Technology Strategy & Portfolio Leader

MetLife; Cary (NC); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Parental leave

Job summary

MetLife seeks a Senior Principal, Corporate Technology Strategy & Portfolio Management to drive strategic planning, portfolio oversight, and operating-model improvements for Corporate Technology. This leadership role collaborates with the CIO and function leaders to shape vision, priorities, and execution across diverse technology capabilities.

The ideal candidate will translate strategy into measurable outcomes, delivering AI-enabled transformation while navigating a complex, matrixed

Qualifications

• 10–12+ years in technology leadership, strategy or transformation.
• Proven ability to lead programs in large, matrixed environments.
• Strong vision, execution plans, and business value delivery.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead technology strategy, portfolio planning and investments.
• Develop executive communications and strategic recommendations for leaders.
• Improve operating models, governance, and performance metrics.
• Guide AI-enabled transformation and lean approaches across domains.
• Partner with CIO and stakeholders to align priorities and outcomes.

Skills

Technology leadership

Portfolio management

Strategic planning

Executive communications

Stakeholder influence

Agile/SAFe

Vendor strategy

People leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree (Business/Technology/Engineering/CS)

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

When you join MetLife's Global Technology team, you'll be part of a forward-thinking group dedicated to shaping the future of digital solutions for customers worldwide. You'll develop, maintain and support technology applications and delivery, leveraging AI, automation, and contemporary ways of working to enhance experiences and drive business outcomes. Your work will simplify complex processes, improve tech resiliency, and ensure high-performing, seamless solutions that power life's most important moments. In this dynamic environment, you'll collaborate with talented peers across teams and functions, expanding your skills in impactful ways. Ready to push boundaries and set new industry standards? Join us and help drive the future of technology forward.

The Opportunity

The Principal, Corporate Technology Strategy & Portfolio Management is a senior leadership role within Corporate Technology responsible for driving strategic planning, portfolio management, operating model effectiveness, and transformational initiatives that advance business and technology outcomes across the organization.

Reporting to the AVP, Corporate Technology Strategy, this individual contributor horizontal role serves as a strategic technology leader and trusted advisor, helping shape the vision, priorities, and execution approach for a broad portfolio of technology capabilities by working with technology leaders supporting functions including Marketing, Human Resources, Employee Experience, Corporate Security, Legal, Sales Technology, CRM, and AI-enabled business transformation initiatives.

This role is accountable for improving organizational effectiveness across strategy, delivery, and operations by identifying gaps, designing scalable solutions, implementing measurement frameworks, and driving continuous improvement using lean and AI-first approaches. The principal will lead strategic initiatives, portfolio planning activities, executive communications, and cross-functional alignment efforts that strengthen the performance of the Corporate Technology organization.

The ideal candidate is a well-rounded technology leader with a unique combination of strategic thinking, operational discipline, and execution capability. They possess deep technology and business acumen, experience leading technology teams and large-scale initiatives, strong relationship management skills, and the ability to influence outcomes across a highly matrixed enterprise. This role is expected to evolve over time and therefore requires demonstrated people leadership experience and the potential to assume broader organizational leadership responsibilities in the future.

Key Responsibilities

Technology Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Partner with the Corporate Technology CIO and leadership team to define, articulate, and execute technology strategies that align with enterprise objectives and business priorities.
• Support portfolio planning, prioritization, investment decisions, roadmap development, and multi-year technology strategies across Corporate Technology.
• Develop executive-level communications, presentations, and strategic recommendations for senior business and technology leaders.
• Identify opportunities to improve business outcomes through technology modernization, organizational effectiveness, and AI-enabled transformation.
• Defines domain-level enablement strategy, capability roadmaps, AI-first principles, and adoption priorities across broad technology areas.

Operating Model & Organizational Effectiveness

• Drive continuous improvement of the Corporate Technology operating model across strategy, delivery, governance, and operational management.
• Identify organizational and process gaps that impede delivery effectiveness, alignment, scalability, or performance.
• Design and implement pragmatic solutions using lean design principles and AI-first approaches.
• Establish management systems, metrics, and performance measures that support data-driven decision-making and operational excellence.
• Partner with leaders to transition sustainable processes and capabilities into long-term operational ownership.
• Sets standards for operating models, frameworks, practices, and capability maturity across the enterprise or major domains, ensuring they are scalable and outcome-oriented.
• Advises senior leaders on enablement strategy, adoption risks, organization readiness, and capability investment needs while shaping communities of practice and enterprise adoption models.

Business & Technology Leadership

• Build trusted relationships with business and technology executives to drive alignment on priorities, investments, and outcomes.
• Influence strategic decisions across functions through strong business insight, technology expertise, and collaborative leadership.
• Act as a connector across organizational boundaries, facilitating alignment among stakeholders with differing priorities and perspectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor on technology organization design, transformation, governance, delivery models, and emerging technology opportunities.

Transformation & Special Initiatives

• Lead high-priority initiatives on behalf of the CIO, including strategic planning, operating model evolution, organizational transformation, vendor strategy, financial oversight, strategic vendor partnerships and enterprise alignment efforts.
• Drive initiatives that strengthen collaboration between business and technology organizations, improve execution effectiveness, and accelerate value delivery.
• Support innovation initiatives focused on AI adoption, new ways of working, and technology-enabled business transformation.

Required Qualifications

• 10 - 12+ years of progressive experience in technology leadership, strategy, portfolio management, consulting, transformation, or related disciplines.
• Proven ability to lead technology organizations, programs, and enterprise-wide initiatives within large, complex, matrixed environments and ability to manage ambiguity.
• Strong track record of developing strategic vision and translating it into measurable execution plans, outcomes, and business value.
• Exceptional ability to influence senior executives and stakeholders, with strong communication, presentation, and relationship management skills.
• Deep expertise in technology strategy, portfolio management, operating models, governance, roadmaps, and investment prioritization.
• Experience driving organizational transformation, process improvement, change management, performance measurement (OKRs/metrics), and Agile/SAFe delivery practices.
• Demonstrated success as a self-starter and people leader, fostering team development while leveraging innovative and AI-enabled approaches to improve organizational effectiveness and delivery outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting enterprise technology organizations spanning multiple business functions and technology domains.
• Experience with technology financial management, investment governance, portfolio reporting, and strategic planning.
• Experience with organizational transformation, technology operating model design, or enterprise agility initiatives.
• Experience leading vendor strategy, vendor governance, or strategic supplier relationships.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including team leadership, coaching, talent development, and succession planning.
• Experience across one or more corporate technology domains such as Marketing Technology, HR Technology, Employee Experience, Enterprise Platforms, CRM, Data & Analytics, Security, or AI-enabled technologies.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or equivalent) preferred.

Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.

The expected salary range for this position is $120,000 - $175,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.

Benefits We Offer

Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more! For more information regarding MetLife’s U.S. benefits, please click here.

About MetLife

Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

As part of our New Frontier strategy, MetLife is building an AI-enabled, people-centered future. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, adaptability, and a growth mindset as we use AI to enhance how we serve customers, support communities, and evolve the way work gets done. At MetLife, AI is a responsible partner that supports human judgment, creativity, and continuous improvement while helping us build trust, inclusion, and long-term value.

Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!

MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law ("protected characteristics").

If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at [e-mail]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.

MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liabilities.

This posting is for a current vacancy and is anticipated to remain open for at least 90 days from the listed posting date.