Contract Product Management Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Director, Insurance Product Management - Permanent - Durham, NC/Hybrid - $125,000 - $150,000
The final salary or hourly wage, as applicable, paid to each candidate/applicant for this position is ultimately dependent on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate's/applicant's qualifications, skills, and level of experience as well as the geographical location of the position.
The end client is unable to sponsor or transfer visas for this position; all parties authorized to work in the US without sponsorship are encouraged to apply.
Our client is seeking a Director, Insurance Product Management in Durham, NC/Hybrid.
Role Description
This leader will oversee a team of Product Managers supporting Policy Administration platforms as well as key shared services applications that enable critical business operations.
This is an execution-focused leadership role. The successful candidate will partner closely with Operations, Actuarial, Compliance, Finance, Technology, Data, and external vendors to ensure insurance systems initiatives are aligned, prioritized, and successfully delivered.
The ideal candidate comes from a life insurance, annuity, health insurance, or financial services environment and possesses deep experience with Policy Administration systems and insurance operations.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
PRODUCT AND PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP
Lead the execution and delivery of a portfolio of insurance technology products and operational platforms.
Manage roadmaps, priorities, dependencies, and delivery outcomes across multiple concurrent initiatives.
Partner with business leaders to translate strategic objectives into executable product plans.
Drive prioritization decisions across enhancements, operational needs, defects, vendor requirements, and technical debt.
Ensure business requirements are translated into clear, actionable product requirements and delivery-ready backlog items.
POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND INSURANCE SYSTEMS
Oversee products supporting Policy Administration, customer servicing, workflow, document generation, secure file transfer, data exchanges, and other core insurance systems.
Ensure operational processes and systems effectively support annuity and life insurance products.
Partner closely with business stakeholders to identify automation opportunities, process improvements, and operational efficiencies.
Manage production escalations, issue prioritization, and resolution efforts.
STAKE HOLDER AND CROSS FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Build strong partnerships across:
Actuarial
Operations
Finance
Accounting
Compliance
Distribution
Data & Analytics
Technology
Engineering
Third-Party Vendors
Facilitate cross-functional alignment and resolution of complex business and system dependencies.
Participate in planning, release readiness, UAT, business acceptance testing, and deployment activities.
PEOPLE LEADERSHIP
Manage, coach, and develop a team of Product Managers.
Establish accountability and execution excellence across the product organization.
Provide guidance on requirements definition, backlog management, prioritization, and stakeholder engagement.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
Skills & Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field.
12+ years of Product Management, Product Ownership, Business Analysis, or enterprise application leadership experience.
5+ years of people leadership experience managing Product Managers or similar professionals.
Strong experience supporting Policy Administration systems.
Experience working within:
Life Insurance
Annuities
Health Insurance
Financial Services
Other highly regulated industries
Proven ability to manage multiple large-scale initiatives simultaneously.
Experience working in Agile delivery environments.
Strong understanding of enterprise applications, integrations, APIs, workflows, data exchanges, and operational systems.
Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills.
Direct experience supporting annuity products.
Experience partnering closely with actuarial teams.
Experience with document generation, customer communications management (CCM), secure transfer platforms, workflow applications, or vendor-supported insurance systems.
Experience managing globally distributed teams.
IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
Has deep Policy Administration experience.
Understands insurance operations and how technology supports the insurance lifecycle.
Has led Product Managers, not just individual contributor product work.
Is highly execution-oriented and comfortable operating "in the weeds."
Can balance competing priorities while maintaining focus on delivery.
Thrives in a fast-paced, growing organization.
Can effectively partner with actuarial, operations, and technology stakeholders.
Is a strong communicator who can bridge business and technical teams.
Benefits/Other Compensation
This position is a contract/temporary role where Hays offers you the opportunity to enroll in full medical benefits, dental benefits, vision benefits, 401K and Life Insurance ($20,000 benefit).
Why Hays?
You will be working with a professional recruiter who has intimate knowledge of the industry and market trends. Your Hays recruiter will lead you through a thorough screening process in order to understand your skills, experience, needs, and drivers. You will also get support on resume writing, interview tips, and career planning, so when there's a position you really want, you're fully prepared to get it.
Nervous about an upcoming interview? Unsure how to write a new resume?
Visit the Hays Career Advice section to learn top tips to help you stand out from the crowd when job hunting.
Hays is committed to building a thriving culture of diversity that embraces people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better we serve our candidates, clients, and employees. We are an equal employment opportunity employer, and we comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, HIV-positive status, as well as any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. One of Hays' guiding principles is 'do the right thing'.
We also believe that actions speak louder than words.
In that regard, we train our staff on ensuring inclusivity throughout the entire recruitment process and counsel our clients on these principles. If you have any questions about Hays or any of our processes, please contact us.
In accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law protecting qualified individuals with known disabilities, Hays will attempt to reasonably accommodate those individuals unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the company. Any qualified applicant or consultant with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should call or text .
Drug testing may be required; please contact a recruiter for more information.
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