The Business Engagement Lead – Security & Infrastructure serves as a strategic and operational partner to Horace Mann’s Security & Infrastructure technology teams. This role ensures effective work intake, prioritization, capacity planning, financial management, and performance reporting to support consistent, predictable technology delivery.
This is a full-time position eligible for remote work from approved U.S. states or hybrid work from Springfield, IL. Remote employees should anticipate occasional travel for on-site collaboration and planning sessions.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Work Intake, Prioritization & Governance
- Develop and manage a standardized intake process aligned to Technology governance practices.
- Facilitate prioritization discussions based on business value, risk, resource availability, and financial impact.
- Ensure all incoming work is properly scoped, documented, and communicated.
Workload, Capacity & Resource Planning
- Maintain visibility into workload, resource allocation, and team capacity across Security & Infrastructure.
- Partner with leaders to forecast staffing needs and identify resource gaps.
- Provide analytical insights to support vendor strategies and contract decisions.
Financial & Budget Management
- Support annual budget planning, quarterly forecasts, and long-term financial strategy.
- Track actual spend versus budget for labor, tools, vendors, and capital initiatives.
- Conduct variance analysis and recommend corrective actions or optimization opportunities.
- Integrate financial implications into prioritization and planning decisions.
Reporting & Performance Insights
- Develop dashboards and reporting that reflect intake status, KPIs, team performance, and financial progress.
- Prepare executive-ready summaries for leadership communication.
- Automate ongoing reporting to improve operational efficiency.
KPI & Operational Performance Management
- Collaborate with leadership to define and track KPIs that reflect operational effectiveness and financial stewardship.
- Identify performance trends and recommend improvements.
- Promote adoption of metrics that improve transparency and accountability.
Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
- Serve as a liaison across Security, Infrastructure, PMO, Finance, and Business Units.
- Translate complex technical issues into business and financial context.
- Facilitate roadmap updates, quarterly business reviews, and intake discussions.
Process Improvement
- Document, refine, and standardize processes related to intake, planning, reporting, and financial management.
- Identify opportunities to streamline operations and drive consistency.
- Ensure alignment with Technology Service Management and PMO frameworks.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Systems, Finance, or related field; or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience in business engagement, IT operations, PMO, FP&A, or similar roles.
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and variance analysis.
- Experience with LeanIX, Workday, Excel, or similar tools.
- Excellent analytical, reporting, and communication skills.
- Ability to collaborate across technical, business, and financial teams.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Understanding of IT Security or Infrastructure concepts (cloud, networking, IAM, operations) preferred but not required.
- Experience supporting technology organizations, IT operations, or service management practices.
- Familiarity with ITIL principles or similar frameworks.
Key Competencies
- Customer Focus
- Accountability
- Collaboration
- Communication Excellence
- Analytical Thinking
- Operational Excellence
Work Environment & Travel Requirements
- Full-time role supporting remote or hybrid work arrangements.
- Remote employees should expect occasional travel (2–4 times per year) for team collaboration and planning.
- Travel is reimbursed in accordance with company policy.
Salary Range:
$105,200.00 - $147,950.00
Salary is commensurate to experience, location, etc.
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Horace Mann was founded in 1945 by two Springfield, Illinois, teachers who saw a need for quality, affordable auto insurance for teachers. Since then, we’ve broadened our mission to helping all educators protect what they have today and prepare for a successful tomorrow. And with our broadened mission has come corporate growth: We serve more than 4,100 school districts nationwide, we’re publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: HMN) and we have more than $12 billion in assets.
We’re motivated by the fact that educators take care of our children’s future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We help educators identify their financial goals and develop plans to achieve them. This includes insurance to protect what they have today and financial products to help them prepare for their future. Our tailored offerings include special rates and benefits for educators.
EOE/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status
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