Senior Technical Program Manager

Kin is on a mission to change home insurance from what it is to what it should be. Whether we’re leveraging data to create customizable coverage or providing claims service that goes above and beyond expectations, our members are at the heart of everything we do. In the face of ever-growing climate risk, they deserve an insurance company that cares about them. We aim to stick with our members through thick and thin.

We use efficient technology that lets homeowners buy directly from us to keep costs down. This is the essence of Kin. Our approach has fostered amazing growth, attracted marquee investors, and earned us accolades, including being named to:

• Built In Chicago’s Best Places to Work, Midsize Companies (2021-2024).

• Forbes’ America’s Best Startup Employers (2021- 2023).

• Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies.

• Forbes’ Fintech 50.

Simply put, our people are what make us great – we need forward-thinking, inspired game-changers like you to join us in our mission.

So, what’s the role?

As a Sr. Technical Program Manager at Kin, you will be at the forefront of driving high-impact initiatives at the feature and domain levels, playing an integral role in achieving our strategic goals. You’ll work closely with cross-functional teams, enabling better alignment and collaboration while optimizing processes for efficient delivery.

You demonstrate initiative, accountability, personal agility, lean thinking, and have the ability to influence team members.   

You have strong experience in program and project management within a technology environment with strong understanding of Scrum methodology and experience in building and managing agile teams.

You possess excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to collaborate across all levels of the organization.  You are an expert in risk management, resource allocation, and strategic planning.

You are a master of facilitation and will facilitate the Scrum and domain level events. You will foster collaborative relationships across product and technology, and demonstrate leadership. 

You are an experienced Jira user with experience in editing Jira settings and configurations.  Having JSM experience is a plus. 

You have the discipline and ability to manage multiple projects, teams and domains simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities.  You welcome the challenge of working with complexity in a scaled and fast paced environment.

A day in the life could include:

• Oversee the daily activities and performance of scrum teams, ensuring deliverables are completed on time and with high quality.

• Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within the team.

• Guide teams to achieve self-sufficiency in Scrum practices and agile methodologies.

• Partner closely with Engineering Managers (EMs) and Product Managers (PMs) to coordinate cross-functional efforts and manage team dynamics.

• Facilitate alignment on project priorities, resource allocation, and risk management to keep projects on track and aligned with strategic objectives.

• Collaborate with domain Directors to ensure alignment with strategic goals and drive initiatives across multiple domains.

• Provide oversight on domain-specific projects, ensuring progress aligns with the roadmap and addressing any bottlenecks that arise.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with cross-functional teams, senior leadership, and business units to ensure clear communication and alignment.

• Act as a liaison between Tech and business teams, ensuring project goals align with broader business objectives and keeping stakeholders informed of progress, risks, and milestones.

• Manage complex, cross-functional projects and programs that span multiple teams or domains, ensuring timely delivery.

• Communicate progress and challenges effectively to all stakeholders.

• Provide strategic oversight to ensure that each domain’s initiatives support the company’s larger goals.

• Support the prioritization of feature work across domains, ensuring high-impact initiatives receive the appropriate focus.

• Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and roadblocks across various projects and collaborate with leadership to mitigate these challenges.

• Ensure teams have the necessary resources and guidance to address blockers and maintain project momentum.

• Continuously refine processes to ensure efficient delivery and coordination between teams.

• Track key performance metrics and report progress, ensuring that teams stay on target and stakeholders are kept informed of any changes in project status or priorities.

• Identify and work in collaboration to remove success blockers, which may include cross-team dependencies mitigation

• Gather team level metrics for forecasting, planning and continuous improvement

• Help Product Owners in effective Product Backlog creation, management and refinement; including techniques for defining valuable Product Goals, how to prepare and run strong Sprint Planning, Sprint Reviews, Release Planning and various roadmap formats

• Facilitate stakeholder collaboration and facilitating release planning efforts as requested or needed

• Manage projects that span time zones that will require flexibility  

• Demonstrate strong ownership on projets

• Key participant on continuously improving Tech PMO functions and overall Tech process

I’ve got the skills… but do I have the necessary ones?

• Proactive self-starter with excellent time-management, communication, documentation and organizational skills

• 3+ years of experience as a Program Manager or Senior Project Manager for software development projects

• 3+ years of experience as a Scrum Master in a software environment

• Expert in Agile principles and methodologies with ability to scale frameworks

• Ability to facilitate workshops, coach and mentor across multiple teams and at various levels of the organization

• Strong ability to communicate, influence, engage and inspire others to drive collaboration and alignment at all levels of the organization

• Knowledge of industry-wide practices and technologies

• Experience using Agile tools especially Jira 

• Experience building Scrum Teams

For Sales Agents and Customer Service Agents: These roles sit in any of the following 30 states: AL, AZ, CO, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, and WI.

For all other positions, these roles can sit in any of the following 40 states: AL, AR, AZ, CA (exempt only), CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, and WI. Please only apply if you are able to live and work full-time in one of the states listed above.

State locations and specifics are subject to change as our hiring requirements shift.

About Kin

Kin is the only pure-play, direct-to-consumer digital insurer focused on the growing home insurance market. We make policies convenient and affordable through a technology platform that delivers a seamless user experience, customized options for coverage, and fast, high-quality claims service. Kin is a fully licensed carrier that offers coverage through its reciprocal exchanges which are owned by its policyholders. To learn more, visit www.kin.com.

EEOC Statement

Kin is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We don’t just accept difference – we honor it, nurture it, and celebrate it. We don’t discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.