Manager/Delivery Lead (hybrid)

• About Us

   

  The world isn’t standing still, and neither is Allstate. We’re moving quickly, looking across our businesses and brands and taking bold steps to better serve customers’ evolving needs. That’s why now is an exciting time to join our team. You’ll have opportunities to take risks, challenge the status quo and shape the future for the greater good.

   

  You’ll do all this in an environment of excellence and the highest ethical standards – a place where values such as integrity, inclusive diversity and accountability are paramount. We empower every employee to lead, drive change and give back where they work and live. Our people are our greatest strength, and we work as one team in service of our customers and communities.

   

  Allstate operate a very flexible hybrid working policy that will allow you to design your working week in collaboration with your manager with a blend of remote and office working for NI based employees as well as condensed working patterns (4 day week/9 day fortnight).

   

  Join our team and you’ll find challenge and reward in a culture of innovation, support and balance. 

   

   

  Location

   

   

  Belfast/ Derry-Londonderry/ Strabane

   

   

  Your role in the team

   

  We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Manager/Delivery Lead for the Investments Team within Allstate.  The Manager/Delivery Lead will play a key role within this global team comprising members from across Northern Ireland, North America and India.

   

  This is an exciting time to join Allstate as we continue to deliver against several Modernization initiatives.  The right candidate will ideally have experience leading through change.  An excellent motivator of people and task manager, this individual will have agile exposure and can demonstrate project and product management behaviours that support maintaining product backlogs, managing project and financial risk, and ensuring stability on budget and on timely delivery of products and projects.

   

  The Manager/Delivery Lead is responsible for defining, delivering and managing the lifecycle of one or more products. In collaboration with the Product Owner, the Manager/Delivery Lead manages the strategic product vision, product discovery, roadmaps, and teams to maximize the customer value provided by their product.

   

   

   

  Responsibilities include (but are not limited to)

   

  Strategic Direction

   

  • Assists with settings the strategic direction for the function / span based on business goals and cascades goals and targets to teams. 
  • Facilitates functional technology strategy discussions with the leadership team and conceptualizes actions / initiatives and builds capabilities. 
  • Reviews team structure and aligns it to deliver on the strategy. 
  • Improves value creation and introduces new / expanded services as part of the growth strategy. 

   

  Delivery Excellence

   

  • Assists with complex technology projects of key, critical, or futuristic significance. 
  • Monitors budget, expenses, and project / program delivery scope. 
  • Monitors project / program health e.g. service level agreement (SLA) adherence, financials, and potential risks; takes corrective action and communicates results to stakeholders. 
  • Applies effective decision-making techniques to address complex situations. 
  • Works closely with decision-makers to identify, recommend / develop, and implement cost-effective technology solutions for the group / function. 
  • Prepares human capital and infrastructure requirements and plans for respective teams and owns and manages utilization of talent and skills across business areas. 
  • Identifies and resolves complex technical or operational problems that require detailed information gathering, investigation, and analysis to understand, often from multiple departments. 
  • Reviews and approves estimated technology project efforts for respective teams and establishes and nurtures working relationships. 
  • Shares team-level milestones achieved across teams and champions talent sharing among stakeholders. 
  • Liaises with cross-functional teams to execute and deliver plans. 
  • Ensures business continuity plans are in place and refreshed annually for all critical services provided by the team. 

   

  People Management

   

  • Plans and monitors workforce needs and processes for the business area to decide on current and future hiring of direct reports and extended teams. 
  • Builds engagement by acting on employee feedback. 
  • Manages team members to accomplish results through effective recruitment, selection, work allocation, goal-setting, performance management, recognition, and employee engagement. 
  • Plans backups and skill building for critical roles; focuses team members to stay on course for future skills. 
  • Acts as a coach/mentor to groom the next line of leaders. 

   

  Systems / Process Innovation

   

  • Encourages outcome-based technology innovation and invention in partnership with stakeholders. 
  • Replicates enterprise best practices and standards and explores ways to enhance the effectiveness of current systems and processes; oversees corrective actions until closure. 
  • Partners with stakeholders on the implementation of organizational process improvement initiatives. 
  • Implements policies and strategies to achieve functional short-term results (1 year or less). 

   

   

   

   

  So, what are the essential criteria to apply?

   

   

  • All candidates must evidence an existing right to work in the UK'
  • A minimum of 4 years’ experience in a Delivery Lead or Product Owner role
  • Experience leading teams delivering through agile methodologies - scrum, lean or Kanban etc.
  • Experience operating in an environment driven by KPIs with accountability to determine the best course of action to meet your goals
  • Ability to communicate complex and innovative concepts to a new product development team with proven experience in data-driven decision making
  • Strong management or project lead experience required
  • Experience in onshore/offshore model for project delivery

   

   

  We also have some desirable criteria

   

  • Experience, knowledge or understanding of Investment, Billing or Payment products
  • Experience implementing modernization initiatives
  • Experience leading within the insurance or financial services industry
  • Experience in developing, designing, or leading teams to deliver in:
    • API methodologies (SOAP / REST)
    • Java / Springboot /.NET
    • Messaging technologies (e.g. Kafka)
    • ETL tools (e.g. Talend / SSIS)

   

  What we offer

   

  As Digital DNA’s Workplace of the Year 2020 & 2022 winners, we offer a generous benefits package that includes flexible annual leave entitlement, dental and healthcare insurance, an attractive pension package and discounts on gym memberships, public transport and parking.

   

  Allstate invests heavily in your development, as an employee you will have access to multiple world-class learning platforms and courses from our award-winning in-house Learning & Development team.

   

  We pride ourselves in providing clear career paths and opportunities for internal mobility allowing you to further develop within the organisation.

   

  We encourage a better work life balance and you’ll have the opportunity to apply for various flexible working arrangements.

   

   

  Statement on Fair Employment and Equal Opportunities

   

  Allstate NI wishes to ensure equal opportunity is given to all job applicants.  This company will not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender (including gender reassignment status), sexual orientation, religious belief, political opinion, marital status, age or disability.

   

  We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. However, as women are currently under-represented in our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from women. All appointments will be made on merit.

   

  Applicants should note Allstate NI complete AccessNI background checks on all candidates offered a position.

   

   

  The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 2nd September 2022