Consulting Director, Agile Portfolio Management

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. 

CNA seeks to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees that helps them — and their family members — achieve their physical, financial, emotional and social wellbeing goals.

For a detailed look at CNA’s benefits, check out our Candidate Guide.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Agile Portfolio Manager (APM) Director aligns strategy and execution by applying Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to Agile portfolio governance for one or more portfolios. The APM Director is a strategic leader within and across portfolios, influencing stakeholders toward the SAFe mindset and behaviors. The APM Director also supports establishment of strategy and investment funding, and owns their ongoing maintenance and reporting, managing relationships and acting as liaison between one or more portfolios, client organizations, and other stakeholders from roadmap through benefits realization.

They collaborate with business, portfolio and program leaders to manage spending, audit and compliance, forecasting expenses, and measurement for one or more portfolios. Ensures efforts within portfolio(s) are defined, tracked, and communicated in a consistent and effective manner aligned with Governance standards. The APM Director has full management responsibility for the performance and development of assigned staff.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Performs a combination of duties in accordance with departmental guidelines:

·       Promote scaled agility within the team, ensuring adherence to Lean Agile Portfolio Management using the SAFe model for desired outcomes.

·       Establish and enforce governance standards, facilitating and consolidating key processes like estimation, forecasting, and planning to enhance the overall delivery model.

·       Partner with business and technical leaders in assigned portfolios, offering thought leadership and support to understand and address operational needs.

·       Coordinate and communicate performance and compliance across programs, portfolio leadership, executives, and C-suite leaders.

·       Oversee portfolio-level outcomes, initiative lifecycles, and communicate overall portfolio performance, including financials and decision indicators.

·       Provide leadership and mentoring on Agile portfolio management best practices, ensuring clarity on responsibilities, authorities, and accountability for all portfolio staff.

·       Facilitate portfolio ceremonies, including Portfolio Sync, Participatory Budgeting, and Strategic Portfolio Review.

·       Stay informed on trends within Agile Delivery, emerging technologies/tools, and the Insurance Industry.

·       Coordinate across value streams and programs to manage dependencies and resolve cross-portfolio impediments.

·       Collaborate with the Portfolio Lead to define and implement Agile execution patterns, portfolio performance metrics, spend, and continuous improvement.

May perform additional duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationship

Typically Reports to PMO Delivery Manager, Director or Above

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

·       In-depth knowledge of business unit's functions and systems Extensive experience managing across sets of complex programs and functions to create and maintain portfolio-level standards and outcomes, with budgets in excess of $25 million per year

·       Proven experience coaching and mentoring staff in a matrixed organization and providing performance feedback. 

·       Proven ability to lead and motivate others in accomplishing goals

·       Proven experience successfully managing a portfolio of business and technical resources to ensure alignment Ability to exercise professional judgement and assume responsibility for decisions which have an impact on people, quality of service, and costs

·       Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with peers, clients, technical leadership, and subordinates in cross functional teams

·       Ability to present and contextualize information and data that can be consumed by senior leaders and C-Suite executives

·       Strong experience and understanding of financial management and accounting principles and practice, including Forecasting, Accruals, Reconciliation, Amortization, and Capitalization

·       Understands complex financial concepts and has ability to generate