Strategy & Operations Director

Position Summary: 
We are seeking a highly skilled strategy and operations director to own the planning, execution, tracking, and analysis of revenue growth and operational efficiency initiatives across our nationwide network of retirement consulting and administration firms.  A strategy and operations director will work with our Partners in designing and executing strategic revenue initiatives, operational transformations, and marketing-driven product launches. This role will serve as a critical bridge between strategy and execution, leveraging exceptional data analysis, business acumen, and project management skills to create actionable roadmaps, drive change, and measure success. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Operations, Implementations, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Marketing, and our partner-led ‘working groups’ to model financial impacts, track performance, and ensure initiatives deliver sustainable growth. 

PLEASE NOTE: Our preference is for this role to be based at our Chicago headquarters, either in-person or following a hybrid work model. However, we are open to considering fully remote arrangements for highly qualified candidates. Please note that this position requires frequent travel, and candidates should be comfortable with a heavy travel schedule as part of their responsibilities. Ultimately, we are focused on finding the right person for the role, regardless of location.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning & Roadmap Development: Partner with leadership to design strategic initiatives, such as price optimizations, new operational procedures, and product-focused marketing campaigns, creating clear, data-driven roadmaps for implementation. 
• Lead Working Groups:  Structure and lead working groups comprised of subject-matter experts from across our Partner network to develop comprehensive “products” (initiatives) developed as a consolidation of the best practices from across the business.  These sets of best practices will then become the standard we will collaborate with our partners on executing in order to drive strategic optimization across our partners.
• Data Analysis & Insights: Conduct in-depth data analysis to identify opportunities, assess risks, and inform decision-making in the implementation and execution of our strategic initiatives. Translate complex data into actionable insights to guide strategy and execution.  
• Financial Modeling & Collaboration: Work alongside the FP&A team to build robust financial models that project the impact of strategic initiatives, including revenue growth, cost implications, and ROI.  
• Change Management & Execution: Lead the implementation of strategic initiatives, managing cross-functional teams to ensure alignment, adherence to timelines, and successful adoption of new processes or pricing structures.  
• Performance Tracking & Evaluation: Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the success of initiatives against financial models. Provide ongoing analysis to evaluate outcomes and recommend iterative improvements.  
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, presenting data-driven recommendations and progress updates to senior leadership and clients.  
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to refine processes, enhance data utilization, and drive operational efficiencies based on performance insights and market trends. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Data Analytics, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred. 
• 5+ years of experience in strategy, business analysis, revenue operations, or transformation roles, preferably in the retirement industry. 
• Prior experience in a related consulting role leading change management initiatives.
• Proven expertise in financial modeling, data analysis, and performance tracking, with advanced proficiency in tools like Excel, Tableau, Power BI, or similar platforms.  
• Strong project management skills, with experience leading cross-functional teams through complex change initiatives (PMP or similar certification a plus).  
• Exceptional business acumen, with the ability to translate strategic objectives into executable plans and measurable outcomes.  
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of influencing stakeholders at all levels.  
• Comfortable thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a proactive, problem-solving mindset. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Humility and a deep curiosity that will help extract the best insights and opportunities from our collection of incredible thought leaders
• Experience with pricing strategy, go-to-market planning, or operational process design.  
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and ERP platforms.  
• Knowledge of change management frameworks (e.g., ADKAR, Kotter’s 8-Step Process).