Head of Strategic Growth & Planning

We are seeking a strategic, collaborative leader to head Guardian’s Strategic Growth & Planning team, part of our Enterprise Strategy function. This role leads enterprise-wide strategic planning and growth initiatives.

Guardian has set out an ambitious growth strategy over the next 5 years, referred to as our Journey To ’30.  This strategy focuses on continuing the growth of both our Group and Individual Markets business lines to diversify our product portfolio, increase our distribution footprint, grow our customer base, and leverage technology, data and AI as a strategic enabler. This growth strategy requires ongoing transformation across the enterprise, including both the business lines and corporate functions.

In the highly visible role of Head of Strategic Growth Initiatives, you will help develop the long-range plans for Guardian and partner with senior leaders to identify, develop, evaluate, prioritize and deliver strategic initiatives across the organization.  You will play a key role in ensuring our strategic initiative portfolio is aligned to our near-term and longer-term strategy, driving ideation and process excellence across the firm with the express purpose of delighting our customers (both internal and external).

This role will collaborate closely with leaders in business areas, technology, data and AI, and finance to drive transformation, and will regularly update the executive leadership team on the progress of delivery efforts as well as the results of past initiatives to ensure the company is realizing value from transformation efforts.  You will lead initiatives to solve complex problems and implementation issues critical to Guardian’s success.

Your work will span across:

• Enterprise Strategy Development & Execution
  • Help define the strategic direction and near-term priorities for Guardian or specific business unit topics supported by competitor/industry research and operational and financial analysis.
  • In partnership Guardian Leadership Team, develop agenda, content, and experience for annual Guardian Leadership Team Strategy offsite, and September Strategy Session of the Board.  Lead executive-level sessions to gain buy-in and develop content for delivery in various Board forums.
  • Lead and own the annual Target Letter process, which sets annual goals by business and function aligned to our strategic objectives.
  • Partner with Finance to develop and maintain a strategic prioritization framework that assesses and prioritize change initiatives and how Guardian allocates capital to these initiatives (both the annual process and quarterly funding requests).
  • Provide strategic end-to-end oversight over enterprise transformation roadmap, across Group, Individual Markets and Corporate Functions. Provide operational leadership to optimize resource allocation and strategic outcomes
  • Drive collaboration across business lines and corporate functional areas to oversee execution process and timeline. Includes monthly and quarterly updates, and emerging risks or opportunities.
• Strategic Initiatives
  • In collaboration with business areas, assess and develop business cases for new ideas driving innovation, partnerships, and other areas of investment outside of BAU.
  • Lead and facilitate enterprise alignment for identified initiatives and tactical plans for execution, alongside business leaders and key stakeholders.
• Strategic Relationship Management
  • Lead and facilitate management of top strategic relationships across enterprise vendors, partners and investors.
  • Act as a strategic connector, providing oversight of key commercial relationships and/or partnerships.  Ensure follow-through, with a focus on uncovering new opportunities and driving more value creation.

• A structured thinker with a consulting toolkit—hypothesis-driven problem solving, executive storytelling, and cross-functional leadership.
• Able to drive clarity in ambiguity and influence senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable guiding strategic decisions involving AI and data, without owning technical delivery.
• Experienced in strategic leadership, not technical or implementation roles.

• Lead enterprise-wide strategic planning and partner with senior leaders to shape long-range priorities.
• Oversee a portfolio of high-impact growth initiatives.
• Guide the strategic direction behind technology, data, and AI investments, without being responsible for their technical delivery.
• Work with business leaders to identify and prioritize strategic initiatives that support enterprise growth.
• Oversee key strategic partnerships with technology, distribution, and innovation partners.

• 10–15 years of experience in top-tier strategy consulting or internal strategy roles focused on enterprise growth, planning, and innovation.
• Experience guiding strategic decisions around technology and data is a plus.
• Strong ability to build business cases and align stakeholders around measurable outcomes.

• Flexible work arrangements (part in-person/part remote).
• Travel as required for executive alignment and strategic planning sessions.

Salary Range:

$285,000 - $315,000

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.

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 [email protected].

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