Lean Portfolio Manager

Are you looking to make an impactful difference in your work, yourself, and your community? Why settle for just a job when you can land a career? At ICW Group, we are hiring team members who are ready to use their skills, curiosity, and drive to be part of our journey as we strive to transform the insurance carrier space. We're proud to be in business for over 50 years, and its change agents like yourself that will help us continue to deliver our mission to create the best insurance experience possible.

Headquartered in San Diego with regional offices located throughout the United States, ICW Group has been named for ten consecutive years as a Top 50 performing P&C organization offering the stability of a large, profitable and growing company combined with a focus on all things people. It's our team members who make us an employer of choice and the vibrant company we are today. We strive to make both our internal and external communities better everyday! Learn more about why you want to be here!

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The Lean Portfolio Manager (LPM) is responsible for aligning technology and business portfolios with strategic objectives, maximizing value delivery, and driving continuous improvement. This role operates within the Strategy, Innovation, Value management and Architecture (SIVA) and works closely with the Value Management Office (VMO), facilitating Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), and serving as a strategic partner to business and IT stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead portfolio strategy and execution, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and customer outcomes.

• Facilitate Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) to assess performance, validate priorities, and ensure value realization.

• Work proactively to prepare for QBRs by collaborating with Agile teams to gather accurate, timely information and compile progress updates and value metrics for executive reporting.

• Implement Lean Portfolio Management principles, including portfolio budgeting, initiative lifecycle management, and portfolio Kanban.

• Collaborate with business leaders, IT partners, and customer success teams to define and communicate portfolio vision and investment themes.

• Champion a value-oriented, customer-centric mindset across all initiatives.

• Lead value analysis efforts to ensure portfolio decisions deliver maximum business value.

• Oversee portfolio governance, prioritization, and financial stewardship.

• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to compile progress updates and value metrics for QBR presentations.

• Drive value-based evaluations to align investments with organizational objectives.

• Actively participate in Value Management Office (VMO) activities to drive value-based decision-making, integrate value metrics into governance, and ensure transparency in investment outcomes.

• Contribute to VMO-led reviews and forums to ensure transparency and accountability in investment decisions.

• Conduct value analysis to evaluate initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and maximizing business outcomes.

• Facilitate value analysis sessions to identify high-impact opportunities and eliminate low-value work.

• Track and report on key metrics (business value, predictability, throughput) to inform decision-making.

• Leads prioritization and approval decisions for portfolio initiatives, applying strategic alignment, value, and capacity considerations.

• Drive innovation management by operating an idea-to-value pipeline, validating hypotheses through rapid experimentation, partnering with Agile teams to scale proven concepts, and embedding innovation metrics into QBRs and VMO governance.

• Facilitate Portfolio Sync sessions and represent LPM in Systems Demonstration.

• Facilitate development of portfolio canvas, lean business case, hypothesis development, and business level roadmaps.

• Work with business partners, shaping initiatives and providing submission support.

• Coach stakeholders on Lean-Agile principles and portfolio management best practices.

• Support the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) in promoting agile ways of working.

• Communicate Resource Management guidelines to delivery partners.

• Foster strong relationships with business units, understanding strategic needs and driving technology solutions that deliver measurable value.

• Ensure compliance with governance standards while enabling flexibility and innovation.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Bachelor's Degree required in Business, Technology, or related field.

• Minimum 7 years of experience in portfolio management, program or project management, or strategic planning roles.

• Demonstrated experience managing technology or business portfolios within the insurance sector (Property & Casualty, Life, Health, or Specialty lines).

• Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and build trust across diverse teams.

• High adaptability, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking to navigate ambiguity, resolve conflicts, and drive value-focused decisions.

• Demonstrated confidence and clarity in the decision-making process, to ensure stakeholders understand the rationale behind decisions and the expected business outcomes.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE PREFERRED

• Experience in IT-business partnership and customer success functions.

• Familiarity with insurance-specific platforms (e.g., Guidewire, Duck Creek, Majesco, Insurity) and data analytics tools used in the industry.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES

• SAFe LPM, PfMP certification, or equivalent experience strongly preferred.

SOFTWARE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Proficiency in portfolio management tools (e.g., Jira, Smartsheet).

• Familiarity with business intelligence and reporting platforms (e.g., Power BI).

• Experience with collaboration and agile tools (e.g., Microsoft Teams, SharePoint).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Office environment – no specific or unusual physical or environmental demands and employees are regularly required to sit, walk, stand, talk, and hear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position operates in an office environment and requires the frequent use of a computer, telephone, copier, and other standard office equipment.

We are currently not offering employment sponsorship for this opportunity.

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The current range for this position is

$121,624.81 - $217,710.99

This range is exclusive of fringe benefits and potential bonuses. If hired at ICW Group, your final base salary compensation will be determined by factors unique to each candidate, including experience, education and the location of the role and considers employees performing substantially similar work.

WHY JOIN ICW GROUP?

• Challenging work and the ability to make a difference

• You will have a voice and feel a sense of belonging

• We offer a competitive benefits package, with generous medical, dental, and vision plans as well as 401K retirement plans and company match

• Bonus potential for all positions

• Paid Time Off

• Paid holidays throughout the calendar year

• Want to continue learning? We’ll support you 100%

ICW Group is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. ICW Group will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex/gender, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

At ICW Group we offer a work environment that encourages entrepreneurialism and celebrates success. Our team members are hands-on contributors who are given the opportunity to make an impact. It's our people who make us an employer of choice and the vibrant company we are today.

Job Category: IT

Job Type: Full time

Req ID: JR101277