Strategy Lead

The Financial Protection & Retirement Solutions (FP&RS) Strategic Growth and Innovation organization is responsible for assessing future strategic opportunities for Guardian’s Life, Annuities, and Disability businesses. This role supports the FP&RS Strategy Team and Leadership Team with strategic planning, helps define strategic imperatives, and develops long-term vision and roadmaps. It involves socializing the FP&RS strategy, supporting M&A and partnership exploration, conducting competitive research, and developing communication materials for senior management. The role requires strong problem-solving skills, relationship building, and project management abilities, with a focus on driving strategic initiatives across Guardian’s businesses.

Must Have

• Proactive, resourceful, impact-oriented problem solver
• Able to see opportunities through execution
• Self-starter, works independently, prioritizes tasks
• Organized with attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills, maturity, judgment
• Outstanding written and verbal communication
• Strong Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Ability to influence and build trust
• Experience managing complex projects
• Bachelors Degree

Good to Have

• MBA preferred
• Focus on financial services, insurance industry
• Deep subject matter expertise in financial services industry dynamics, regulatory environment, distribution channels, and/or competitive landscape

Perks & Benefits

• Skill-building
• Leadership development
• Philanthropic opportunities
• Supportive and flexible work environment

The Financial Protection & Retirement Solutions (FP&RS) Strategic Growth and Innovation organization is responsible for assessing future strategic opportunities for Guardian’s Life, Annuities, and Disability businesses related to profitable growth, technological innovation, customer experience, as well as products and services. This role reports to Head of Strategic Initiatives. This role will help develop the short and long-term plans for the FP&RS organization and partner with business leaders and the enterprise strategy team to help drive strategic initiatives across Guardian’s businesses, including the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of these opportunities.

You are

• Proactive, resourceful, impact oriented, and an excellent end-to-end generalist problem solver with the ability to analyze and identify issues

• Able to see opportunities through identification and analysis through execution

• A self-starter who is able to work independently and prioritize across multiple tasks

• Organized with strong attention to detail and ability to coordinate and lead complex workstreams

• Able to build relationships across all levels and cross-functional areas of the organization using strong interpersonal skills, maturity, and judgment

You will

• Support the FP&RS Strategy Team and the Leadership Team with the annual and ongoing strategic planning process, and help define a cohesive set of strategic imperatives, growth aspirations, and measures of success

• Help develop the long-term vision and strategic roadmap for FP&RS working with enterprise teams on a 2030 visioning and planning initiative

• Support the ongoing socialization of FP&RS strategy, business imperatives, and value proposition, including supporting CEO level and Board of Director updates and ad hoc projects as needed

• Support exploration and assessment of any M&A, partnership, and inorganic opportunities, including working with the FP&RS leadership team to perform due diligence and assess alignment with strategic imperatives (in collaboration with the corporate strategy and development team)

• Use strategic frameworks to identify issues and structure problem solving

• Perform competitive/industry research using both public and non-public sources

• Identify implications of conceptual analyses of operational and financial data

• Develop concise communication materials for senior management

• Work collaboratively and build trust with team members of varying levels of seniority across Guardian

• Develop deep knowledge of Guardian’s FP&RS businesses

You have

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with ability to clearly present complex concepts

• Strong Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills

• Ability to influence and build trust and consensus across multiple partners/cross functional teams

• Experience managing complex projects with track record of delivering results in a fast-paced environment

• Bachelors Degree required, MBA preferred

• 7+ years progressive experience working in strategy consulting or corporate strategy roles, with focus on financial services, particularly in the insurance industry, a plus

• Deep subject matter expertise in financial services industry dynamics, regulatory environment, distribution channels, and/or competitive landscape

Salary Range:

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact applicant_accommodation@glic.com.

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.