Senior Strategic Initiative Analyst - Practice Optimization

Edward Jones; Mississauga; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Edward Jones in Canada is seeking a Senior Strategic Initiative Analyst to shape practice strategies, define processes, and build tools within the Canada Business Unit. You will partner with stakeholders, lead cross-functional teams, and deliver executive-ready materials to guide strategic decisions.

The role focuses on growing and optimizing practice models across Wealth & Field Management, requiring strong leadership, communication, and regulatory awareness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 7+ years of relevant work experience required.
• 7+ years of proven experience leading large, multi-dimensional initiatives.
• 7+ years of experience in the Financial Services industry preferred.
• 3-5 years of leadership experience preferred.
• Ability to work in a matrixed environment and align strategy across functions, processes, and teams.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills suitable for senior leadership influence.
• Deep knowledge of systems, processes, and tools to support Solo and Teaming Practices within the Canadian Business Unit.
• Understanding of Canadian regulatory environment (CIRO) and practice team workflows, systems and tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of enablement plans for practice solutions that support the Canada Business Unit and Wealth and Field Management strategies ensuring alignment with organizational goals and priorities.
• Enable user-centric infrastructure solutions ensuring viability, feasibility, desirability and scalability.
• Foster cross-functional relationships to enhance collaboration and innovation across the organization.
• Work effectively in a matrixed organization. Lead cross-functional teams and align stakeholder in the development and execution of plans to update key practice infrastructure.
• Lead multiple, medium to large practice infrastructure initiatives with a medium to high degree of risk, visibility and urgency.
• Operate autonomously with minimal supervision in environments with strong thought leadership; escalate to the Director when needed.
• Proactively identify and resolve barriers and risks to maintain progress.
• Build executive-ready deliverables (PowerPoint decks, narrative memos) to communicate progress and recommendations.
• Develop self by identifying growth opportunities and execute a development plan with team leader.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to teammates with coaching techniques.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Public speaking

Mentorship

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Join a financial services firm where your contributions are valued. Edward Jones is a Fortune 500¹ company where people come first. With over 9 million clients and 20,000 financial advisors across the U.S. and Canada, we’re proud to be privately-owned, placing the focus on our clients rather than shareholder returns.

Behind everything we do is our purpose: We partner for positive impact to improve the lives of our clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. We are an innovative, flexible, and inclusive organization that attracts, develops, and inspires performance excellence and a sense of belonging.

People are at the center of our partnership. Edward Jones associates are seen, heard, respected, and supported. This is what we believe makes us the best place to start or build your career.

View our Purpose, Inclusion and Citizenship Report.

¹Fortune 500, published June 2024, data as of December 2023. Compensation provided for using, not obtaining, the rating.

The Practice Optimization and CST Advancement Team exists to expand practice model options, building flexibility into each component of a Practice model. We work in partnerships with Wealth & Field Management and other teams across the organization to inform the strategic execution of offerings and develop the infrastructure needed to operationalize the offerings to deliver at scale. We aim to be the premier firm to start, grow, optimize, and pass on a practice. Giving financial advisors more practice model options and enabling CST professionals to grow and expand in their roles, which will also help attract new financial advisors to the firm. We must ensure our growth is sustainable.

To achieve this, the Senior Strategic Initiative Analyst collaborates with stakeholders across the firm - both from the business and digital sides - to define policies, establish processes, assign ownership, and develop or enhance tools that support the execution of Practice strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of enablement plans for practice solutions that support the Canada Business Unit and Wealth and Field Management strategies ensuring alignment with organizational goals and priorities.
• Enable user-centric infrastructure solutions ensuring viability, feasibility, desirability and scalability
• Foster cross-functional relationships to enhance collaboration and innovation across the organization. Establish and maintain effective communications and relationships across multiple areas, division and outside vendors who are working on the initiative.
• Work effectively in a matrixed organization. Lead cross-functional teams and align stakeholder in the development and execution of plans to update key practice infrastructure (policies, process, technology, etc) enabling strategies at scale. Gain alignment with functional business areas for long-term ownership.
• Lead multiple, medium to large practice infrastructure initiatives with a medium to high degree of risk, visibility and urgency spanning multiple areas or divisions.
• Operate autonomously with minimal supervision in environments where excellent thought leadership and ability to collaborate with peers and senior leaders is required for progress; know when to escalation to the Director.
• Proactively identify and resolve barriers. Anticipate emerging risks and operational friction, acting swiftly to resolve issues at the working level to maintain progress without overburdening senior leadership.
• Build executive ready deliverables (e.g., PowerPoint decks, narrative memos) that effectively synthesize issues and recommendations, communicate progress and advance the work of the individual team.
• Develop self by identifying opportunities for growth and execute a development plan aligned with team leader to grow.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to teammates at a variety of levels, using modeling, feedback and coaching techniques within work to ensure quality outcomes and support internal talent development.
• Bachelor’s degree or 7+ years of relevant work experience required.
• 7+ years of proven experience leading large, multi-dimensional initiatives, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility.
• 7+ years of experience in the Financial Services industry preferred.
• 3-5 years of leadership experience preferred.
• Ability to work in a matrixed environment. Lead, integrate and align strategy, people, and activities across functions, processes, and teams.
• Strong/excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to influence others (up to senior leadership level) with limited or no authority using verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Deep knowledge of systems, processes, and tools needed to support Solo and Teaming Practices within the Canadian Business Unit.
• Understanding of Canadian regulatory environment (CIRO) and practice team workflows, systems and tools.
• Ability to lead and manage multiple large/mid/long-term initiatives concurrently.

What Could Set You Apart

• 7+ Years within the financial industry
• Financial services credentials (e.g., CSC/CIRE/RSE), MBA, or other advanced degree or certification (e.g., CFA).
• Agile methodology certification, and how to apply to planning and sequencing work.
• Previous experience with non-traditional practice models, i.e. FA Teaming.

At Edward Jones, we are building a place where everyone feels like they belong. We're proud of our associates' contributions to the firm and the recognitions we have received.

Edward Jones does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

At Edward Jones, we value and respect our associates and their contributions, and we recognize individual efforts through a rewards program that promotes a long-term career, financial security and well-being. Visit our career site to learn more about our total compensation approach, which in addition to base salary, typically includes benefits, bonuses and profit sharing. The salary range for this role is based on national data and actual pay is based on skills, experience, education, and other relevant factors for a potential new associate.