Director - Group Strategy - Remote

Company: Pearson
Location: Harrisburg
Posted on: September 20, 2022

Job Description:

The Department & TeamStrategy and Corporate Development is a small, high-profile team reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer and based across UK and US. This team works hand in hand to drive all group strategy, venture & investment, strategic partnership and M&A activity across the Pearson group. Within the department, our team Group Strategy - is responsible for providing strategic thought leadership by working collaboratively with colleagues across all areas of the business to develop Pearsons strategic direction and identify what Pearson needs to do to succeed. We collaborate closely with the M&A and Venture & Investments teams, as well as with Pearsons business divisions, so your projects will provide you with many learning and networking opportunities. Our team has a significant amount of exposure to the Pearson CEO, CFO, Executive team and Board.Purpose of this role

• Support process to ensure Pearson strategy is well-understood and driving long-term success.
• Provide a clear view of Pearsons competitive landscape and identify long-term material trends and positions which we can maximize to our advantage.
• Support mission-critical strategic projects with thorough, strategic and data-driven analysis.
• Challenge our businesses to push beyond the status quo and manage stakeholders across our businesses to ensure were progressing the right initiatives to maximize the value of the Pearson portfolio.
• Present recommendations to the Pearson Executive teams using clear verbal and written communications to get buy-in for your ideas and drive the business direction.Key Responsibilities
  • Leading the corporate strategy planning process - this will go beyond the aggregation of business-unit strategies; and include both designing and implementing a corporate strategy process that is continuous, with a strong focus on execution, and driven by regular and effective decision making.
  • Work closely with a group-wide three-year planning process to translate the long-term strategy into short and medium-term financial plans.
  • Responsible for helping us to drive our strategy and priorities working closely with. the wider corporate development team across acquisitions, divestitures, investment partnerships and venture investments, ensuring progress across our various strategic themes.
  • Planning, shaping and delivering multiple strategic projects. Working collaboratively and cross-functionally on the execution of the strategic initiatives in partnership with other members of the senior leadership team, which will also involve monitoring strategies from idea through to action, and execution; and identifying and monitoring capability gaps.
  • Ensuring active course correction where needed, both in terms of targets / ambition, and also stopping or accelerating exiting funding and any reprioritization.
  • In partnership with the Heads of Strategy, challenge the strategy owners to ensure alignment and efficient realization of the strategy.
  • Collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to critically assess portfolio performance against strategic priorities.
  • Present findings to and influence Pearsons executive team on a broad range of strategic questions; and be a subject matter expert in one or more strategic areas, providing guidance to Pearsons executive team.
  • Defining and tracking a focused set of KPIs and supporting the external and internal communication narrative from a strategy perspective.
  • Ensuring effective execution of the strategic plan against the agreed strategy, and the groups strategic priorities.Qualifications and experience required for the roleThis role requires a strategic thinker who can see the big picture but is equally able to focus on strategy execution and supporting the delivery of results to turn vision into reality. You have relevant experience gained working in strategy consulting, industry or private equity. Alternatively, you might have worked in the strategy or business development functions of a multinational corporate organization. You have experience of working in / with multiple geographies. You are curious and a fast learner who enjoys working in environments that challenge you to think laterally and creatively and force you to stretch yourself.Youll have:
    • Passion for Education with an ambition to make a difference in this key role.
    • Must have consulting and corporate strategy experience. Banking sector and Private Equity background and experience also welcome.
    • Able to think strategically, decomposing and simplifying complex problems.
    • Strong commercial acumen and skills in financial analysis, business case development & interpretation with extensive experience managing strategic projects teams.
    • Excellent communicator and team player, with the ability and confidence to influence stakeholders, collaborate effectively and to build strong relationships at all levels.
    • Highly analytical and experienced in execution with diligent tracking and monitoring.
    • Experience in designing and developing Group Strategy and preferably also relevant senior consulting experience on top of thisYou also have/are:
      • Undergraduate degree, ideally in business, or finance. MBA is welcome.
      • Commercial mindset, ability to quickly understand key business drivers and strategies, and present these in simple and powerful ways.
      • Intellectual imagination to embrace polarities, with the courage to act decisively even in the presence of imperfect information.
      • Strong interpersonal and communication skills including written; together with excellent attention to detail and focus on execution and results.
      • Analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to move from high-level strategy to numbers and to apply financial analysis to commercial issues.
      • Ability and confidence to establish credibility and work with senior/executive management, to build strong networks and business relationships with influence across a complex, organization with competing priorities.
      • Ability to draw upon an outside-in view in to make credible recommendations and provide effective support to business leaders in prioritizing their business strategies.
      • A strong team player, but also confident working under own initiative.
      • Experience in developing and supervising team members.
      • Self-starter with a strong results-driven work ethic.
      • Ability to work under pressure to time critical deadlines and changing priorities.
      • Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.As required by theColorado Equal Pay Transparency Act, Pearson provides a reasonable range of minimum compensation for roles that may be hired in Colorado. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific office location. For the state of Colorado only, the range of starting pay for this role is $180 - 220k per year. This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.#LI-POSTLearning is the most powerful force for change in the world. More than 20,000 Pearson employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose to help everyone achieve their potential through learning. We do that by providing high quality, digital content and learning experiences, as well as assessments and qualifications that help people build their skills and grow with the world around them. We are the worlds leading learning company. Learn more at pearsonplc.com.Pearson believes that wherever learning flourishes, so do people. We are committed to being an anti-racistcompany in everything we do. We value the power of an inclusive culture and a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm, and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to a sustainable environment and workplace where talent can learn, grow, and thrive. To learn more about Pearsons commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, please click here: http://www.pearson.com/careers/diversity-and-inclusion.htmlPearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other group protected by law.Job: STRATEGYOrganization: Corporate Strategy & TechnologySchedule: FULL_TIMEReq ID: 7666#location

Keywords: Pearson, Harrisburg , Director - Group Strategy - Remote, Executive , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania