise, and aligning cross-functional teams. Their technical acumen, particularly with Pega, and ability to quantify impacts will be critical. We are looking for a leader who can transform complex business challenges into strategic solutions that drive our goals forward:

• Leadership: Independently lead large, complex, and multi-faceted programs or portfolios. Manage scope, risk, business value, schedule, and budget.
• Program Development: Define, maintain, and revise program objectives and deliverables. Create a unified plan to meet program goals.
• Team Building: Build and motivate team members to take positive action and accountability for their work. Resolve issues and conflicts within the team at a portfolio/program level.
• Clarity & Solutions: Drive clarity on program objectives, priorities, and measures. Develop unique solutions to complex problems while ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks and remove obstacles.
• Stakeholder Relationship: Develop strong relationships with business leaders up, down and across the organization to manage expectations and implementation timelines.
• Inter-dependencies: Facilitate connections across teams and workstreams to identify and manage interdependencies.
• Metrics and Data Utilization: Gather and deliver metrics required by the program. Use data to highlight successes and challenges, driving insights and action plans to adjust and pursue program goals.
• Technical & Business Acumen: Apply extensive knowledge in program management, industry trends, and company products to incorporate insights into program objectives.
• Complex Analysis: Conduct complex analyses to define program deliverables and address business needs.
• Program and Project Risk Management: Proficiently identify, assess, and manage program and project risks. Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to ensure successful program outcomes.

Critical Competencies:

• Employee Experience: Focus on delivering a holistic employee experience throughout the programs.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to engage and manage stakeholders across the enterprise effectively.
• Technical Acumen: Strong understanding and experience with the Pega platform.
• Cross-functional Alignment: Skill in aligning and coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Impact Quantification: Ability to quantify impacts and use data to drive insights and strategic action.

Qualifications:

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Project Management, or related field preferred or significant directly-related work experience beyond the minimum required.
• Experience: Minimum 7 years in related roles with diverse project or program management experience, including analysis, design, documentation, and project management.
• Autonomy: Ability to work independently to scope, plan, and manage cross-department or multi-department programs.
• Leadership Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead and manage large, complex assignments with enterprise-wide impact.
• Prioritization & Multitasking: Ability to prioritize work, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills to engage with internal and external executive stakeholders.
• Initiative & Motivation: High degree of personal initiative and motivation.
• Certifications: Project Management emphasis degree or PMI certification preferred.
• Lifecycle Expertise: Experience with project methodology through all project lifecycle phases.

We look forward to your unique contributions to our transformative journey!

#LI-Hybrid

$90,930.00

$168,870.00

Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please click here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.