Implementation Manager

Core Responsibilities:

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, develop, and inspire a team of implementation professionals through coaching, performance management, talent development, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, inclusion, and client-centricity.
• Establish clear performance expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and support employee growth and career development.
• Manage staffing, workforce planning, and resource allocation to ensure optimal team performance and capacity management.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to internal and external clients throughout the implementation lifecycle.
• Provide strategic consultation on plan design, operational processes, regulatory requirements, technology solutions, mergers and acquisitions, and organizational change initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders to ensure successful outcomes and a positive client experience.
• Represent Vanguard in client meetings, business reviews, and prospect discussions as needed.

• Provide leadership and oversight across a portfolio of implementation and conversion projects.
• Ensure projects are executed in accordance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, audit standards, and service commitments.
• Monitor project health, identify risks, remove obstacles, and drive timely issue resolution.
• Oversee the accurate setup, configuration, testing, and delivery of plan provisions and related services.

• Identify opportunities to improve processes, controls, efficiency, quality, and the client experience.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives and partnership efforts across operational and service teams.
• Utilize data, metrics, and performance insights to drive informed decision-making and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure adherence to risk management, compliance, and governance standards.

• Partner with leadership to develop and execute departmental goals, operating plans, and long-term strategic priorities.
• Contribute to business transformation initiatives, organizational change efforts, and special projects.
• Collaborate across functions to improve service delivery, scalability, and organizational effectiveness.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Five or more years of experience in financial services, retirement services, implementation, project management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and developing talent.
• Strong client relationship management, consultation, and stakeholder engagement experience.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

• Experience within the Defined Contribution retirement industry.
• Knowledge of retirement plan operations, plan administration, and related regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading complex client implementations, conversions, or large-scale operational initiatives.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools.
• Experience partnering with cross-functional teams to deliver business outcomes.
• Knowledge of Vanguard implementation platforms and operational systems.