Strategic Initiatives Program Manager

Employment Type: Full-Time Location Type: Remote Salary:

Introduction

The Zebra revolutionizes how connected consumers research and shop for insurance. We intentionally strive to build diverse teams that feel inclusive for all. Our motto is "All Stripes Welcome," we put that into practice by valuing traditional and non-conventional backgrounds and perspectives. Our Zeebs are passionate about learning, growing, & working together to tackle exciting problems.

We are seeking a highly motivated and results-driven Strategic Initiatives Program Manager to join our team. In this role, you will lead cross-functional programs that are critical to advancing our company’s most strategic objectives. You will work directly with senior leadership and stakeholders across product, engineering, operations, and go-to-market teams to drive clarity, alignment, and execution across high-impact initiatives.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and who brings a strong mix of strategic thinking, program management discipline, and influence without authority.

Location

Our employees can choose to work remotely in the U.S. Join us in our Austin, Texas office, or opt for a hybrid setup. Whether you prefer the structure of an office, the convenience of remote work, or a mix of both, we support what works best for you!

Please note: At this time, we are not able to hire in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York.

What You'll Do

Execution & Coordination

• Ensure timely communication and visibility of sprint and epic-level progress, risks, and impacts from Product and Engineering leads.
• Track and surface key metrics in partnership with data analysts and PMs to monitor pod- and sprint-level health.
• Support pod leaders in defining, documenting, and upholding accountability for their deliverables.
• Escalate blockers, misalignment, and unresolved cross-pod dependencies to appropriate leaders.

Operational Playbook & Process Leadership

• Maintain and evolve the pod operating model and playbook; reinforce adoption and consistency across teams.
• Propose and implement improvements to planning, execution, and coordination workflows.
• Represent the playbook in onboarding, documentation, and change management efforts.

Cross-Team Alignment & Strategic Visibility

• Facilitate (and document, when needed) cross-functional alignment meetings, strategy sessions, and syncs to drive execution clarity.
• Partner with the CoS on quarterly strategic planning processes to ensure pod workstreams are connected to company-wide goals.
• Surface key milestones, risks, and interdependencies to inform resourcing and roadmap alignment.

Metrics, Insights & Reporting

• Work with data partners to operationalize dashboards or scorecards that highlight team velocity, delivery, and outcomes.
• Translate insights into recommended actions to improve team performance, execution confidence, and coordination.

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of experience in program management, operations, strategic planning, or a similar coordination-heavy role.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills with a knack for making the complex simple.
• Systems thinker with a bias toward clarity, structure, and follow-through.
• Confident in environments with ambiguity; able to bring shape to undefined challenges.
• Comfortable partnering with senior leaders, technical teams, and business stakeholders.
• Experience working with agile teams or within product/engineering orgs is highly preferred.

What Success Looks Like

• Operational alignment on company goals and strategic initiatives.
• High-functioning cross-department collaboration and execution efficiency.
• Timely delivery of key insights and executive reporting.

Interview Process

We value transparency and aim to create a thoughtful, efficient experience for all candidates. Here’s what you can expect during the interview process for the Strategic Initiatives Program Manager role:

• Recruiter Screen (30 minutes)
• An intro