Director, Business Strategy

Your Opportunity

Director, Business Excellence (PL)_Schwab Asset Management 

 

At Schwab, you’re empowered to make an impact on your career. Here, innovative thought meets creative problem solving, helping us “challenge the status quo” and transform the financial services industry together. Schwab Asset Management (SAM) is one of the industry’s largest and most experienced asset managers. We offer a focused lineup of competitively priced ETFs, mutual funds and separately managed account strategies designed to serve the central needs of most investors. By operating our business through clients’ eyes, and putting them at the center of our decisions, we aim to deliver exceptional experience to investors and the financial professionals who serve them. 

 

Reporting to the Managing Director, Head of Business Excellence, the Director and his/her team will act as a strategic through leader, proxy, and project manager—translating the executive's vision into actionable execution, while removing roadblocks. This role serves as a strategic advisor and execution partner to the Head of Business Excellence, providing leverage across a broad portfolio of chief-of-staff, operational, and strategic initiatives. The successful candidate will help free executive capacity by independently leading critical business priorities, driving cross-functional execution, and ensuring continuity across key business operations. This role is envisioned for well-rounded candidates who possess a diverse skillset, including the ability to lead/manage, collaborate, problem solve, and apply analytics.

The role will be based in Westlake, TX (preferred); San Francisco, CA

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify opportunities within the areas of financial innovation, disruptive technology and an evolving regulatory environment
• Support evaluation of new opportunities, partnerships, and expansion areas aligned with the firm’s strategic direction
• Provide decision support by acting as a thought partner to the executive, analyzing data, and stress-testing potential business scenarios
• Develop and execute strategic and tactical business plans
• Lead key initiatives to maintain and build investment management functions
• Manage team members responsible for operational business success and compensation
• Engage with the SAM Senior Leadership Team
• Serve as liaison with key business partners including Finance, Human Resources, Corporate Affairs, Technology, Compliance, Corporate Real Estate, and Corporate Strategy

Leadership & Team Oversight

• Provide leadership and oversight for senior team members responsible for budget oversight, business and performance reporting, headcount management, coordination with vendor management team, and compensation programs
• Develop organizational resiliency and succession readiness across critical business functions by increasing operational knowledge and cross-functional continuity

Cross-Enterprise Influence

• Partner extensively with leaders across Schwab, including Asset Management, Workplace, Distribution, Finance, Human Resources, Technology, Legal, Corporate Real Estate, Compliance, Communications, and Strategy functions to advance business objectives
• Influence outcomes across large, matrixed organizations without direct authority

What you have

Required Experience:

• An undergraduate degree is required; an MBA is preferred
• 5+ years of related experience in leading teams, conducting data-driven analysis, and developing and implementing strategy
• 10+ years of financial services industry experience – ideally within asset management
• Strategic advisor/execution partner to Head of Business Excellence
• Chief-of-staff style responsibilities
• Influence across large matrixed organizations
• Consulting/strategy/transformation background preferred
• Creative and strategic thinker who inspires action by identifying and connecting opportunities, gaps and providing solutions  
• Strong collaboration, influence and decision-making skills 

Preferred Experience

• Experience in management consulting, corporate strategy, business transformation, chief of staff, enterprise PMO, or similar broad leadership roles
• Demonstrated ability to quickly assess unfamiliar business challenges, develop structured approaches, and drive solutions from concept through execution
• Comfortable operating across a wide range of business disciplines rather than a single area of specialization
• Proven success handling ambiguous assignments, competing priorities, and executive-level requests with minimal direction
• Ability to leverage strategic and analytical capabilities to make sound, timely decisions
• Leadership and relationship-building skills, including ability to influence and build consensus
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization
• Strong emotional intelligence/maturity and senior level executive presence
• Ability to contribute to the goals and objectives of the company by collaboration and fostering a positive and inclusive work environment  
• Ability to make significant progress with minimal direction and to make decisions, pivot, and structure pathways forward in the face of ambiguity