Program Manager

Horace Mann is seeking an experienced and dynamic Program Manager to lead strategic initiatives that drive alignment, efficiency, and excellence across the Life & Retirement division. In this role, you will oversee large-scale programs and guide a team of project managers to deliver results that support organizational priorities. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated professional with strong leadership, communication, and program management skills who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Oversight

• Lead and mentor a team of project managers, providing coaching, performance feedback, and professional development.
• Manage multiple large projects and/or complex programs, ensuring strategic alignment with organizational goals.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive program roadmaps, schedules, and performance metrics.
• Monitor progress, budgets, and deliverables to ensure high-quality outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Identify and proactively mitigate risks, dependencies, and resource constraints across initiatives.
• Provide regular program updates, dashboards, and executive-level reports to senior leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement in project and program management methodologies and processes.

Project Management Execution

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, maintaining clear visibility into timelines and budgets.
• Develop and monitor detailed project plans, resourcing strategies, and schedules.
• Assist with creating business cases, defining and clarifying project scope, and managing scope changes.
• Identify, document, and escalate issues, risks, and dependencies in a timely manner.
• Support stakeholder, steering committee, and sponsor communications and reporting.
• Foster collaboration across business units and technology partners to ensure alignment and delivery success.

Team & Organizational Impact

• Coordinate activities across multiple organizational functions to achieve shared outcomes.
• Set direction for project teams, motivate team members, and assign work to ensure on-time, quality deliverables.
• Ensure that all solutions and services meet company standards and user requirements.
• Promote a culture of accountability, agility, and continuous learning within the project management community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required.
• 1–4 years of project or program management experience in a business or technology environment required.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong ability to develop and manage budgets, schedules, and resource plans.
• Solid understanding of risk management, issue escalation, and stakeholder communication practices.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Product experience in one or more lines of business preferred.
• Certification or coursework in project management (e.g., CAPM, PMP) strongly preferred.
• Ongoing education in project/program management expected.
• Ability to work effectively in a normal office environment; periodic travel may be required.

Salary Range:

$99,100.00-$146,050.00/annually

Salary is commensurate to experience, location, etc.

Horace Mann was founded in 1945 by two Springfield, Illinois, teachers who saw a need for quality, affordable auto insurance for teachers. Since then, we've broadened our mission to helping all educators protect what they have today and prepare for a successful tomorrow. And with our broadened mission has come corporate growth: We serve more than 4,100 school districts nationwide, we're publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: HMN) and we have more than $12 billion in assets.

We're motivated by the fact that educators take care of our children's future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We help educators identify their financial goals and develop plans to achieve them. This includes insurance to protect what they have today and financial products to help them prepare for their future. Our tailored offerings include special rates and benefits for educators.

EOE/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status

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