Strategy and Planning Lead

The Strategy and Planning Lead will play a vital role in driving CSD’s growth via the development and achievement of strategic objectives. This role will be responsible for the development, execution, and monitoring of CSD’s organizational planning lifecycle, a systematic process encompassing all levels of the organization, including long-term organization-wide strategic objectives, division-level goals, and individual performance plans. The Strategy and Planning Lead will be expected to collaborate closely and foster strong relationships with organizational executives, advising them on strategic planning topics and providing guidance on planning and executing strategic changes. This role will help shape the future of CSD by working with organizational leaders to assess the current state of the organization, identify the organization’s short- and long-term goals, analyzing and researching trends in CSD’s markets and industries to identify opportunities and potential risks, and establishing methods to collect and track qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate performance toward goals.

• Manages CSD’s organizational planning lifecycle, leading goal-setting processes with organizational leaders, providing continuous monitoring of goals and objectives and regular reports on progress and achievements, and guiding goal close-out processes
• Establishes a strategic planning framework with clear standards and expectations for strategic objectives and goals to guide goal-setting process and provides ongoing training and communications to reinforce the framework and promote alignment with key stakeholders
• Partners across divisions and departments to promote alignment between organizational strategic priorities, division-level goals, and individual performance objectives, identifying dependencies and opportunities for bridge (cross-functional) collaboration.
• Evaluates and implements tools to support strategic planning processes, developing strategic resources (e.g. guides and training) to enhance user adoption, usage, and engagement, proactively gathers feedback from stakeholders and translates insights into effective process improvements
• Conducts internal evaluations to assess the current state of the organization and/or business divisions, reviewing capabilities, expertise, and resources to identify strengths, gaps and opportunities for improvement; develops and presents strategic recommendations to senior leadership and key stakeholders
• Conducts market research and analysis to identify emerging opportunities and potential risks and continuously monitors and evaluates industry trends and the competitive landscape; translates findings into strategic recommendations for senior leadership and key stakeholders
• Provides guidance and strategic support to organizational leaders to develop and execute plans for significant changes in business strategy, including pursuing opportunities via new initiatives, products, programs, and services, and addressing business emerging threats and risks.
• Other duties as assigned.

To perform the essential functions of this position successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Superior understanding of business goals and recommend new approaches to effect continual improvements in business objectives, productivity, and development
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills; ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
• A strategic mindset and the ability to look at the big picture and use strategic information to advise on project prioritization to achieve goals
• An advanced understanding of business processes
• Strong research and data analysis skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presentations

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field from an accredited college or university; or equivalent professional experience
• 5+ years of strategic planning support or project management experience
• Ability to communicate effectively using American Sign Language (PREFERRED)
• Strategy Planning Professional, Strategy Management Professional, PMP, or other strategic planning or project management certification (PREFERRED)