Technology Manager (Digital)

Pekininsurance; Pekin (IL); Hybrid; USD 126,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid Time Off

Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule

Paid Volunteer Program

Job summary

Pekin Insurance in Pekin, IL is seeking a Technology Manager to lead digital product vision and partner with business and IT to set priorities, roadmaps, and delivery. You’ll guide product teams, work with UX designers and software engineers, and ensure customer value while balancing risk, budget, and timelines.

The role requires 3–5 years of leadership in technology-powered products, a bachelor’s degree, and strong Agile/product management experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Setting the Digital product vision, strategy, and roadmap for digital application planning, execution, and delivery.
• Leading industry, market, and customer research; aligning stakeholders; establishing timelines with engineering; facilitating cross-team collaboration.
• Collaborating with UX designers and software engineers to translate customer needs into a product roadmap and features.
• Managing budgets and SLAs; vendor management and contract considerations; communicating impact and value to executives.

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Looking for more than just a job? You’ve found it.

At Pekin Insurance, you’re not a number—you’re part of something bigger. For over 100 years, we’ve built a community where people are valued, supported, and empowered to grow. Here, you’ll find a workplace where collaboration is real, ideas are welcome, and the work you do truly matters. We’re proud to help people through life’s toughest moments—and it’s our people who make that possible.

From day one, you’ll be encouraged to bring your whole self to work, take on meaningful challenges, and grow in ways that matter to you.

Position Overview

The Technology Manager works with business and IT to solve customer and business problems using technology. The Technology Manager will partner closely with the business to set the vision and prioritize product functionality and enhancements. The Technology Manager will also lead and empower product team members to design the best solutions with the customer experience in mind. Technology Managers need to be able to influence and hold the team accountable, as well as colleagues, stakeholders, and key executives, using data and logic.

The Technology Manager will apply proven communication skills, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of best practices to guide their teams on issues related to mission-critical information and software systems.

Essential Job Functions

• Primary responsibility is setting the Digital product vision, strategy, and roadmap for digital application planning, execution, and delivery.
• Responsibilities will include leading industry, market, and customer research, acting as a change leader and championing change initiatives, establishing fast feedback loops to learn and accelerate outcomes, aligning and communicating with stakeholders, establish time schedules with engineering, and facilitating cross-team collaboration
• Works with UX designers and software engineers to build an understanding of customer needs, develop a product roadmap and feature requirements, and execute on that roadmap
• Well-versed in the product development cycle from ideation all the way through exploration, execution, and impact
• Partners with Business leaders to drive product vision, strategy, and prioritization of work
• Holds teams accountable for delivering results in alignment with department and business strategy
• Coaches team members on a continuous basis, documents performance evaluations, and performs management duties of staff
• Implements and hold teams accountable to functional policies, procedures, enterprise security, IT risk & compliance, and quality assurance best practices
• Reviews and analyze existing applications and system effectiveness and then develop and present strategies for leveraging or improving these systems
• Responsible for preparing, establishing, and monitoring budgets
• Partners with business groups, product teams, and other internal teams in their area of responsibility, and external service providers to establish and manage service level agreements (SLAs) that support business objectives
• Partners with Vendor Managers to provide recommendations throughout the vendor negotiations and contract development processes and reviews and reports on vendor performance
• Executes appropriate communication, process, and educational plans for mitigating the disruption of change
• Manages communications and working relationships between IT and other departments within the organization as well as multiple outside IT service providers
• Performs other duties as assigned

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• At least 3-5 years of direct or indirect leadership experience

Good to have Requirements:

• 5 years working on technology-powered products as either a technology manager, product manager, product owner, engineer, data analyst, data scientist or relative business experience
• Experience in managing digital applications or front-end software engineering teams
• Experience with product teams and business partners to effectively manage the product path
• Agile and Product Management Experience
• Project Manager Experience
• Guidewire and Insurance experience preferred
• Experience with Vendor Management

Certifications & Licenses

• N/A

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Demonstrated knowledge of:

• Understands techniques and methods of modern product discovery and product delivery

• Multiple functional areas of business – engineering, design, finance, sales, or marketing

• Has or develops a deep knowledge of the customer and their needs

• Agile and product management methodologies

• Domains of any core technologies that the product requires to deliver capabilities

Demonstrated ability to:

• Displays a strong passion and enthusiasm for the success of the product and team

• Partners and collaborates across the organization to optimize outcomes

• Assesses solutions for current and future needs

• Works across multiple groups within IT to ensure end-to-end performance

• Adapts and embraces change needed to deliver value to the customer

• Accountability for product by taking ownership and willingness to do what it takes to deliver on product requirements

• Engages stakeholders to support important business decisions

• Translates technical language into meaningful, outcome-centric language for customers

• Works with business areas to understand needs/requirements with an ability provide innovative solutions

• Presents to all levels of management & executive leadership

• Empowers employees by promoting trust between team members and stakeholders needed to deliver business outcomes

• Manages a team of IT professionals including coaching, development, and performance evaluations.

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications and content, and participating in professional societies

Good to have skills:

• Understands techniques and methods of modern product discovery and product delivery
• Multiple functional areas of business – engineering, design, finance, sales, or marketing
• Has or develops a deep knowledge of the customer and their needs
• Domains of any core technologies that the product requires to deliver capabilities

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship now or in the future.

Pay Range:

$126,000.00 - $172,000.00 annually

• This range is based on the expected level of experience and skills for this position. Final compensation will depend on individual.

Benefits:

• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Generous 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off (PTO) with Paid Holidays
• Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule
• Paid Volunteer Program

For more information about the benefits we offer, please visit our Careers Page.