Service and Operations Strategy Leader (Hybrid)

About this role

We are seeking a strategic, collaborative, and innovative leader to drive Service and Operational Strategy for Financial Protection and Retirement Solutions (FPRS).  In this role, you will report to the Head of Operational Solutions, and will help shape the roadmap and vision for new business and inforce service, across operations and contact center functions, with a focus on improving customer experience, scalability, and efficiency. This role will identify and advance opportunities across automation, digital and self-service capabilities, differentiated service models, AI-enabled operations, workforce optimization, process redesign, and potential outsourcing models.

Key Responsibilities • Assess current-state operations, customer journeys, channel performance, service demand, and cost drivers to identify transformation opportunities. • Lead the evaluation and prioritization of automation, digital containment, workflow optimization, and AI-enabled solutions that improve speed, quality, consistency, and customer experience. • Partner with technology, customer experience, finance, and operational leaders to build business cases, roadmaps, and implementation plans. • Evaluate potential outsourcing, managed service, nearshore/offshore, and hybrid delivery models, including service design, vendor capabilities, cost-benefit analysis, risk management, governance, and transition planning. • Define operating model requirements, including roles, governance, workforce impacts, process ownership, controls, change management, and performance management routines. • Establish KPIs and success measures for transformation initiatives • Lead cross-functional workshops and executive-level discussions to align stakeholders, resolve tradeoffs, and advance strategic decisions. • Monitor market trends, emerging technologies, competitive practices, and customer behavior shifts to keep the operations strategy future-ready.

You are: • Transformative: Demonstrated experience developing long-term strategies, transformation roadmaps, operating models, and business cases for complex service organizations. • Customer-focused: Experience identifying and implementing automation, self-service, digital service, workflow, or AI-enabled capabilities in an operational environment. • Analytical: Ability to analyze operational, financial, workforce, and customer data to identify opportunities, quantify impact, and influence strategic decisions. • Collaborative and able to influence: Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, manage ambiguity, and drive alignment across teams with competing priorities. • Strong communicator: ability to simplify complex topics, develop compelling narratives, and present recommendations to senior leaders. • Commercially oriented: Strong financial and commercial acumen, including cost modeling, ROI analysis, vendor evaluation, and benefits realization.

You have: • 8+ years of experience in operations strategy, service transformation, management consulting, business process improvement, or a related field. • Background in customer experience, service design, or enterprise transformation. • Experience with contact center platforms, workforce optimization tools, conversational AI, virtual agents, automation solutions, etc. • Experience designing outsourced, co-sourced, offshore, nearshore, or managed service operating models. • Experience in regulated or high-complexity service environments where risk, compliance, privacy, and operational controls are critical. • Bachelors degree required, MBA or other advanced degree preferred

You will: • Help shape the modernization of our service and operating model • Develop deep understanding of FPRS businesses, workflows, and processes • Will partner closely with operations leadership, contact center leaders, customer experience, workforce management, technology, procurement, and change management teams • Be coached and supported by experienced leaders while being empowered to drive new thinking and challenge the status quo

Salary Range:

$132,420.00 - $217,545.00 The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits .  Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodati

Similar jobs

• Strategy & Ops Leader — Moment · New York, NY
• Strategy & Operations Lead — Bjakcareer · Remote
• Strategy & Operations Lead — Sailorhealth · New York City (Soho)
• Sales Strategy and Operations Leader — Kong · New York, United States
• Provider Operations & Strategy Lead — Sailorhealth · New York City (Soho)
• Partner Strategy & Operations Lead — Notion · San Francisco, California
• Business Operations & Strategy Lead — Notion · San Francisco, California
• Senior Strategy & Operations Manager — Garnerhealth · New York City, New York