Reporting to the Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Strategic Impact, the Corporate Strategy Director partners with enterprise business units and issue teams in developing and implementing strategic, operational and executional plans in support of AARP’s vision, mission and enterprise-wide strategy.
This position exercises broad strategic latitude (and also advisory and persuasive skills) with strong capabilities to be able to negotiate internally and externally with leadership and business units. This individual primarily interacts with VPs & Senior Directors, & other leaders within the Association. Must manage and grow constructive relationships throughout the organization and with key external partners.
As a member of the Enterprise Strategy group, the Corporate Strategy Director also contributes to the long-term and short-term vision and plan of the enterprise as a whole, including: assessing industry trends; conducting analyses to identify opportunities and risks and provide actionable recommendations; working with finance and operations in producing the annual strategic plan; collaborating with outside partners and organizations; and writing and presenting on a range of strategic issues. This position focuses especially on the health space including topics such as Caregiving, Fitness, Diet and social impact programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The position also focuses on enterprise strategies to diversify and grow revenue, including the development and evaluation of new business models in collaboration with AARP Services, Inc. and AARP’s Data Analytics & Performance Management Group. In all areas the Corporate Strategy Director looks for, and helps foster, innovative solutions.
Enterprise issue teams are vital to enterprise-wide success, contributing directly to AARP’s mission, enterprise strategy and goals. The position requires the ability to translate abstract concepts and ideas into impactful strategies and initiatives. The position is accountable for communicating the alignment between the enterprise issue strategies and organizational objectives.
The position requires the ability to serve as a trusted adviser and consultant, operating in an extremely complex and ambiguous environment. Independent judgment and decision-making is required in managing multiple work streams with limited oversight The position is highly visible to both the leadership and organization and contact is typically advisory, using persuasion and negotiation with senior-level executives and staff.
Planning - This position will help guide Issue Areas and Strategic Priorities through the strategic and annual planning process and advise issue leads and other business leaders to help maximize AARP’s impact with the investment provided.
- Helps plan, evaluate and develop enterprise issue area and other strategic initiatives in collaboration with business owner leads including vision, goals, strategies and action-oriented operational requirements needed to drive sustainable competitive advantage, growth and industry leadership in the short- and long term
- Establishes a contemporary, best-practice strategic planning model in service of the enterprise issue area that anticipates and responds to the challenges of a rapidly changing industry and social impact environment, understanding that while a strategic plan needs to be established on an annual basis, strategic development is an ongoing process
- Partners with enterprise issue and business unit leaders to develop a comprehensive picture of the market landscape and a clear understanding of the opportunity for the enterprise issue, and to co-develop clear strategies that are single-minded and audience focused that deliver on AARP’s value proposition
- Ensures operational alignment between vision, strategy and execution, linking AARP enterprise issue area plans to functional plans and establishing consistency and accountability for action within a unified framework
- Establishes enterprise performance goals that align with the strategy
Support - This position will regularly guide and advise issue leads and other business leaders in the direction, assigning and reviewing of others’ work in a matrixed management environment, often taking on significant responsibility to direct work on behalf of internal lead clients
- Acts as trusted adviser to issue lead and other clients/business owners; serves with a client orientation to provide practical, impactful advice based on knowledge of the issue and client’s business
- Develops strategic roadmaps and advises on execution including resource allocation.
- Analyzes new market opportunities, trends and partnerships; identifies significant growth opportunities and new sources of revenue and provides recommended strategic responses
- Supports and helps prioritize the association enterprise issue areas, resources, solution development, and marketing to drive organic growth against the long-term vision and plan; works closely with the senior managers of those functions
- Brings focus and discipline to decision making to sustain enterprise impact
- Works with AARP cross-enterprise business units to support their strategic initiatives and requirements against the enterprise issue long-term vision and plan
- Helps with stakeholder relationship management and assists the issue lead in navigating the organization successfully
Coordination - This position will need to coordinate and complete substantial, highly complex work through others without direct line authority in a matrixed environment, requiring significant ability to influence and orchestrate the work of others
- Establishes and maintains a collaborative, team-based cross-functional management approach that fosters engagement, consensus and collaboration; works with executive management to support operational efficiencies and budget management in alignment with long-term planning goals
- Actively partners with business analytics team and other business-focused parts of the organization to support exploration, evaluation and development of winning new business models.
- Communicates strategy-related and planning information with senior management in a timely, ongoing manner; delivers inputs to and stimulates thinking among senior management about future-focused trends and company response relevant to strategic thinking and action throughout the organization
- Confidently co-present at E-team meetings and workshops, supporting the SVP and VP Enterprise Strategy or issue lead, providing a summary of strategic recommendations and an objective, fresh point of view.
- Co-develop issue area and business unit metrics and goals with leaders and the Data Analytics and Performance Management group.
- Demonstrates strategic thinking and a strong knowledge of AARP policies and processes.
- Working with AARP resources, oversees the development of research and points of view to further understanding of the enterprise issue.
- Consults with Solution Designer and Issue Lead to ensure breakthrough solutions align with the issue strategy
- As a trusted adviser, engages positively and effectively with stakeholders, listens attentively for intention, and adapts as needed with flexibility and creativity. Perceptive and sensitive to both implicit and explicit perspectives and concerns. Able to leverage, manage, and navigate these appropriately and successfully
Financial and budgetary responsibility:
- This position will consult and advise on allocation of issue area budgets and other major strategic investments
This position will have limited interaction and no responsibility for members and/or volunteers
- 8 or more years’ experience working in corporate strategy or a leading management consultancy, with broad experience in strategic planning. Experience in a non-profit is an asset.
- Experience addressing financial and business issues, objectively evaluating business potential and in working closely with finance departments. An MBA is highly desirable.
- Strategic consulting experience in a leading consulting firm is preferred.
- Must be highly organized and have a proven ability to think strategically, analyze, and evaluate complex and ambiguous issues and situations, and exercise independent judgment and decision-making.
- The ideal candidate will have superb communications, negotiation, project management, and public speaking skills.
- Experience in leading and working with cross-functional and matrix teams where success was the result of influence without authority.
- Strong collaborative style conducive to efficient teamwork with exceptional empathy - ability to work with people with broad differences in personalities and skills
- Dedication to delivering high quality project deliverables and ensuring timely completion of projects.
- Proactive and positive attitude to resolving conflict and business issues, willingness and ability to take on new responsibilities, with the goal of progressively advancing managerial / leadership responsibilities.
- Ability and desire to work in an entrepreneurial environment, including: willingness to take on responsibilities outside one’s typical scope of work, resourcefulness in very lean team situations, and drive to work collaboratively with other divisions of the company to leverage internal expertise.
AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401K, 100% company funded pension plan, health, dental, vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, paid vacation and sick, and other benefits.