Business Strategy and Planning Director- Strategic Programs

USAA Life Insurance Company; San Antonio (TX); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

USAA Life Insurance Company in San Antonio, TX is seeking a senior leader to direct Business Strategy and Planning within the P&C Underwriting and Product Development organization. You will shape strategic direction, partner with underwriting leadership, and deliver objective insights to inform critical decisions.

The role emphasizes anticipating future needs, guiding stakeholders toward objectives, and crafting executive-level communications and reports while ensuring alignment across business

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 4 years related experience substitutable for degree.
• 8 years of directly related business planning consulting experience including developing strategy for goals.
• Experience influencing and managing updates to senior executives, concise and regular status updates.
• Extensive experience in Project Management.
• Strong business acumen in financial services with ability to balance strategy and execution.
• Experience working with clients to translate insights into business direction.

Responsibilities

• Drives development and coordination of components within the overarching strategy for the function.
• Works with executive management to establish strategic and operational frameworks.
• Develops processes to manage the strategic and operational planning process.
• Aligns business processes and frameworks to enterprise strategy and roadmaps.
• Partners with senior leaders to develop near- and long-term visions and roadmaps; guides transition from strategy to execution.
• Manages change management plans, project documentation, and strategies for large initiatives.
• Identifies strengths and weaknesses to improve operational effectiveness with best practices.
• Mentors team members in research and analysis.
• Leads design, coordination, and governance of annual strategic and operational planning processes.
• Leads cross-functional team members in strategy development and implementation.

Skills

Strategy development

Executive communications

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Change management

Risk management

Business planning

Leadership communications

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Why USAA?

At USAA, our mission is to empower our members to achieve financial security through highly competitive products, exceptional service and trusted advice. We seek to be the #1 choice for the military community and their families.

Embrace a fulfilling career at USAA, where our core values - honesty, integrity, loyalty and service - define how we treat each other and our members. Be part of what truly makes us special and impactful.

We are proud to support active-duty military spouses. USAA roles may offer remote or hybrid flexibility for active-duty military spouses consistent with applicable policy and business needs.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a dedicated Business Strategy and Planning Director within the P&C Underwriting and Product Development (UPD) organization. This role will be instrumental in shaping and driving the strategic direction for UPD, working closely with underwriting leadership to advance key priorities, provide strategic insights, and enable informed decision-making. The ideal candidate will partner closely with underwriting, product management, and cross-functional teams to deliver objective insights and forward-looking analyses that inform critical business decisions.

A key focus will be anticipating future needs, proactively guiding stakeholders toward strategic objectives, and translating complex information into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership. We are looking for a self-starter with a high degree of intellectual curiosity and a drive for continuous improvement and impact. This role will also be responsible for crafting compelling, executive-level communications, presentations, and reports that articulate strategic insights, progress, and key initiatives while ensuring alignment and synergy across business areas.

We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position will be based in the San Antonio office.

What you'll do:

• Drives the development and coordination of components within the overarching strategy for the Function.
• Works with executive management to establish strategic and operational framework that establishes enables short and long-term business goals and key results.
• Develops specific processes to manage the business strategic and operational planning process.
• Drives the alignment of business process and frameworks to enterprise strategy, process and framework.
• Partners with senior-level leaders across functions and channels to develop near- and long-term visions and roadmaps and works with business leaders to manage transition from strategy to execution.
• Maintains responsibility of integration of change management plans, project documentation and strategies for large, complex business specific initiatives that often impact the organization and/or enterprise.
• Identifies strengths and weaknesses to evaluate operational effectiveness by establishing best practices and management routines to address gaps.
• Guides team members as they perform research and analysis.
• Supports executive leadership by leading the design, coordination, and governance of the annual strategic planning and operational planning processes.
• Leads and motivates cross-functional team members in strategy and operational plan development and implementation.
• Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.

What you'll have:

• Bachelor's degree: OR 4 years of related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree.
• 8 years of directly related business planning consultation experience to include developing business strategy for short-term and/or long-term goals.
• Experience influencing and managing communication to senior executives, internal colleagues through concise, official and regular updates on status, progress, strategies and roadmaps.
• Extensive experience in Project Management.
• Strong business acumen in financial services or related industry, and a proven ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation skills.
• Experience workingwith clients/customersto realize business issues and develop a strategy for the business's direction from the gathered insights.

What sets you apart:

• 4 years USAA Property and Casualty (P&C) experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or working within P&C underwriting, with a strong understanding of underwriting practices, processes, and business considerations.
• 3years directexperiencesupporting senior leaders.
• Demonstrated successin planning, organizing, and delivering leadership communications across regional and member audiences, partner engagement forums, and executive and board-level settings.
• Demonstrates a proactive approach to problem-solving and an active interest in continuous learning, with the proven ability to self-direct and identify opportunities