Investment Management Strategy and Planning Lead

The Opportunity

Investment Management (IM) is looking for a highly motivated and experienced leader to lead Investment Management’s strategic initiative planning and execution. This individual will be the primary liaison between our business and the newly formed Corporate Functions PMO. Additionally, they will also lead creating a communications strategy and change management approach for IM. They will be responsible for helping frame complex problems, creating content, determining logical solutions, and confidently presenting recommendations to key decision makers. They will also partner with senior leaders across investment management to help articulate our mission, vision and strategy.

You will have a unique opportunity to seamlessly move from planning to execution by innovating, collaborating, designing, inspiring and communicating key strategies and initiatives. 

This position will partner closely with core members of the Investment Management Senior Leadership Team to drive efficient and effective design and architecture across the IM portfolio of strategic initiatives, helping to identify process improvements, align goals, and set priorities.

The Team

The Strategy and Planning team is part of the Investment Management (IM) Strategy and Governance Organization. The Strategy and Governance team drives IM’s strategy forward, optimizing governance and decision-making processes, analyzes, and establishes common metrics, processes, and tools and supports key internal and external stakeholders in progressing the IM target operating model. The team is also responsible for coordinating the departments strategic initiatives, Investment Compliance, Investment Due-Diligence and Investment Data Strategy and Governance.

Impact/Key Responsibilities

You will thrive in this role if you are collegial, detail-oriented, collaborative, highly resourceful and an adaptable individual who is comfortable leading multiple streams of work. You are additionally organized, curious, agile and flexible. You will bring strategic, analytical, financial acumen, project management, and influencing skills to drive desired outcomes and your responsibilities will lead to achievement of the IM vision and target operating model.

• Lead strategic initiative planning, prioritization and coordination across IM and understand/navigate interdependencies
  • Accountable for the intake and creation of the master inventory of discretionary and BAU strategic initiatives, projects, programs and continuous improvement needs across IM
  • Accountable for investment management strategic initiative prioritization. Work with senior leaders on a regular cadence to reconfirm prioritized initiatives given the rapidly changing market 
  • Responsible to partner with junior stakeholders across IM to intake and prioritize strategic initiatives
  • Facilitate collaboration among senior leadership, key stakeholders and cross functional teams to ensure strategic initiatives are fully aligned with business objectives and operational capabilities
  • Ensure portfolio of IM strategic initiatives align with IM’s long-term goals
  • Coordinate cross-department and cross-enterprise connection points in regard to initiatives, including annual planning cycles for budget and resourcing
  • In conjunction with the demand/capacity process, understand resource allocation across IM
  • Understand initial project elements to determine if initiative qualifies for the SP&D portfolio and/or execution by CFPMO
  • Ensure alignment and work as cross collaboration point person for internal and/or external stakeholders on goals, approach and requests. Including ETX and corporate functions.
  • Monitor regular communications to key stakeholders and executive management on project progress, status and challenges from CFPMO and SP&D and provide feedback as necessary
  • Support development of governance frameworks to drive clear, transparent and efficient decision making
• Partner with CFPMO and SP&D on IM’s compliance with enterprise standards and act as a point person to ensure execution of operating model and process changes across IM
• Point Person for the IM Portfolio Management lead from CFPMO
• Lead demand/capacity on behalf of IM and be key point person for inquiries and process changes across the demand capacity process
• Monitor and flag issues and interdependencies between Investment Management and enterprise shared services and suggest opportunities for resolution/path forward proactively, promptly and tactfully
• Develop a cohesive communication plan (in coordination with internal communications) and deliver high-impact presentations and reports for c-suite, board of directors and other key stakeholders effectively communicating business impacts. Develop artifacts (create reports and presentations) related to IM priorities including committees and other strategy team deliverables.
• Develop and strengthen internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization
• Lead and help support elements of the IM strategic planning design and process
• Review CIO and SLT objectives, vision, goals and priorities to ensure alignment with IM strategy
• Design strategic connectivity to enterprise goals and objectives
• Lead, Role model / champion and promote the evolution of the IM culture and foster a positive and collaborative work environment. Work to enhance employee engagement and morale.
• Develop and implement a change management strategy for IM
  • Understand the evolving needs of our organization and proactively execute a change management discipline to support ongoing changes
  • Design and execute comprehensive change management plans that align with the department’s goals, ensuring a smooth transition for all stakeholders
  • Evaluate the departments readiness for change by conducting assessments, surveys, and feedback session, identifying potential change challenges and areas for improvement
  • Design and oversee the delivery of training programs to equip employees with eh necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to new processes, systems and structures
  • Partner with leaders to provide guidance and support throughout the change process, ensuring they are equipped to lead their teams through the transition
• Progress the governance models across IM. Understand the different governance forums and look for ways to enhance and ensure compliance
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and operational efficiency
• Implement best practices standard operating procedures across the organization
• Identify and resolve issues that may affect the organization, anticipate potential challenges and develop proactive solutions
• Data analysis and decision support – analyze data to support decision making and provide insight and recommendations based on data analysis
• Support Board of Director operations for IM
• Be willing to roll up your sleeves and chip in when-and-wherever needed; adaptable and ability to pivot based on shifting priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree
• 10-12 years of related business and leadership experience in a subset of the following: investment management, insurance, consulting, strategy, project management or financial services
• Demonstrated project or portfolio management and experience with scorecards, metrics and dashboards.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with peers and key partners throughout the organization.
• Comfortable working collaboratively across the organization in a complex, fast paced, dynamic and continually evolving business environment.
• Understanding of how to manage and deploy large-scale, cross organization programs and employ a creative approach to problem solving, with a demonstrated ability to think strategically, enjoy managing multiple projects simultaneously and handling difficult situations.
• High degree of integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality with business & organizational information.
• Able to garner support and gain momentum to bring new ideas through to implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to understand how tasks and milestones collaborate and connect across related department objectives.
• Prior track record in building partnerships with all levels of the organization
• Experience building communication plans and communicating and/or presenting to senior leaders
• Experience developing change management discipline/functions
• Willingness to volunteer and lean in
• Outstanding verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Expert presentation and artifact creation

Ideal Qualifications

• Higher degree, MBA or equivalent
• Experience in consulting
• Investment Management or buy-side experience
• Understanding of the financial markets
• Experience in the insurance industry
• High emotional intelligence

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MassMutual is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer Minority/Female/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Individual with Disability/Protected Veteran. We welcome all persons to apply. Note: Veterans are welcome to apply, regardless of their discharge status.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.