DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Adecco; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Job summary

Adecco is seeking a Director of Strategic Initiatives in Cambridge. This hybrid role partners directly with the CEO and senior leadership to translate ambition into a focused operating plan, strengthening commercial and financial insight while delivering top priorities.

You'll act as a strategic adviser and hands-on operator, managing the portfolio of initiatives, forecasting, and governance across Sales, Product, Finance and Delivery.

Qualifications

• Eight to ten years of relevant experience in B2B software, SaaS or data-rich tech environments.
• Experience supporting a CEO or executive team in strategy, commercial, finance, or operations.
• Strong financial and commercial fluency including forecasting and customer economics.

Responsibilities

• Act as trusted strategic partner to the CEO and drive priorities to completion.
• Own and govern the strategic initiatives portfolio with milestones and owners.
• Lead annual and quarterly planning aligning objectives with functional plans and forecasts.
• Produce concise reporting for CEO, leadership team and board, with risks and recommendations.
• Improve visibility of commercial performance including ARR, NRR, churn and unit economics.
• Collaborate with Finance on reporting, forecasting, scenarios and investment cases.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives across Product, Engineering, Data Science, Sales and Marketing.
• Improve operating cadence and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Identify AI and automation opportunities across workflows and reporting.

Skills

Strategic planning

CEO support

Cross-functional leadership

Board reporting

Financial fluency

Education

Russell Group degree

Job description

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Commercial, Finance, Technology

Cambridge / Hybrid (must be able to reach Cambridge easily)

£competitive + bonus + benefits

Chief of Staff-style leadership role spanning strategy, commercial performance, finance and cross-functional delivery.

The opportunity

This is a high-impact role within an established, globally recognised software company entering its next phase of growth. Working directly with the CEO and senior leadership team, you will translate ambition into a focused operating agenda, strengthen commercial and financial insight, and ensure the business delivers its most important priorities.

The remit

The remit is comparable to a commercially focused Chief of Staff: part strategic adviser, part operator and part programme leader. Success will require rigorous analysis, sound judgement and the confidence to move between board-level discussions and hands‑on delivery.

The mandate

• Act as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO, structuring priorities, preparing decisions and driving agreed actions through to completion.
• Own the strategic initiatives portfolio, with clear outcomes, accountable owners, milestones, dependencies and reporting.
• Lead annual and quarterly planning, connecting company objectives with functional plans, commercial forecasts and resource decisions.
• Produce concise, decision‑ready reporting for the CEO, leadership team and board, covering performance, risks, options and recommendations.
• Improve visibility of commercial performance across ARR, NRR, pipeline, conversion, retention, customer lifetime value and unit economics.
• Partner with Finance on management reporting, forecasting, scenario analysis and investment cases.
• Support commercial governance and significant deal decisions across Sales, Finance, Product, Legal and delivery teams.
• Lead cross‑functional initiatives involving Product, Engineering, Data Science, Sales and Marketing, removing blockers and maintaining momentum.
• Improve operating cadence and accountability without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Identify valuable applications of AI and automation across workflows, reporting, customer insight and decision support.

The person

You will be an analytically strong, commercially astute operator who creates clarity in fast‑moving, intellectually demanding environments. Credible with senior leaders and technical specialists, you will challenge constructively, influence without relying on hierarchy and take ownership when an initiative needs momentum.

Essential experience and capabilities

• Around 8-10 years' relevant experience, ideally within B2B software, SaaS, FinTech or another data-rich technology environment.
• Experience supporting a CEO, founder, business leader or executive team in strategy, commercial, corporate development, finance, operations or a Chief of Staff role.
• Strong financial and commercial fluency, including board reporting, recurring-revenue metrics, forecasting, pipeline performance and customer economics.
• Evidence of leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives from an ambiguous brief to a measurable outcome.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to turn complex information into a clear story, recommendation and action plan.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including executive and board materials.
• Effective collaboration across Product, Engineering, Data Science, Sales, Finance and leadership teams.
• A strong degree from a Russell Group university in engineering, mathematics, finance, physics, economics or another relevant quantitative discipline.

Helpful, but not essential

• Practical experience with AI-enabled tools, automation or analytics.
• Exposure to enterprise sales, pricing, contracting, customer success or go‑to‑market strategy.
• Experience supporting Marketing, market positioning or commercial communications.

Why join?

• Work directly with the CEO and influence the direction and effectiveness of a globally successful specialist technology company.
• Gain broad exposure across strategy, finance, commercial performance, product and execution.
• Join an intelligent, entrepreneurial environment that values initiative, evidence and impact.
• Shape the role as the company grows, with visible ownership of business‑critical priorities.

About Adecco

Adecco is acting as an Employment Agency. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are on the client's supplier list for this role.

Keywords: Director of Strategic Initiatives * Chief of Staff * Strategy Director * Strategic Operations * Business Operations * Corporate Strategy * Commercial Strategy * CEO Support * Programme Leadership * SaaS * B2B Software * FinTech * ARR * NRR * Forecasting * Board Reporting * Commercial Finance * Revenue Operations * AI * Automation * Cambridge * Hybrid