Business Strategy & Innovation Lead (Hybrid)

Securian Financial's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence Business Strategy team guides the enablement of AI initiatives across the enterprise, ensuring they are aligned with our strategic plan, business outcomes, are financially and operationally sustainable, and delivers measurable value.

Working with other members of the AI business strategy team the Strategy & Innovation Lead will have a key role in ensuring AI initiatives are developed and executed with value realization in mind. This will be achieved through thought leadership, consultation, and collaboration with teams across the organization.

What you would do in this job:

• Translate strategy into execution by providing consulting support before and during discovery phases to shape use-case and bold stroke business cases, problem statements, value hypotheses, and decision frameworks; align with business SMEs, Pod Owners, corporate finance, and portfolio management
• Frame the potential value by supporting creation of cost benefit analysis and sensitivity logic that inform ROI/NPV; steward assumptions and value logic, then collaborate with Finance and portfolio management to validate/benchmark.
• Assist with measurement plans. Consult on defining success metrics, baselines, counterfactuals, and test/learn approaches (pilots, A/Bs, phased rollouts) so value realization can be proven after launch.
• Prioritization & sequencing recommendations. Facilitate evaluation, dependency, and trade-off discussions; provide the "why" behind the recommended sequence
• Executive storytelling. Collaborate with communications to create crisp, decision-oriented materials (decks, briefs, one-pagers) that synthesize analysis into options and recommendations
• Operating model & playbooks. Take ownership of, maintain, and enhance repeatable artifacts such as Bold Stroke playbooks, use-case intake templates, and business-case checklist
• Stakeholder facilitation. Lead workshops to pressure-test assumptions, resolve ambiguity, and build cross-functional alignment-especially between business leaders, tech, risk, and finance.
• Leverage an external perspective and help inform AI COE of best practices and AI evolutions outside of Securian's four walls.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) in applicable field
• 3+ years relevant experience, with increasing levels of responsibility with strategic projects
• Proven ability to solve complex problems through a systematic approach with strategic thinking and analysis complemented by strong business and financial acumen. Experience supporting creation of business cases and/or cost benefit analyses.
• Thrives in demanding and sometimes ambiguous environment and able to adapt to shifting priorities
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative team environment. Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships, including with senior leaders
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to influence without authority.
• Highly self-motivated, with keen sense of ownership and passion to deliver results

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA or relevant advanced degree
• 5+ years relevant experience, with increasing levels of responsibility with strategic projects
• Experience at management consulting or investment banking firm, corporate or business strategy role preferred, financial services experience a plus

*Internal Securian Financial job title for this position is Strategy & Innovation Consultant*

Securian Financial believes in hybrid work as an integral part of our culture. Associates get the benefit of working both virtually and in our offices. This position requires you to live within a commutable distance (90 minutes) of our Home Office in St. Paul, MN. You'll join us 3 days each week in our offices to collaborate and build relationships. Our policy allows flexibility for the reality of business and personal schedules. #LI-Hybrid

For more information regarding Securian's benefits, please review our Benefits page.

This information is not intended to explain all the provisions of coverage available under these plans. In all cases, the plan document dictates coverage and provisions.

Securian Financial Group, Inc. does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital or familial status, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, veteran status, status in regard to public assistance or any other protected status. If you are a job seeker with a disability and require an accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, please contact us by email at Employment@Securian.com, by telephone 651-655-5522 (voice), or 711 (Relay/TTY).

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