Full-Time

Project Manager – Senior

Independence Pet Group

Independence Pet Group

501-1,000 employees

North American pet insurance provider

No salary listed

Boston, MA, USA + 1 more

More locations: Maine, USA

Hybrid

Hybrid role; 2 days/week on-site in downtown Boston.

Category
Business & Strategy (1)
Required Skills
Agile
Requirements
  • 7–12+ years of experience in project/program management, consulting, operations, or similar roles leading cross-functional initiatives
  • Strong experience leading product launches, complex business initiatives, or transformation programs in high-growth or evolving environments
  • Demonstrated ability to drive execution in ambiguity and create structure where processes do not yet exist
  • Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills; comfortable working with senior leaders and executive teams
  • Proven ability to lead teams of 5–15+ contributors across multiple functions (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Ops, Finance, Legal)
  • Hands-on experience with project management methodologies and tools (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid); strong at building pragmatic systems for visibility and accountability
  • Self-starter who operates independently, prioritizes effectively, and owns outcomes—not just tasks
  • Able and open to work hybrid - 2 days/week downtown Boston
  • You must be authorized to work in the U.S.
  • Requires travel up to 10%
Responsibilities
  • Lead end‑to‑end delivery of high‑impact, business‑critical initiatives across Clarus, including new product launches, major enhancements, and strategic internal programs
  • Translate company strategy and leadership direction into clear plans, timelines, dependencies, owners, and decisions
  • Act as a senior execution partner to functional and executive leaders, helping turn ideas into outcomes
  • Own cross‑functional launch planning and execution for new products and major releases, including integrated launch plans and timelines, alignment across Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, Ops, and Support, Definition and tracking of launch readiness criteria and success metrics, Ensure all workstreams are coordinated and that teams are prepared operationally, commercially, and technically for launch, Identify gaps early and drive resolution to ensure launches are on‑time and high quality
  • Drive clarity in ambiguous problem spaces where goals, scope, or pathways may not be fully defined
  • Design and implement lightweight, scalable processes, templates, and operating rhythms to improve execution as the business grows
  • Continuously improve how Clarus plans, tracks, launches, and executes initiatives across teams
  • Build and maintain project and program plans, including milestones, risks, dependencies, tradeoffs, and escalation paths
  • Establish dashboards and leadership readouts that clearly communicate progress, risks, decisions needed, and outcomes
  • Proactively identify blockers and risks; drive mitigation through clear owners and timelines
  • Serve as a primary point of coordination across functions for assigned initiatives
  • Lead working sessions, cross‑functional stand‑ups, leadership reviews, and executive escalations
  • Influence without authority by building trust, aligning incentives, and keeping teams focused on outcomes
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in technology, SaaS, or product‑driven organizations strongly preferred
Independence Pet Group

Independence Pet Group

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Independence Pet Group (IPG) is a large North American network that provides pet insurance and related services through brands like Figo, Felix, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Pets Plus Us, and AKC Pet Insurance, covering more than 1,000,000 pets in the U.S. and Canada. Its products include insurance policies sold by its brands, plus tools such as microchip identification and an online pet registry, along with well-being resources and business solutions for the pet industry. IPG differentiates itself through its scale and breadth—multiple brand options plus industry services and technology that go beyond basic coverage. Its goal is to improve pet health and safety by making insurance accessible and offering practical tools and resources to pets, owners, and industry partners.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Growth Equity (Non-Venture Capital)

Total Funding

$55.6M

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois

Founded

N/A

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Vandana Venkat appointed president February 2026 with 20+ years insurance expertise.
  • Supports over 1 million pets across US and Canada via diverse portfolio.
  • Acquired Felix September 2023, only US cat-specific insurance brand.

What critics are saying

  • Vandana Venkat lacks pet insurance experience, disrupts underwriting operations.
  • New York DFS fines halt Spot and Felix expansions within 12-18 months.
  • Trupanion erodes 20-30% IPG market share in 12-24 months.

