Sr Lead Product Development Manager

About Lumen

Lumen connects the world. We are igniting business growth by connecting people, data and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Together, we are building a culture and company from the people up – committed to teamwork, trust and transparency. People power progress.

We’re looking for top-tier talent and offer the flexibility you need to thrive and deliver lasting impact. Join us as we digitally connect the world and shape the future.

The Role

The Sr. Lead Product Development Manager is responsible for the delivery and execution of Modernization and Simplification (M&S) strategies, which focus on simplifying and retiring products to retain revenue while supporting Lumen’s $1B cost-out goal. Partnering closely with the M&S Product Management team (who determines the strategy), the Sr. Lead Product Development Manager is responsible for managing the execution of product simplification strategies.

These product strategies are End-of-Life (EOL), Technical Migrations, and Customer Upgrades to a Catch Product, spanning across all Lumen networks. This role is critical to our business success and involves highly visible work requiring collaboration, leadership, and cross-functional engagement with stakeholders and partners across NETS, Operations, Engineering, Product, AGT/GTM, Legal, Regulatory and other support functions.

This position reports to the Sr. Director of the M&S PMO and is fully remote within the U.S.

The Main Responsibilities

Manage a disciplined approach to executing product simplification programs and initiatives that drive increased revenue, revenue retention and cost-out benefits.

• Drive the execution of the Product Modernization & Simplification (M&S) roadmap, coordinating program milestones in partnership with cross-functional teams/squads (Product Management, Network, Development Engineering, Operations, AGT, Legal, Finance, and Marketing) and segments (Enterprise, Pub Sector, Wholesale) to meet program KPIs.
• Provide program management excellence for a series of product simplification initiatives, which may involve product EO, tech migration to the new target architecture or Customer product Upgrade.
  • Plan and manage the end-to-end execution plan in collaboration with M&S cross-functional leads/squads.  Plan could include: impact assessments, customer communications, migration workflow, development engineering and network delivery,  deployment readiness (network, operations and AGT, GTM), internal and external communication, and legal/Regulatory required activities. 
  • Track and manage cross-functional dependencies, risks, and issue remediation.
  • Confirm program KPIs, define success metrics, leverage tools for measurement.
  • Communicate program status and KPIs effectively to stakeholders at all levels, including updates on issues, risks, financials, and successes.
• Build relationships with business and technology partners to influence and collaborate across the organization.
• Ensure adoption of PMO frameworks, methodologies, and best practices for consistent, high-quality execution across all programs.
• Maintain proper ceremonies and program-related communications throughout the program lifecycle.
• Drive progress and prioritization decisions
• Consistently exhibits Lumen 8 behaviors principles to foster performance and excellence

What We Look For in a Candidate

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with 8+ years of related experience
• 6+ years of experience contributing to or leading strategic product initiatives
• Strong program/project management experience with a proven track record of driving complex program outcomes in the Public Sector
• Outstanding communication skills across all organizational levels, with the ability to create clarity and focus in complex, dynamic contexts
• Ability to establish and maintain effective cross-functional relationships
• Deep understanding of the Product Lifecycle Management framework
• Experience leading or contributing to product development effort
• Familiarity with technologies and best practices across multiple platforms
• Aptitude for solving complex technical and operational problems while managing multiple priorities and tight timelines in a dynamic environment
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage time effectively in a constantly changing environment
• Proficiency with produ