You have a clear vision of where your career can go. And we have the leadership to help you get there. At CNA, we strive to create a culture in which people know they matter and are part of something important, ensuring the abilities of all employees are used to their fullest potential. The Consulting Director, IT Product Management works with business owners in Underwriting and creates, maintains and communicates the Product Vision and Product Roadmap for a very large / complex product or solution, potentially spanning multiple functions. They implement strategic objectives with substantial impact on the short-term success of their area of responsibility and influence the long-term success of the company. The Consulting Direct, Product Management (Underwriting) owns the outcomes at the business unit defined strategic implementation level, breaking down the product roadmap into an incremental roadmap that is clearly communicated to product owners and developers on release trains. The Consulting Direct, Product Management –Underwriting also ensures alignment at all times with the product vision, management expectations and maintaining alignment with stakeholders at various levels. This is a key role that works collaboratively with executive-level business owners, solution architects, product owners and delivery teams. JOB DESCRIPTION: Essential Duties & Responsibilities Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines: · Owns, and has final authority for the product roadmap aligned to the business strategy, content and priorities for a highly complex product or solution, operating with broad latitude in a multifaceted environment · Collaborates with Business Owner / Initiative Owners and key stakeholders to decompose Initiatives into Agile Release Train (ART)-level work efforts · Develops and owns the Agile Program Vision, Backlog and Program Increment (PI) Roadmap, continuously communicating to the Portfolio and Team levels · Develops Benefit Hypotheses and acceptance criteria in collaboration with multiple stakeholders with disparate priorities · Works with Portfolio Management, where applicable, actively engaging in Portfolio-level meetings and providing insights into budget parameters · Partners with system architects to prioritize architecture work aligned with the architectural runway and business priorities · Actively participates in Team-level PI ceremonies, providing business and user context · Owns internal and external stakeholder preparedness to receive and utilize the value of the product or solution/changes, including distribution channel, service partner and marketing and sales enablement, where needed · Owns the business strategy behind the product or solution lifecycle, along with legal and compliance adherence, to increase value while mitigating risks · Collaborates with customer experience and support through the lifecycle of the solution · Owns preparation of the complex solution context for implementation and owns decision-making for ART-level backlog · Participates in release management and solution validation · Provides strategic insights into work activities to help development teams in sizing · Aligns with the extended Product Management team in support of the overall Product Management discipline May perform additional duties as assigned. Skills, Knowledge & Abilities · Embodies the Lean-Agile Mindset with a proven track record of effectively coaching, developing, mentoring and inspiring teams in an Agile work environment · In-depth technical, broad theoretical and working knowledge of the domain and solutions being developed, along with the proven ability to deliver outcomes across business functions in pursuit of value within their area of expertise and for the company · Proven ability to think strategically with limited information and develop plans and roadmaps aligned with disparate priorities of multiple stakeholders to realize outcomes aligned with business strategy · Strong ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts, facilitate delicate discussions, consider different approaches and make decisions that have an important impact on the business · Ability to prepare Solution Context (user environment) for changes due to implementation of solutions/updates · Proven ability to interact effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including business and technical/product teams; building and maintaining collaborative relationships · Ability to pivot and enact change quickly while managing stakeholder expectations and relationships · Excellent interpersonal, presentation, verbal and written communication skills · Strong leadership and management skills, demonstrating integrity and professionalism Education & Experience · Bachelor’s degree, with Master's preferred, in a related discipline or equivalent work experience · Typically a minimum of twelve (12) years of related work experience. Preferably as a Product Manager, Product Owner or equivalent role for complex insurance or finance based solutions within the Underwriting domain, preferably with experience influencing senior leadership levels · Program-Level experience in both Waterfall and Agile methodologies · Successful track record with Agile and Design Thinking methodologies, along with approaches to “from Project to Product” definition, prioritization and funding principles · Applicable certifications preferred - SAFe PO/PM, CSPO or PSPO At CNA, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants based on job-related qualifications and ability to perform a job. If you require an accommodation during the hiring process or upon hire, please inform Human Resources. If a selected applicant requests accommodation during the recruitment process, CNA will consult with the applicant in order to provide suitable accommodation that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs. At CNA, we are focused on success, individually and collectively. We pride ourselves on promoting a culture that challenges and engages people. We strive to connect people, departments and business areas, to function as a team, and to serve our customers and communities with professionalism and respect. Our dedication to employee engagement, continuous learning and the open exchange of ideas is the cornerstone of our business. These ideals, combined with our focus on the customer, enable us to explore new market opportunities and build on our success. Our values, culture and financial strength are what differentiates us from other employers and make CNA the place you want to work. At CNA, we are committed to advancing a culture of inclusion – one that attracts talent from all walks of life, fosters respect and collaboration, and enables all of our colleagues to do their best work. At CNA, we have a long standing commitment to the diverse communities in which we live and work. We actively make a difference for the greater good through partnerships, sustainability, initiatives, and working together for a better tomorrow. Corporate Social Responsibility is not one person, or one department, it's the entire enterprise coming together to make the world a better place.
