Client Delivery Program Manager

Join the People Helping People
Velera is the nation's premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated fintech solutions provider. The company serves more than 4,000 financial institutions throughout North America, operating with velocity to help our clients keep pace with the rapid momentum of change and fuel growth in the new era of financial services. Our purpose: We accelerate partners' success through innovative financial technology solutions and inspired service.

The Opportunity
The
Client Delivery Program Manager
will work closely with senior leadership across Velera's enterprise, in addition to the assigned financial institution (FI), to develop and execute on the client's strategic plans and provide centralized oversight of the implementation of initiatives within the program. The position oversees the FI program, consisting of project and product implementations, while partnering very closely with Client Growth Management, Client Service Delivery, and Project Delivery teams. This role requires very strong influencing and client-facing skills and requires travel to FI and their vendor locations as needed. Incumbent will support and foster in-depth and productive client relationships while being an advocate for the FI within Velera with the goal to improve consultative service, promote use of products and services, oversee initiatives, and achieve increased loyalty, endorsement, and revenue. The incumbent will also serve as a consultant to senior leadership teams within Velera to build detailed resolution action plans while monitoring program risks, health, and addressing project-related issues.

Day in the Life
Strategic Planning & Relationships

• Strengthen top strategic relationships by identifying and managing FI program needs, by supporting the development of a strategic roadmap having accountability for the delivery of FI Program initiatives
• Consistently demonstrate strong client relationship management skills encompassing strategic planning, program management, solution delivery, new product delivery, and issue resolution while ensuring regulatory compliance
• Responsible for the planning, execution, and delivery of multiple programs and projects, aligning Velera's team to meet the financial institution's strategic goals and objectives.
• Effectively develop and leverage partnerships with all Velera business units, vendors, and partners to ensure client initiatives and projects are executed expeditiously to the client's satisfaction, including Mastercard, Visa, various software vendors, networks, Fiserv, FIS, and other processors.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including executives, department heads, and project implementation teams.
• Assist in the department's strategic planning and provide input, recommendations, and direction for process improvements
• Serve as an advocate for the FI within Velera

Program Management

• Maintain the FI program management framework, including scope, schedules, and resource requirements to drive a consistent and first-class level of program delivery for strategic Velera financial institutions.
• Produce program status reports, KPI metrics, client presentations, and business reviews to Velera and FI executives as required by the situation and by the client
• Monitor project and program progress, ensuring adherence to schedule, scope, and quality standards. Identify and mitigate risks, issues, and dependencies within the portfolio of programs and escalate as required.
• Serve as the central point of contact between various partners, Velera Business Units, and clients by assertively and proactively providing ongoing communication between all parties to ensure the timely implementation of assigned project deliverables
• Accountable for resolution management, communication, and successful delivery of projects and initiatives ranging from the basic to the complex: card processing implementations, product implementation, strategic initiatives, and client initiatives
• Serve as the management point of contact for FI for project-related items and escalated issue resolution
• Lead and/or participate in assigned projects, including cross-functional teams in support of Velera, business unit, and/or department goals and objectives.
• Utilize relationships with FI, vendors, and partners to leverage and ensure expedient and quality solutions and issue resolution

Professional Services and Consultation

• Possess a deep knowledge of partner organizations and platforms, and be able to translate that skill into action to benefit client relationships
• Ability to be on site at the client for extended periods of time to understand strategic direction and project requirements to build effective execution plans
• Support various departments within Velera in a consultative role. This will include assisting Client Growth Management with consultation and solution development
• Maintain working knowledge of the Program Management and reporting PMO tools. Velera offered products and service applications, including its key functions and associated reports.
• Maintain an understanding of