IT Program Manager
About GroupHEALTH
At GroupHEALTH, we're proud of the work we do – but it's how we do it that truly sets us apart. We're a fast-moving, ever-evolving, stable organization with deep roots and a bold vision: to transform the way Canadians experience benefits. We combine agility with long-term stability to create meaningful impact.
Here, you'll find more than just a job. You'll find a purpose-driven, people-first culture where kindness, collaboration, and curiosity thrive. Whether you've been here fifteen years or fifteen days, you'll notice right away – our people are genuinely invested in one another's success and delivering exceptional experiences to our clients and plan members.
About the Role
The IT Program Manager will serve as GroupHEALTH Family of Companies' (GHFOC) project governance authority, building and owning the PM methodology that every project professional across all entities will use. The IT Program Manager will manage the CIO's IT portfolio with discipline and transparency while mentoring the next generation of project coordinators and managers across the family of companies. This role goes beyond managing projects, it builds the capability and governance structures that make great project delivery possible across GHFOC.
This is a hybrid role based out of our Surrey, BC office, working 3 days in office and 2 days from home.
What to Expect in Your First 3 Months
First 30 Days:
- Build a single IT project register covering all active, planned, and recently completed initiatives across the five strategic pillars and all GHFOC entities
- Include project owner, pillar, RAG status, budget, timeline, key milestones, risks, and dependencies
- This will serve as the foundation for IT governance discussions
First 60 Days:
- Build effective working relationships with Business Stakeholders and IT Leaders across all GHFOC entities
- Listen, understand each entity's context, and build trust as a partner
First 90 Days:
- Complete a discovery across GHFOC entities to assess project management maturity, tools, and key requirements
- Develop and present PM Methodology v1.0, including standards, templates, governance, and delivery approaches, for CIO endorsement before rollout
What You'll Do
Project Portfolio Management
- Own and maintain the IT project register as the single source of truth for all active, planned, and completed initiatives across all GHFOC entities
- Track project status (RAG), milestone progress, budget consumption, resource allocation, risks, issues, and dependencies
- Identify and escalate projects that are drifting, including timeline slippage, scope creep, and budget overrun, before they become a crisis
- Manage the project intake and prioritization process across all IT pillars
Governance & Meeting Management
- Design and manage the full IT governance calendar, including weekly stand-ups, monthly steering committee, monthly ELT support, and quarterly deep-dives
- Prepare all meeting agendas, pre-read packs, and materials, circulated 48 hours before each meeting
- Document all decisions, actions, and owners, distributed within 24 hours
PM Methodology Ownership
- Own and continuously develop the GHFOC PM Methodology, the standard framework for how all projects across the family of companies are planned, executed, governed, and closed
- Define and maintain the PM artifact library, including charters, RACI matrices, risk registers, status templates, change request forms, and lessons learned logs
- Select, implement, and maintain IT project management tooling across GHFOC, ensuring consistent adoption of approved tools (Jira, MS Project, or equivalent)
- Provide the PM methodology, standards, and templates for all GHFOC entities
Project Coordinator Mentoring
- Identify, map, and build relationships with all project coordinators and PMs across all GHFOC entities
- Assess current PM capability and maintain a living skills gap map, updated quarterly
- Design and run the GHFOC Project Coordinator Development Program, a structured curriculum covering PM fundamentals, GHFOC methodology, tools, and governance
- Provide 1:1 mentoring to project coordinators, including the Transformation Office PM, through regular touchpoints, career development, and real-time coaching on active projects
Budget, Finance & Reporting
- Maintain the IT budget tracker, tracking actual spend versus approved budget by cost center, pillar, and entity
- Produce the monthly CIO IT Executive Dashboard, a single-page view of IT health for executive and board use
- Prepare the quarterly IT board report and support Munich Re reporting
- Distribute monthly IT updates to all entity presidents that are relevant, concise, and entity-specific
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Information Technology, or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and demonstrated experience will be considered
- 7+ years of progressive experience in IT project or program management
- 3+ years at Program Manager level managing complex cross-functional IT programs
- Experience building or significantly contributing to a PM methodology or PMO function from the ground up
- Demonstrated experience managing IT project portfolios of 10+ concurrent projects
- Experience mentoring or coaching junior project professionals
- PMP (Project Management Professional), current and in good standing, is considered an asset
- Prince2 Practitioner, SAFe Agilist, PMI-ACP, or equivalent certification is considered an asset
- An MBA or graduate diploma in project or program management is considered an asset
- Experience in insurance, group benefits, financial services, or a regulated industry is considered an asset
- Experience operating across a multi-entity or multi-subsidiary organization where governance had to be earned, not mandated, is considered an asset
- Experience working alongside or supporting a transformation office or major enterprise transformation program is considered an asset
- Experience facilitating a PM Community of Practice or capability development program is considered an asset
Critical Competencies
You will succeed in this role if you are:
- A Strategic Planner and Executor – You coordinate across programs, align work to strategic objectives, set measurable goals, and deliver long-term outcomes.
- A Financial & Business Manager – You own budgets, forecasting, contracts, financial performance, and business case development.
- A Governance, Risk & Operational Excellence Leader – You establish governance frameworks, manage risk and changes, drive reporting standards, and ensure quality and process excellence.
- A People-Focused Leader – You set direction, manage stakeholders, develop teams, drive accountability, and influence across organizational boundaries.
- A Strong Communicator and Collaborator – You communicate effectively at all levels, present with credibility, adapt messaging to audiences, and build alignment.
- An Innovative and Inclusive Coach – You lead with empathy, champion inclusion, coach through challenges, drive innovation, and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
Compensation
At the time of this posting, the estimated annual base salary for this position is $125,000-$135,000. Individual compensation within this range is determined by factors such as job-related skills, relevant experience, and education/training. This range reflects the annual base salary only and does not encompass the comprehensive total rewards package that we proudly offer.
Why Join Us
- Beyond salary, we offer generous paid time off, extended health and dental benefits, RRSP matching, and flexible work options
- Wellness support, including comprehensive mental health resources, to prioritize your well-being both in and out of the workplace
- A supportive culture, with opportunities to grow, and where our team members feel valued and empowered to thrive
Accommodation and Inclusion
GroupHEALTH is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. If you need accommodation during any stage of the hiring process, please let us know! We're here to help.
If you're ready to do meaningful work and grow your career with GroupHEALTH, we'd love to hear from you. Click Apply to submit your application.
