Description
Summary
We are seeking a skilled Program Manager to join a newly established, dedicated, pod-based team responsible for designing and executing pre-market experiments to evaluate new insurance products and go-to-market concepts. This role sits at the intersection of business strategy, product design, and experimentation, driving rapid testing to assess viability, desirability, and feasibility before full-scale investment.
The Program Manager is responsible for the end-to-end experimentation program—from idea intake through execution, readout, and decision support. This role partners closely with Actuarial, UX designers, and business SMEs to translate ambiguous concepts into structured experiments and actionable insights.
Success in this role requires strong insurance domain expertise, high business credibility, and the ability to operate with urgency, challenge assumptions, and drive work forward in a fast-paced, iterative environment.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
Drive the experimentation pod(s): Program Manage cross-functional pods (actuarial, UX, SMEs) to intake, scope, design, and execute experiments that test new insurance product ideas and capabilities.
Translate ideas into structured experiments: Convert early-stage, often ambiguous concepts into clear hypotheses, test designs, and measurable outcomes across: Customer desirability, Advisor/field adoption, Financial viability, Operational/technical feasibility
Push pace and decision-making: Drive momentum across experiments—ensuring rapid design, execution, and learning cycles. Hold the team and stakeholders accountable to timelines, decisions, and outcomes.
Act as a bridge to the business: Leverage deep insurance knowledge to build credibility with product, actuarial, distribution, and leadership stakeholders. Ensure experiments are grounded in real-world constraints and opportunities.
Challenge thinking and shape better solutions: Bring a point of view. Ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and elevate the quality of both the problem framing and potential solutions.
Synthesize insights and inform decisions: Translate experiment results into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for leadership—highlighting trade-offs, risks, and next steps (e.g., scale, iterate, or stop).
Drive alignment across stakeholders: Align leaders and SMEs on experiment priorities, design, and interpretation of results. Ensure clarity on what is being tested, why it matters, and how outcomes will be used.
Manage scope, risk, and outcomes (not just process): Focus on delivering business impact—not just project mechanics. Adjust scope and approach dynamically based on learnings and constraints.
Establish and evolve experimentation practices: Build repeatable approaches, tools, and best practices for running effective pre-market tests within the insurance context.
Qualifications
Experience
10+ years of experience in program management, product development, or strategy roles
Highly desired: Strong experience in insurance (product, actuarial, distribution, or related functions) with demonstrated credibility across business stakeholders
Experience leading cross-functional efforts in ambiguous, early-stage environments (e.g., innovation, product incubation, or transformation work)
Proven ability to take concepts from idea through testing and decision
Core Capabilities
Strong business acumen with the ability to connect experimentation work to real business outcomes
Ability to operate with speed and urgency while maintaining rigor in thinking and execution
Comfortable with ambiguity; able to structure problems and create clarity
Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, including senior leadership
Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills; able to challenge constructively
Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, executive-ready insights and recommendations
Leadership & Style
Self-starter who actively drives work forward without waiting for direction
Willingness to challenge the status quo and push for better, faster outcomes
Collaborative but decisive—ensures alignment without slowing progress
High degree of ownership and accountability for results
What Success Looks Like (6–12 Months)
Established a high-functioning experimentation capability
Delivered multiple end-to-end experiments with clear outcomes and leadership decisions
Built credibility with key business stakeholders (actuarial, product, distribution)
Helped the business avoid low-value investments and accelerate high-potential ideas
Defined a repeatable model for pre-market testing of insurance product concepts
Compensation Range:
Pay Range - Start:
$144,000.00Pay Range - End:
$216,000.00Geographic Specific Pay Structure:
Structure 110:
$158,400.00 USD - $237,600.00 USDStructure 115:
$165,600.00 USD - $248,400.00 USDWe believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.
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Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.
Skills
KPIs & Metrics (NM) - Expert, Risk Management (NM) - Expert, Business Acumen (NM) - Expert, Program Management (NM) - Expert, Program Governance (NM) - Expert, Customer Centricity (NM) - Expert, Accountability (NM) - Advanced, Prioritization (NM) - Expert, Change Adaptability (NM) - Expert, Emotional Intelligence (NM) - Expert, Analytical Thinking (NM) - Expert, Process Mindset (NM) - Expert, Business Influence (NM) - Advanced, Stakeholder Relationship (NM) - Expert, Adaptive Communication (NM) - Expert, Consulting (NM) - Expert
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