Implementation Program Lead

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.