Python common file operations generalization
The code is straighforward and reads good; there is not much to say per se. I would just advise to use f.readlines instead of list(f).

However, there exist a pattern in Python when you need to wraps functions using a common behavior: decorators.

I suggest having a decorator taking the open_mode as parameter:

import pickle
from functools import wraps

def opening(access_mode='r'):
    def decorator(func):
        @wraps(func)
        def wrapper(filename, *args, **kwargs):
            with open(filename, access_mode) as f:
                return func(f, *args, **kwargs)
        return wrapper
    return decorator

@opening()
def read_lines(file_):
    return file_.readlines()

@opening('w')
def write_lines(file_, data):
    file_.writelines(data)

@opening('rb')
def load_pickle(file_):
    pickle.load(file_)

@opening('wb')
def save_pickle(file_, data):
    pickle.dump(data, file_)


Usage is the same.