Senior Director Business Ops, Strategy & Planning - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Department

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Summary
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Business Operations, Strategy Execution (Chief of Staff) and Planning Leader to support our Artificial Intelligence (AI) Department. The Chief of Staff will play a critical role in enabling the success of the AI VP and her Leadership Team, driving execution of strategic priorities, managing cross-function initiatives and ensuring efficient department operations. This role will service as a trusted partner to AI Leadership, helping to streamline processes, foster organizational alignment and ensure the AI team is operating at maximum effectiveness.
Key Responsibilities:

• Provides developmental leadership for the team's strategy, mission, and vision.
• Executive Communication & Reporting: Prepare executive-level presentations, updates and reports on the departments performance, strategy and key initiatives.
• Coordinates the development of materials focused on articulating team's strategy and technical delivery.
• Leads the execution of team's communication plan focused on promoting clarity within team and with business collaborators.
• Supports a sophisticated area of the business, resolves inter-dependencies across the organization, and facilitates work of notable risk and complexity within own area and across the business.
• Identifies and works cross-functionally to remove barriers that prevent realization of the departmental / function strategy.
• Monitor business AIP and OKRs to ensure engineering results are focused on driving business value.

Operational Management

• Oversee and drive day-to-day operations of the AI department, including planning, budget management and ensuring execution of key department projects.
• Identifies gaps between ideal and current state of operating model and recommends solutions to close the gaps.
• Facilitates execution of departmental/functional operating model to improve the health of the organization.
• Exhibits expert level conceptual and innovative thinking to develop solutions.

Departmental Planning & Project management

• Aligns planning and budget to functional and company priorities, working cross-functionally with peers.
• Plans and prepares agendas for functional/departmental staff or leadership meetings and planning sessions.
• Participates in regular leadership meetings to evaluate barriers to success and develop courses of action to overcome issues.
• Facilitates cross-functional initiatives and the flow of information between collaborators and other teams.
• Coordinates requests for information from partners and prepares reports and presentations in response.
• Anticipates business issues; recommends improvements.

Trusted Advisor

• Represents and provides support to facilitate effective decision-making which has a significant impact on the organization; this includes strategy planning, leading key functional priorities, and meeting planning and preparation. Has a high impact on the implementation of critical initiatives that carry out overarching functional and organizational objectives.
• Establishes and maintains organizational savviness, an executive presence and high level of discernment for area supporting in order to unearth issues, opportunities, problems.
• Represents and provides support to senior leadership team including defining the path forward, ensuring they have what they need, and holding them accountable for execution.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years' business leadership experience.
• Proven leadership experience working with diverse technical and non-technical teams.
• Superior interpersonal skills to lead groups of people.
• Experience in portfolio and/or project management, strategic and operational planning, and leading multiple sophisticated projects with organization-wide impact.
• Demonstrated organizational agility to work across organizational boundaries, influence, and collaborate with all levels on solutions that benefit the organization.
• Ability to work horizontally with shared priorities and elevate functional priorities over department objectives.
• Thinks within lateral accountabilities and interdependence.
• Proven skills in dealing with ambiguity and paradox, and leading change.
• Exceptional discernment and focus on achieving business impact through progressive practices and sound business judgment.
• Ability to translate goals and strategies into executable business plans.
• Strong integrity and validated ability to treat confidential information confidentially.
• Demonstrated learning agility and outside-in perspective to identify future trends and practices.
• Strong organizational skills; able to handle contending demands, and working with short time frames.
• Strong problem solving and strategic/critical thinking skills.
• Ability to identify underlying issues and influence others without formal authority.
• Facilitation and team building skills; ability to play an active, operational, and communicative role.
• Interpersonal savvy and comfort interacting with and presenting to all levels of the organization, including senior leaders.
• High degree of self-motivation with leadership and initiative in sharing information, contributing towards group goals, and accepting responsibility for results.
• Pro-active and an ability to anticipate needs for a range of broad / complex business.

#LI-Hybrid
Compensation Range:
Pay Range - Start:
$121,030.00
Pay Range - End:
$224,770.00
Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please click here for additiona l information relating to location-based pay structures.
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We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.
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We're excited about the potential people bring to Northwestern Mutual. You can grow your career here while enjoying first-class perks, benefits, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Flexible work schedules
• Concierge service
• Comprehensive benefits
• Employee resource groups