Associate Director, Project & Program Management

Location: USA - Indianapolis, IN, USA - Madison, WI, Junction Rd, USA - Chicago, IL, West Adams St, USA - Waltham, MA

Remote Type: Hybrid (8 days/month)

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

BASIC FUNCTION – JOB PROFILE SUMMARY

The Associate Director, Portfolio Acceleration is a high-visibility program management and product operations leadership role within the Pharmacy and Health Technology (PHT) Product Growth team. The role translates portfolio priorities into coordinated programs, establishes the governance and operating discipline required for execution, and provides senior leaders with clear visibility into progress, risks, dependencies, resources, and decisions.

Working across functional leaders in Product, Technology, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Legal, and Customer Success, the Associate Director leads complex cross-functional initiatives, strengthens portfolio planning and delivery, and improves organizational readiness. The role will also support internal assessment and execution planning for market line extensions and expanded use cases, but does not own external business development, customer relationships, or direct selling activities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Associate Director facilitates portfolio program management within the Pharmacy and Health Technology product growth organization. The role converts organizational priorities into integrated plans, aligns work across functions, establishes governance and operating cadences, and drives execution from initiation through delivery, organizational readiness, and performance review. As a secondary responsibility, the role coordinates internal planning and execution for market line extensions and expanded use cases by aligning cross-functional inputs, timelines, dependencies, readiness activities, and leadership decisions.

Success requires executive-level communication, strong cross-functional leadership, disciplined program and portfolio management, operational judgment, roadmap and dependency coordination, KPI management, process improvement, and the ability to drive accountability in a complex matrixed organization.

The Associate Director regularly advises and collaborates with senior product directors and functional leaders, facilitates portfolio decisions, supports prioritization and resource allocation, and recommends improvements to planning, governance, product delivery, and organizational effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional programs that advance portfolio priorities, product delivery, launch readiness, operational improvements, and strategic initiatives.

• Translate leadership priorities into integrated program plans with clear scope, ownership, milestones, dependencies, resources, risks, decisions, and success measures.

• Establish and manage portfolio governance, decision forums, operating cadences, standards, and repeatable processes that improve transparency, accountability, and execution predictability.

• Partner with senior product directors and functional leaders across Product, Technology, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Legal, Customer Success, and Operations to align priorities, sequencing, resources, and execution.

• Support Product Leaders in communicating product roadmaps across functions, identifying dependencies and execution considerations, and evaluating potential market line extensions that can contribute to business growth.

• Define, standardize, and manage portfolio-level KPIs, reporting, and performance reviews covering delivery, readiness, adoption, initiative health, and business outcomes.

• Prepare and present concise portfolio, program, performance, risk, and decision updates that enable timely action by senior leadership.

• Anticipate and remove cross-functional barriers, manage complex risks and interdependencies, and escalate decisions required to maintain delivery commitments.

• Lead continuous improvement of portfolio planning, program management, commercialization, delivery models, tools, reporting, and ways of working.

OTHER DUTIES

• Lead, facilitate, or participate in leadership forums and working sessions required to advance portfolio, program, delivery, and operational priorities.

• Complete required corporate training and participate in company initiatives and performance planning activities.

• Perform other duties and lead special, strategic projects as assigned.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience required. MBA preferred.

Experience:

• 10 or more years of experience in enterprise program management, product operations, portfolio management, product delivery, or a related discipline.

• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional programs from strategy and planning through execution, organizational readiness, and measurable results.

• Experience establishing governance, operating cadences, integrated plans, portfolio KPIs, executive reporting, roadmap coordination, and process improvements.

• Proven ability to advise, influence, and build credibility with senior product directors and functional leaders while mobilizing teams without direct authority in a matrixed organization.

• Strong operational judgment, analytical capability, facilitation, communication, and decision-making skills in ambiguous environments.

• Healthcare, healthcare technology, pharmacy, clinical content, or experience in a similarly complex regulated environment preferred.

Other Knowledge, Skills, Abilities or Certifications:

• Program Leadership: Converts strategic priorities into integrated programs and drives delivery across multiple functions and workstreams.

• Product Operations: Establishes governance, operating cadences, standards, tools, and repeatable processes that strengthen organizational execution.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Aligns senior stakeholders, clarifies accountability, facilitates decisions, and drives execution without direct authority.

• Portfolio Planning: Aligns priorities, roadmaps, dependencies, sequencing, capacity, and resource needs across product and functional teams.

• Performance Management: Defines and communicates KPIs, program health measures, readiness criteria, and business outcomes.

• Risk and Dependency Management: Anticipates barriers, resolves cross-functional issues, and escalates decisions required to protect commitments.

• Continuous Improvement: Identifies and implements improvements to planning, delivery, reporting, decision making, and ways of working.

• Executive Communication: Presents complex information clearly, frames recommendations, and enables timely leadership decisions.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Up to 20%

Our Interview Practices

To maintain a fair and genuine hiring process, we kindly ask that all candidates participate in interviews without the assistance of AI tools or external prompts. Our interview process is designed to assess your individual skills, experiences, and communication style. We value authenticity and want to ensure we’re getting to know you—not a digital assistant. To help maintain this integrity, we ask to remove virtual backgrounds and include in-person interviews in our hiring process. Please note that use of AI-generated responses or third-party support during interviews will be grounds for disqualification from the recruitment process.

Applicants may be required to appear onsite at a Wolters Kluwer office as part of the recruitment process.

 

Compensation:

$111,200.00 - $198,650.00 USD

 

This role is eligible for Bonus.

Compensation range listed is based on primary location of the position. Actual base salary offer is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skills, experience and actual hiring location. Your recruiter can share more information about the specific offer for the job location during the hiring process. 

Additional Information:

Wolters Kluwer offers a wide variety of competitive benefits and programs to help meet your needs and balance your work and personal life, including but not limited to: Medical, Dental, & Vision Plans, 401(k), FSA/HSA, Commuter Benefits, Tuition Assistance Plan, Vacation and Sick Time, and Paid Parental Leave. Full details of our benefits are available upon request.