Program Director – Process & System Transformation
Job Summary
Independence Pet Holdings (IPH) is seeking a collaborative and results-oriented Program Director to support the Program Business Owner and Business Leader to lead a high-impact transformation initiative focused on optimizing business processes and modernizing core enterprise systems. This role is central to building a future-ready insurance platform and its supporting processes that enhances operational efficiency, scalability, and customer experience. The ideal candidate will drive cross-functional and business-wide alignment, manage complex program interdependencies, and ensure effective delivery of program goals.
Key Responsibilities:
Translate executive strategy into actionable program goals with clear milestones, KPIs, and measurable outcomes.
Establish and manage program governance structures, steering committees, and stakeholder engagement models.
Lead end-to-end program delivery across multiple workstreams, including platform migration, AI enablement, data strategy, and business process redesign.
Serve as a liaison between business and technology teams to ensure strategic alignment and shared understanding, advocating for business needs.
Manage vendor relationships including system integrators, AI vendors, cloud providers, and consulting firms (e.g., PwC).
Build and maintain strong relationships across the businesses, Technology, Finance, HR, and external partners.
Proactively identify risks, resolve issues, implement migration strategies, and escalate as required to keep the program on track.
Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, data privacy standards, and ethical AI practices in partnership with Legal & Compliance, Data, and Tech.
Monitor and report on program performance, benefits realization, and post-implementation impact.
Develop executive-level reporting on program status, risks, and escalations.
Design and execute change management strategies to drive adoption, minimize disruption, and foster continuous improvement.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or equivalent advance degree is a plus.
Minimum 10 years of experience in program management.
Proven success managing large-scale transformation programs ($50M+) with cross-functional complexity.
Strong ability to align technology initiatives with business strategy and regulatory frameworks.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated problem-solving capabilities and proactive mindset.
High emotional intelligence (EQ), adaptability, and ability to thrive in high-pressure, fast-paced, fluid environments.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust and rapport with stakeholders at all levels.
Preferred Attributes:
Deep understanding of insurance operations and Policy Administration System (PAS) lifecycle.
Familiarity with modern PAS platforms (e.g., Guidewire, Duck Creek, Majesco).
Understanding of AI / ML applications in insurance (e.g., fraud detection, underwriting automation).
Experience with cloud-native architectures and data migration strategies.
Experience working in a global or multi-entity environment.
Certifications such as Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma, PMP, PgMP, or equivalent are highly desirable.
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What We Do
Established in 2021, Independence Pet Holdings is a corporate holding company that manages a diverse and broad portfolio of modern pet health brands and services across insurance, pet education, lost recovery services, and beyond across North America.
As a leading authority in the industry, we operate with a full stack of resources, capital, and services that support a multi-brand and omni-channel approach. We operate our own insurance carrier and partner successfully with other carriers, as needed. We believe that pet insurance is more than a financial product and build solutions to simplify the pet parenting journey and help improve the well-being of pets
