Portfolio Manager

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$/yr - $/yr

The Portfolio Manager leads the discovery, research, design, and implementation of products for the organization within their assigned portfolio. This role bridges business strategy, user/customer experience, and technology to deliver impactful outcomes for Vermont Mutual. Operating in an Agile environment, the Portfolio Manager supports Product Owners and fosters continuous delivery across teams by managing and enabling a program backlog. Experience with Commercial Lines is strongly preferred, as this role requires understanding of insurance products and market dynamics to ensure successful portfolio outcomes.

• Lead strategic direction and success of the assigned portfolio, integrating end-user, business, and technical perspectives.
• Use market research to foster innovative ideas for products that customers will want and stay abreast on relevant developments or product updates within the insurance industry.
• Collaborate with business and IT leadership to align portfolio roadmaps with enterprise goals and customer needs.
• Lead the identification, evaluation, and design of product initiatives.
• Facilitate governance and stewardship of company programs in partnership with senior leaders.
• Participate in the definition of governance (controls) and ensure that all the portfolio initiatives are identified, evaluated, designed, and implemented using standard procedures derived from best practices in the Product Management and Business Analysis disciplines.
• Work with business areas to determine what features will be in a product release while measuring activity and progress. Consult, as needed, on business requirements.
• Develop and execute communication plans for diverse audiences, including executives and individual contributors. Communicate on behalf of the product team to business areas and ensure that the project requirements are understood and have sufficient support.
• Estimate, monitor and communicate resource needs for program and portfolio implementation including the utilization of Subject Matter Experts from business areas. Provide guidance to the business leaders on resource needs over time.
• Collaborate with Product Owners and Business Analysts assigned to the product team to create and maintain the Portfolio. Review and prioritize backlog regularly according to business value or ROI.
• Monitor project risks and issues, escalating when necessary.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of company business plans/goals, product, operating policies, and systems in all areas of the business.
• Perform other duties or special projects as required or as assigned.

Indirect supervision across Product Owners, Business Analysts and Agile Release Trains.

General supervision is received from the Director of Data, Analytics, Strategy and Alignment.

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business or other appropriate discipline plus 5 or more years of industry, IT or software project management, and supervisory experience, or a combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired.
• Comprehensive, advanced knowledge of products, operating processes, the industry, and systems in all areas of the business.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills.
• Excellent organizational, planning and communication (written & verbal) skills.
• Highly motivated self-starter.
• Proficient with PC applications, including Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel as well as business specific computer applications.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and effectively handle business/personnel situations.
• Ability to represent the company to and deal effectively with a variety of other organizations/individuals outside the company, as well as a wide range of company personnel including management.

• Predominately sedentary office position with high frequency of keyboarding/computer work required.
• The physical demands are minimal and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations.
• The work environment is representative and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations.

The salary range reflected is a good faith estimate of base pay for the position. In addition to base salary, this role is incentive compensation and benefits eligible, and individual salary will ultimately be determined based on individual experience, skills, qualifications and geographic location.