FLSA Classification: Exempt
Reports To: Director of Client Services
Job Summary:
The Implementation Program Lead establishes the methodology, standards, and portfolio view for Blossom's implementation team, so every credit union implementation follows a consistent, visible, and controlled delivery model. This person also leads implementations as assigned, with a focus on the most complex engagements, including core conversions and multi-product implementations, from contract handoff through go-live and transition to Support. This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Duties/ Responsibilities:
Implementation methodology and standards
- Design and roll out a standard implementation methodology where none exists today: phases, stage gates, exit criteria, and sign-off requirements
- Own standard templates and artifacts: project charter, RACI, project plan, RAID log, status report, test plan, conversion and go-live checklists
- Drive adoption across the implementation team; hold sign-off authority on stage gates and go-live readiness
Portfolio and capacity
- Maintain a single view of all active, pending, and pipeline implementations
- Sequence start dates and balance workload across the implementation team
- Validate committed timelines before they are promised to clients and flag capacity conflicts early
Product delivery dependencies
- Define the standard process for implementation requests to product teams, including intake format, required information, and timing
- Maintain a cross-project view of implementation dependencies on product work
- Identify when implementations compete for the same product capacity, recommend priority, and escalate conflicts to the Director of Client Services
Reporting and visibility
- Produce consistent implementation reporting: pipeline, capacity, status, health, milestones, and open change requests for implementations and professional services
Scope, change, and commercial control
- Enforce the change request process for implementations, including scoping, pricing with Professional Services, approval, and documentation
- Surface gaps between sales commitments, contract terms, and implementation scope
- Escalate risks and issues through defined paths
Implementation leadership
- Lead implementations as assigned, with priority on core conversions, multi-product, and other high-complexity engagements
- Coordinate directly with product owners on dependencies for assigned projects
- Coordinate third-party vendors, including card processors, digital banking, fraud, and integration partners, against the client's timeline
- Plan and run conversion weekends, including mock conversions, reconciliation sign-off, and rollback planning
- Manage relationships with credit union executives and project sponsors throughout the engagement
Quality, handoff, and continuous improvement
- Confirm go-live readiness against exit criteria: testing, conversion balancing, training, and compliance requirements
- Own hypercare and a clean transition to Support
- Run lessons-learned reviews and feed results into methodology, timeline assumptions, and pricing
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Required Skills/ Abilities:
- Proven ability to analyze complex operational processes, identify root causes and design practical, scalable solutions.
- Strong project and program management skills, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, risk management and stakeholder management across multiple concurrent initiatives.
- Working knowledge of process improvement and change management methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, Agile and Prosci/ADKAR.
- Understanding of software and hardware implementation lifecycles, including requirements gathering, configuration, data conversion, integration, testing, training and go-live.
- Familiarity with credit union or financial institution operations, including core banking, digital banking and card programs.
- Ability to influence and lead without direct authority, building consensus across teams and levels of the organization.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present recommendations to executive leadership.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to define metrics and use data to support decisions.
- Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, Notion, Smartsheet or similar, and with Google Workspace.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Working knowledge of credit union operations and the regulatory environment (NCUA, Reg E, BSA/AML, PCI DSS)
- Bilingual English/Spanish a plus
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Operations Management or a related field required; Master's degree or MBA preferred. Relevant professional experience may substitute for the bachelor’s degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred; Lean Six Sigma, Prosci or similar change management certification a plus
- 8+ years in project or program management, including at least 3 years leading implementations at a core processor, fintech, or financial institution
- Experience establishing an implementation methodology or PMO from the ground up
- Experience coordinating fixed-date client deliverables with agile/scrum product teams
- Hands-on experience leading core conversions; multi-product delivery experience strongly preferred
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
- Travel up to 20% to client sites, including international travel; weekend and after-hours work required during conversions and go-lives.
What We Offer:
- Health, fully covered: Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees.
- Life & AD&D: Company-paid life and accidental death & dismemberment coverage.
- Income protection: Company-paid short- and long-term disability.
- 401(k) with match: Save for the long run, and we’ll match.
- Remote allowance: Cell phone and internet connectivity expenses support.
- Flexible spending: FSA and Dependent Care (DCSA) accounts to stretch your pre-tax dollars.
- Unlimited PTO: Take the time you actually need.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for life’s harder moments.
- Supplemental coverage: Voluntary insurance options to round out your plan.
Bachelor's degree in business, information systems, or related field; 8+ years project/program management with 3+ years leading implementations at a core processor, fintech, or financial institution; PMP preferred; proficiency with Jira, Confluence, Notion, Smartsheet, Google Workspace; travel up to 20% including international.
Key Responsibilities
- designing implementation methodology
- managing implementation portfolio
- leading complex implementations
Skills & Tools
Jira, Confluence, Notion, Smartsheet, Google Workspace
Job Details
- Category: Project and Program Management
- Seniority: Senior Level
- Commitment: Full Time
- Workplace: Remote — United States
- Salary: USD 105,000 – 115,000 / year
- Languages: English
Benefits
- 401k matching
- Generous paid time off
- Retirement plan
About Blossom
A technology company providing implementation and delivery services for credit unions. — Industry: Information Technology