What makes Independence Pet Group unique

  • IPG manages AKC, Figo, ASPCA, and Felix cat insurance brands.
  • Acquired majority Spot Pet Insurance in 2024 from 2022 partnership.
  • Partners with Fear Free since January 2024 for pet emotional wellbeing.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Parental Leave

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Company News

PR Newswire
Feb 24th, 2026
Independence Pet Holdings appoints Vandana Venkat as president of Independence Pet Group

Independence Pet Holdings has appointed Vandana Venkat as President of Independence Pet Group. Venkat brings over 20 years of experience in insurance and financial services, having held senior positions at Argo Group, Clearcover and PURE Insurance, where she led underwriting, operations strategy and AI innovation. Earlier in her career, Venkat worked in product, pricing and risk management roles at Progressive, Kemper and Allianz/Fireman's Fund. She holds dual master's degrees in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research and Applied Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Independence Pet Group oversees brands including AKC Pet Insurance, OnePack Plan by PetPartners, Figo and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. Independence Pet Holdings, established in 2021, manages pet insurance services supporting over one million pets across the US and Canada.

Coverager
Jun 3rd, 2024
Independence Pet Holdings acquires Spot Pet Insurance

Independence Pet holdings acquires Spot Pet Insurance.

Coverager
Jun 3rd, 2024
Independence Pet acquires Spot Insurance

Independence Pet Group (IPH) has acquired a majority interest in Spot Pet Insurance, a company founded in 2019 and launched in 2020, headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida. This acquisition builds on a partnership that began in 2022 with IPH’s initial investment in Spot. IPH, founded in 2021 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, has $55.59 million in total funding. IPH currently handles Spot’s underwriting, customer service, claims activities, and other administrative services.

PR Newswire
Jan 17th, 2024
Independence Pet Group® And Fear Free, Llc, Team Up To Improve Emotional Wellbeing Care For Pets

Pet health and wellbeing advancements drive partnership to increase awareness across the industrySCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Pet Group® (IPG), a leader in pet insurance and services, and Fear Free®, LLC, a revolutionary animal health and welfare online education company, announced today a new strategic relationship to increase the accessibility and education of Fear Free practices and pet insurance in an effort to further pets' emotional and physical wellbeing.Since 2016, Fear Free has educated 265,000+ pet industry professionals, volunteers, and pet parents on how to help relieve fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. As Fear Free's latest Corporate Program Member, IPG's pet insurance brands will be Fear Free's pet insurance providers of choice. IPG's brands include Figo Pet Insurance, Felix Cat Insurance, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, and AKC Pet Insurance in the US and Pets Plus Us in Canada."Independence Pet Group recognizes pet health is holistic and it's critical to address both a pet's physical and emotional wellbeing. Through this relationship, our brands will provide pet parents with best-in-class content on how to address and support their pet's behavioral and emotional wellbeing, further strengthening the bond they share with their pet," said Nilpa Srivastava, Chief Marketing Officer, Independence Pet Group.Fear, anxiety, and stress in pets has been linked to inaccurate diagnostics, aggression at the vet, and other issues.1 Because of this, many pet owners, such as cat owners, steer clear of the vet, further inhibiting their felines from receiving routine care for both physical and emotional needs. To further support feline health, the Felix Cat Insurance program and Fear Free will create informational content for both industry professionals and pet parents to help reduce fear and alleviate stress and anxiety for pets when it comes to getting the care they need."We are passionate about listening to the needs of animal health professionals and the new generation of pet owners and providing information and resources to fit those needs," said Randy Valpy, Chief Executive Officer, Fear Free

WRAL TechWire
Nov 17th, 2023
Pet Insurance Firm Based In Raleigh Raises $55M, Business Nc Reports

Insurance Pet Holdings raised the money from 27 investors and sold stock, options and warrants.The company recently acquired cat insurance company Felix for an undisclosed amount. In addition to providing insurance for more than 800,000 pets, Insurance Pet also offers microchip identification and an online pet registry.Dogs make up the majority of insured pets in the United States, with 80.1% of insured dogs compared to 19.9% of insured cats, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association State of the Industry Report. The total number of pets insured in 2022 reached 5.36 million, up from 4.4 million in 2021, according to the report.The pet insurance market size was valued at $9.4 billion in 2022 and is estimated to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 17.04% from 2023 to 2030, according to Grand View Research.Its CEO is Lane Kent, who had served as chief operating officer since the company’s formation in 2021. He became CEO at the beginning of 2023 and has more than 30 years of industry experience, including holding executive positions at Mutual of Omaha, New York Life, Univita/LTCG, and Southern Guaranty Insurance.For more details, read the full story at Business North Carolina