Director of Strategic Initiatives

DEPARTMENT: Executive Office

SUPERVISED BY: President and CEO

POSITION SUMMARY:

Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Strategic Initiatives works closely with her to advance CRS’ strategic commitments, process and system improvements, desired business outcomes, and enhanced infrastructure in support of our strategic direction.

S/he will work closely with C-Suite members to identify and measure a set of quarterly and annual metrics that are directly related to CRS’s growth plan and strategic priorities and make recommendations to the CEO regarding communication and ways to enhance the visibility of the metrics and the progress being made towards achieving them.

The Director of Strategic Initiatives will have a broad range of responsibilities and ongoing priorities, consequently, this position requires the ability for thorough, thoughtful planning, to accurately identify and solve for the right problem and to see and make recommendations for improvement opportunities for the highest impact across the company.  S/he will collaborate with the CEO to clearly define scopes of work and build and execute comprehensive solutions. The projects, initiatives, and day-to-day activities of this position will handle will range from immediate, tactical, and short-term to proactive, routine, and long-term; almost all will directly relate to systems and processes that support CRS’s strategic direction, priorities, and growth plan.

Strategic thinking is the most important skill in this role.  This position requires strong analytical and organizational ability. S/he is excited about helping our company adapt to change and grow, is a self-starter, able to identify and remove constraints, an excellent planner, clear communicator, willing and enjoys attending to detail as well as framing the big picture, and able to maintain clarity and meaning to the work.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Managing the Strategic Plan

• Develop a deep understanding of the CRS’ Strategic Plan and how it shapes the mission and the business strategy.
• Works closely with the CEO to align departmental goals, processes and resource allocations to the organization’s overall vision, strategies and objectives.
• Assess market trends and aspirants, conducts research and data analysis to inform business decisions and identify threats and opportunities; presents findings and recommendations.
• Identifies, measures and maintains a strong link between the strategic priorities and corporate business, administration and operations units (Finance, IT, HR).
• Provide support and insight into significant organizational change.
• Directly responsible for collecting and managing key data used to prepare the annual report; develops the annual report.

Supporting Annual Planning

• Builds and manages the CRS’ annual calendar; keeps track of the big picture and timing to ensure the organization moves through the year in a way that supports achieving its strategic priorities and reflects its values.
• Coordinates between and among teams and C-Suite members to foster the exchange of ideas, improvement change and provide cross-team learning opportunities.
• Works closely with the CEO to ensure annual documents and policies are reviewed and updated in a timely manner.
• Manages IT projects.
• Manages the implementation of all CRS technology and web-based initiatives; ensures that implementation does not result in any loss in productivity.
• Collaborates with and supports the CEO on high-priority and sensitive issues. Identifies risks and works closely with the CEO or members of the C-Suite to imagine viable strategic scenarios for mitigating any risk.

Other Attributes & Requirements

• Appreciates and values diversity. Represents CRS positively and professionally in interactions with clients, vendors, and the community at large in both real and virtual interactions.
• Plays a key role in executing organizational strategy.
• Attends Board meetings as needed, assisting the CEO with the preparation of materials and reports.
• Other duties as assigned by CEO.
• Ability to travel is required.
• Regular and reliable attendance.
• Disposition is consistently professional, cooperative, and collegial as evidenced by workplace maturity, composure, perspective, transparency, reliability, integrity, and trustworthiness.
• Caring for and commitment to the mission, vision, and direction of CRS.

Education, Qualification, and Experience Requirements

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Leadership, Communication or similar field is strongly preferred. At least three years of supervisory experience is required.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in developing, implementing, and monitoring strategic plans, each year with an increasing level of understanding and responsibility for executing the plan.
• Knowledge of and experience working with senior leadership and handling sensitive data.
• Exceptional ability to communicate data in a concise, clear, engaging, and easy-to-digest manner; can discern which data are most appropriate for the intended audience in order to have the intended impact and share the intended message.
• Has experience giving direction for presenting data and information in a clear, compelling, and artful manner.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite or related software. Can learn to use CRM, SaaS, and other business software
• Excellent ability to conceptualize long-term business goals and develop orderly processes to accomplish those goals.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to use a computer for up to 8 hours per day, with breaks and lunch.
• Ability to talk on the telephone for up to 4 hours per day.
• Ability to travel by airplane and automobile.
• Ability to lift 30 pounds on occasion.

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work performed by this position. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualification required of the employee assigned to this job.