Lean Portfolio Manager

Job role: Lean Portfolio Manager

Duration: 6 months (possible extension)

Location: Los Angeles, CA or Orange County, CA mostly remote, with maybe some on-site meetings

Job Description:

Lean Budgeting & Investment Strategy

• Design and implement Lean budgeting frameworks to improve funding allocation and governance.
• Establish funding models that align investments with business objectives and strategic themes.
• Partner with Finance, Business, and Technology leaders to define and manage portfolio-level funding.
• Support continuous portfolio backlog refinement, prioritization, and value stream funding.

Portfolio Operations & Execution

• Develop foundational LPM processes, ensuring alignment between strategy and execution.

• Define and implement key metrics and reporting structures to measure portfolio health.
• Facilitate Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and Portfolio Syncs to track and communicate progress.
• Enable cross-functional collaboration across Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and teams.
• Identify and remove portfolio-level impediments to execution.
• Conduct periodic organizational reviews to assess team structures, workflows, and collaboration patterns, ensuring teams are structured for efficiency, adaptability, and alignment with strategic priorities.

Governance, Reporting & Jira Data Management

• Develop and maintain portfolio dashboards and reports to provide real-time visibility into work execution.
• Utilize Jira data and reporting tools (Advanced Roadmaps, Power BI, etc.) to drive insights.
• Ensure transparency by implementing Lean governance practices and performance tracking mechanisms.
• Standardize data-driven decision-making through portfolio analytics and reporting automation.
• Establish and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for portfolio success and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Finance, or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in portfolio management, Agile transformation, or enterprise program management.
• Experience in introducing and scaling Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) practices.
• Strong background in Jira data management, reporting, and Agile tooling (Advanced Roadmaps, Power BI).
• SAFe LPM, SPC, PMP, or similar certification preferred.

Skills & Competencies:

• Deep understanding of Lean-Agile frameworks (SAFe, Kanban, Scrum).
• Expertise in financial planning, Lean budgeting, and investment funding models.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in data visualization, dashboards, and reporting.
• Ability to facilitate cross-functional collaboration and drive strategic alignment.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.