M&A Lead Program Manager

At The Standard, you’ll join a team focused on putting our customers first.
Our continued success is driven by a high-performance culture. We’re looking for people who are collaborative, accountable, creative, agile and are driven by a passion for doing what’s right – across the company and in our local communities.
We offer a caring culture where you can make a real difference, every day.
 
Ready to reach your highest potential? Let’s work together.

Job Summary

The M&A Lead Program Manager plays a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives and coordinating various M&A projects within the organization. The focus is to ensure that M&A projects align with our IT and Business goals, enhance operational efficiency, and contribute to long-term growth. This position will contribute to establishing a centralized M&A team, and will be key in building M&A competency within IT; standardizing processes for effective acquisition handling from due diligence through execution. This is an individual contributor role with high visibility to upper leadership.

Deliverables Include:

• Establishing the direction for the IT workstream of the program and remove roadblocks.
• Ensuring the Separation/Migration Plan for various acquisitions is robust for execution and delivered on time
• Ensure frequent, consistent communication to all parties involved regarding decisions & updates, while setting expectations.​ Provide regular progress reports and KPI's to leadership regarding the health of IT within the program.​
• Finalize IT TSA’s and pricing.​ Ensure IT's financials are tracking to budget​. Identify repeatable processes and partner with Finance to model the cost for these processes​.
• Accountable for documentation and upkeep of the IT M&A Playbook.​ Establish framework for M&A as a core competency that includes proposed organization structure and governance.​ Establish the roadmap on how to execute for future acquisitions using the Structure, Governance, Repeatable processes, Tools and Change Management.​

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strategic M&A Management: Develop and execute strategic-based M&A programs that align with organizational objectives. Assist with establishing the IT M&A team by standardizing the processes to achieve synergies and maximize operational efficiencies for future acquisitions. Strengthen the IT M&A Playbook and undertake meaningful actions on opportunities from past acquisitions. Communicate program objectives clearly to stakeholders. Identify challenges and propose effective solutions. Proactively guide and direct project team members to achieve program goals. Independently run Governance / Steering committee meetings and establish feedback loop with various teams.
• Program Development: Lead the planning and execution of IT integration activities, including systems consolidation, data migration, and infrastructure alignment. Devise new initiatives that enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Set sustainable goals for program success. Collaborate with other departments to develop budgets and implementation plans.
• Evaluation and Assessment: Continuously evaluate the M&A team’s strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities for enhancement. Monitor the acquisition progress from an IT standpoint and ensure milestones are met. May oversee project managers and workstream leads to ensure alignment with program goals. Assist in finalizing IT TSA’s and other one-time costs with regular reporting to key stakeholders on the same.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work with stakeholders to discuss program status, goals, and challenges. Foster strong relationships with internal and external partners. Collaborate with IT, Corporate Development, IMO and other functional team across the company to improve program strategies
• Partners with Change Management Organization and Communication leads to ensure that change/communication plans are executed as the program evolves for the larger organization.

Skills and Background You’ll Need

• EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or related field is required. A Master’s degree is preferred.
• EXPERIENCE: Demonstrated servant leadership. 5+ years in Finance, Economics and or/ business communications in a financial services industry. 8+ years in management of cross-functional teams demonstrating ability to maintain effective business partnership and achieve desired outcomes in multi-layered organizations. Project management experience is preferred, to successfully manage multiple projects with variety of executive stakeholders.
• Successful track record of planning and leading complex process improvement projects in a services organization. Demonstrated ability to align department goals to support strategic divisional or corporate objectives, lead implementation of systems to support those goals, continuously improve performance, and effectively lead an organization at the forefront of change.
• Effective communication skills at all levels of the organization, and proven ability to lead through influence, working in a consultative environment.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills
• Travel 6-8 times per year may be required.

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate

• Driving Success – Sets goals that inspire others; demonstrates a high level of ambition to achieve outstanding results.
• Improvement Mindset – Identifies the interrelatedness of work activities; targets important areas for improvement across business unit/functions.
• Winning Together - Makes decisions in partnership with impacted business unit/function leaders with the goals of the organization in mind; acts in the best interest of the organization.

Why Join The Standard?

We have built an enduring legacy of stability, innovation and financial strength thanks to the contributions of the talented, creative and compassionate people who choose to work at The Standard. To ensure we can attract and retain the best talent, when you join The Standard, you can expect:

• A rich benefits package including a 401(k) plan with matching company contributions
• An annual incentive bonus plan
• Generous paid time off
• A supportive and responsive management approach
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement 
• Paid time off to volunteer
• An employee giving program that double matches your donations to eligible nonprofits and schools
• Much more!

#LI-Remote

Please note - the salary range for this role is listed below. In addition to salary, our package includes incentive plan participation and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits, as well as an initial PTO accrual of 164 hours per year. Employees also receive 11 paid holidays and 2 wellness days per year.

• Eligibility to participate in an incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program and plan. Any award depends on various factors, including individual and organizational performance.

Salary Range:

$130,750.00 - $222,250.00

Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Equities, Inc. and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., marketed as The Standard, are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status or any other condition protected by federal, state or local law. The Standard offers a drug and alcohol free work environment where possession, manufacture, transfer, offer, use of or being impaired by an illegal substance while on Standard property, or in other cases which the company believes might affect operations, safety or reputation of the company is prohibited. The Standard requires a criminal background investigation, employment, education and licensing verification as a condition of employment. All employees of The Standard must be bondable.