Director PPMO

Job Description:

Providing for loved ones, planning rewarding retirements, saving enough for whatever lies ahead - our policyholders count on us to be there when it matters most. It's a big ask, but it's one that we have the power to deliver when we work together. We collaborate and innovate - pushing one another to transform not just Pacific Life, but the entire industry for the better.

Why? Because it's the right thing to do. Pacific Life is more than a job, it's a career with purpose. It's a career where you have the support, balance, and resources to make a positive impact on the future - including your own.

Pacific Life is seeking a PPMO Director to support our Product delivery function including new product launches, scalability initiatives, and ongoing product roadmap updates for our Consumer Markets Division (CMD). This is your opportunity to lead a team of direct reports focused on growth‑critical efforts at a top‑tier life insurance and annuities company. You'll collaborate with senior leaders in both business and technology to drive value delivery by executing with discipline.

This role will be located in our Newport Beach, CA office. Relocation assistance may be provided.

• Operate within a "two-in-a-box" model, building trusted partnerships with both business and technology leaders.
• Provide strategy to execution path, ensuring alignment across all functions and business areas to drive seamless execution.

• Leverage dual expertise in technical delivery and business program leadership.
• Demonstrate deep domain knowledge in financial services and cross‑functional, matrix management.

• Be a trusted and respected partner, aligning vision, priorities, and execution across diverse stakeholders.
• Lead and motivate cross‑functional teams at all levels, without direct people management responsibilities.
• Key stakeholders include CMD Sr Leadership Team and Pacific Life Management Committee.

• Champion strong accountability across work streams and stakeholders by ensuring commitments are met and outcomes are delivered with discipline and rigor.
• Implement structured governance to track progress, resolve issues, and elevate effectively.

• Synthesize complex inputs to enable fast, informed decisions—even in ambiguous situations and by addressing decision bottlenecks.
• Deliver transparent, data‑driven insights to challenge assumptions and foster a culture of honesty and continuous improvement.

• Own and drive best‑in‑class planning practices throughout the delivery lifecycle, including establishing and maintaining clear roadmaps, milestones, supportability, and value delivery.
• Leverage hybrid ways of working (agile, product, project) for integrated planning, incremental delivery and continuous prioritization for allocation of resources and sequencing.
• Proactively identify risks and develop mitigation strategies to maintain program momentum.

• Oversee financial aspects including cost‑benefit analysis, capacity management, forecasting, and program KPI tracking.
• Drive financial stewardship, value realization, and continuous planning at every step.

• Lead change across people, processes, technology, and operating models.
• Foster a forward‑thinking mindset, rapidly breaking stalemates and accelerating decision‑making.

• Proven success leading large‑scale transformation programs in life insurance, annuities, or financial services.
• Mastery of program management, business transformation, and technology delivery.
• Exceptional ability to navigate complexity, ambiguity, and cross‑functional dynamics.
• Outstanding communication, stakeholder management, and execution focus.
• >20 years of experience. Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

We are committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion that embraces the authenticity of all employees,…