AVP Strategic Program Management

Lead a portfolio of the Division’s highest-priority strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with divisional objectives and broader company priorities.

Establish program scope, objectives, governance, milestones, dependencies, resource requirements, success measures, and accountability.

Direct multiple complex, cross-functional initiatives simultaneously from initial planning through implementation and benefits realization.

Maintain an integrated view of initiative health, organizational capacity, dependencies, and competing priorities across the divisional portfolio.

Recommend re-scoping, reprioritization, postponement, or cancellation when necessary to protect business value, financial performance, or organizational readiness.

Serve as the primary escalation point for complex program issues requiring divisional leadership attention or decisions.

Ensure programs are delivered within approved scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risk parameters.

Serve as a strategic program leader for Division Go-to-Market initiatives, coordinating planning and execution across Distribution, Product, Marketing, Operations, Technology, Compliance, Legal, and other supporting functions.

Lead initiatives that strengthen distribution effectiveness, partner experience, advisor experience, and organizational readiness.

Establish integrated plans for product launches, distribution programs, marketing initiatives, partner onboarding, education, technology implementation, and related business changes.

Monitor partner feedback, account-level trends, launch performance, adoption, execution risks, and progress against divisional distribution strategies.

Identify and advance opportunities to simplify processes, improve speed to market, strengthen partner engagement, and increase business effectiveness.

Provide divisional leaders with timely visibility into Go-to-Market readiness, risks, decisions, and expected business outcomes.

Lead the divisional coordination and execution of AI, automation, digital, and innovation initiatives aligned with business priorities.

Partner with divisional leaders, corporate functions, technology teams, vendors, and consultants to define use cases, requirements, implementation plans, and adoption strategies.

Establish appropriate governance, accountability, executive reporting, and performance measures for divisional AI and innovation initiatives.

Evaluate initiative feasibility, expected business value, implementation risk, organizational readiness, and resource requirements.

Build trusted partnerships with leaders across Distribution, Product, Marketing, Technology, Operations, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and shared services.

Serve as a central coordination point between leadership and the cross-functional teams supporting divisional initiatives.

Influence decisions, priorities, and resource commitments across organizational boundaries without relying on direct authority.

Facilitate alignment among stakeholders with differing objectives, operating models, timelines, and constraints.

Clarify decision rights, roles, accountability, dependencies, and escalation paths across complex initiatives.

Provide substantial feedback, recommendations, and decision support to divisional and cross-functional leaders.

Represent Division priorities in cross-functional planning and execution discussions while maintaining alignment with broader organizational requirements.

Provide ownership and accountability for initiative and portfolio financials, including budgets, forecasts, actuals, investment requests, and reconciliation.

Monitor spending, resource utilization, financial risks, and performance against approved plans.

Evaluate initiative priorities based on strategic alignment, expected value, cost, risk, timing, and organizational capacity.

Provide transparent reporting on portfolio investments, financial performance, resource needs, and expected returns.

Escalate financial or resource issues that may materially affect divisional objectives, delivery commitments, or expected business value.

Establish executive-level dashboards and reporting that provide actionable visibility into portfolio performance, initiative health, financial status, risks, dependencies, decisions, and outcomes.

Define and monitor key performance indicators, strategic milestones, operational measures, adoption metrics, and business outcomes.

Measure the realization of expected financial benefits, operational improvements, growth outcomes, and partner or advisor experience enhancements.

Translate complex program information into concise, decision-oriented communications for senior and executive leaders.

Provide regular trend analysis and recommendations related to divisional strategy execution, product launches, distribution initiatives, partner feedback, and organizational performance.

Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, consistent, and aligned with leadership needs.

Develop and coordinate change strategies that prepare leaders, employees, partners, and supporting functions for new capabilities, processes, products, and operating models.

Assess organizational readiness, adoption risks, stakeholder impacts, training needs, and communication requirements.

Partner with functional leaders and change-management resources to develop implementation, communication, training, and adoption plans.

Promote accountability for business adoption and sustained use of new capabilities.

Monitor implementation effectiveness and recommend corrective actions when expected adoption or business outcomes are not achieved.

Help leaders and teams navigate ambiguity, competing priorities, and significant organizational change.

Identify strategic, operational, financial, technology, regulatory, reputational, and execution risks across the initiative portfolio.

Establish mitigation plans, contingency strategies, escalation protocols, and clear ownership for significant risks and issues.

Ensure appropriate involvement from Legal, Compliance, Risk, Information Security, Privacy, and other control functions.

Analyze complex situations requiring evaluation of business tradeoffs, incomplete information, and organizational impacts.

Champion disciplined program-management practices, continuous improvement, and consistent execution standards.

Identify process, technology, and operating-model improvements that increase efficiency, scalability, quality, and business value.

Why work at Symetra

"This is a best workplace that value the personal and professional growth of its employees." - Sara H., Sr. Analytics Engineer

“Come hungry. Stay hungry. Symetra is a place where curiosity, continuous learning, and personal growth are truly valued. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or challenge yourself—every step you take is worth it. You’ll grow into a stronger, more empowered employee at one of the most diverse and equitable companies in the country.” - Ashley C., Internal Wholesaler

What we offer you

We don’t take a “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to our employees. Our programs are designed to make your life better both at work and at home.

Flexible full-time or hybrid telecommuting arrangements

Plan for your future with our 401(k) plan and take advantage of immediate vesting and company matching up to 6%

Paid time away including vacation and sick time, flex days and ten paid holidays

Give back to your community and double your impact through our company matching

Want more details? Check out our Symetra Benefits Overview

Compensation

$155,800 - $259,600 annually plus eligibility for Company Annual Bonus program

High school diploma required

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required; advanced degree preferred.

Professional certification or designation relevant to the role, such as PMP, PgMP, Prosci, Lean, or Agile certification, preferred.

Twelve to fifteen or more years of progressive experience in strategic program management, business transformation, strategic operations, or a related discipline.

Demonstrated success leading a portfolio of large, highly complex, cross-functional initiatives with significant divisional impact.

Experience partnering directly with Vice Presidents, senior executives, and cross-functional leaders to translate strategy into execution.

Proven ability to influence organizational decisions, priorities, and resource commitments without direct authority.

Strong financial acumen, including experience with budgets, forecasts, business cases, investment analysis, and benefits realization.

Demonstrated experience establishing governance, executive reporting, performance measures, and accountability for complex initiatives.

Experience leading initiatives involving Go-to-Market execution, distribution, partner experience, product launches, technology, AI, digital transformation, or operational excellence preferred.

Financial services, insurance, retirement products, or distribution experience preferred.

Strong executive communication, presentation, facilitation, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.

Minimum Internet Speed:100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, in alignment with the FCC's definition of "broadband."

Internet Type:Fiber, Cable (e.g., Comcast, Spectrum), or DSL.

Not Permissible:Satellite (e.g., Starlink), cellular broadband (hotspot or otherwise), any other wireless technology, or wired dial-up.

Disqualification from the recruitment process

Withdrawal of a job offer

Termination of employment and other criminal and/or civil remedies, if fraud is discovered