Director Strategic Initiatives

Elevance Health; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Stock purchase plan

Life insurance

Wellness programs

Job summary

Elevance Health is seeking a Director of Strategic Initiatives to partner with senior leadership within the Health Benefits Operations organization. The role focuses on enterprise planning, executive communications, performance management, and coordinating across a broad portfolio to drive strategic outcomes.

You will lead cross-functional efforts, manage complex projects, and develop materials for executive audiences while shaping partnerships that align strategy with operational execution

Qualifications

• Requires BA/BS degree with extensive experience across strategic initiatives and health operations.
• Strong ability to communicate with senior leaders and synthesize complex data into concise deliverables.
• Experience in planning cycles, governance, and cross-functional collaboration is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual and cross-functional strategic planning activities.
• Coordinate executive-level planning, travel agendas, and operating rhythms.
• Serve as a central partner to the Office of the COO for alignment and execution.
• Oversee special projects and coordinate with the Corporate Strategic Planning team.
• Coach and evaluate direct reports within the team.

Skills

Executive communication

Strategic planning

Project management

Stakeholder management

Operations coordination

Education

BA/BS degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Location

This role requires associates to be in-office 3 days per week, fostering collaboration and connectivity, while providing flexibility to support productivity and work-life balance. This approach combines structured office engagement with the autonomy of virtual work, promoting a dynamic and adaptable workplace. Alternate locations may be considered if candidates reside within a commuting distance from an office.

Please note that per our policy on hybrid/virtual work, candidates not within a reasonable commuting distance from the posting location(s) will not be considered for employment, unless accommodation is granted as required by law.

Director Strategic Initiatives

The Director Strategic Initiatives will serve as a strategic partner to senior leadership within the Health Benefits Operations organization. This role will help drive enterprise-level planning, executive communications, performance management, and operational coordination across a broad and highly visible portfolio. Will bring strong executive presence, sound business judgment, and the ability to synthesize data, operational priorities, and strategic messaging into clear, polished deliverables for senior audiences. Will also be responsible for identifying internal and external opportunities and partnering strategies for a Strategic Business Unit.

How you will make an impact

• Annual Business Planning: Lead and coordinate planning cycles, including capital readiness activities, business planning deliverables, and cross-functional inputs needed to support senior leadership decision-making.
• Conduct in-depth strategic research.
• Operational Coordination: Support executive-level planning and coordination, including leadership engagements, travel agendas, operating rhythms, meeting preparation, and follow-up actions.
• Office of the COO Partnership: Serve as a central partner to the Office of the COO, ensuring alignment across leadership priorities, governance routines, communications, and operational execution.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Work closely with a companion director role focused on culture, communications, and talent strategy to ensure cohesive execution across strategy, people, planning, and engagement priorities.
• Participates in optimizing strategic initiatives and planning through challenges to cost/benefit investments that involve significant monetary investments and that support key strategic direction to the SBU.
• Analyzes, researches and develops complex materials and documents relating to health issues.
• Prepares white papers on select healthcare topics including presentation support materials such as graphic presentations and talk points for executive officers.
• Serves as project manager for special projects as directed by executive management.
• Works with Corporate Strategic Planning to ensure that the SBU is appropriately coordinated with the corporate strategies.
• Hires, trains, coaches, counsels, and evaluate performance of direct reports.

Minimum Requirements

Requires a BA/BS degree and a minimum of 10 years of experience including 5 years of project management experience and 5 years of related experience as a health analyst or health staffer in the legislative community; or any combination of education and experience, which would provide an equivalent background.

Preferred Skills, Capabilities and Experiences

• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives or operating in a highly visible strategy, business planning, operations, or Chief of Staff-style capacity is strongly preferred.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders and influence across functions without direct authority is preferred.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex data, operational performance insights, and strategic priorities into clear, compelling narratives and deliverables is preferred.
• Experience managing business planning cycles, performance routines, governance forums is preferred.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple priorities, stakeholders, and timelines is preferred.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, matrixed environment with ambiguity, visibility, and evolving leadership priorities is preferred.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution and attention to detail is preferred.
• Master's degree preferred.

Who We Are

Elevance Health is a health company dedicated to improving lives and communities - and making healthcare simpler. We are a Fortune 25 company with a longstanding history in the healthcare industry, looking for leaders at all levels of the organization who are passionate about making an impact on our members and the communities we serve.

How We Work

At Elevance Health, we are creating a culture that is designed to advance our strategy but will also lead to personal and professional growth for our associates. Our values and behaviors are the root of our culture. They are how we achieve our strategy, power our business outcomes and drive our shared success - for our consumers, our associates, our communities and our business.

Total Rewards

We offer a range of market-competitive total rewards that include merit increases, paid holidays, Paid Time Off, and incentive bonus programs (unless covered by a collective bargaining agreement), medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability benefits, 401(k) +match, stock purchase plan, life insurance, wellness programs and financial education resources, to name a few.

Hybrid Workforce Strategy

Elevance Health operates in a Hybrid Workforce Strategy. Unless specified as primarily virtual by the hiring manager, associates are required to work at an Elevance Health location at least once per week, and potentially several times per week. Specific requirements and expectations for time onsite will be discussed as part of the hiring process.

Health of Our Associates

The health of our associates and communities is a top priority for Elevance Health. We require all new candidates in certain patient/member-facing roles to become vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza. If you are not vaccinated, your offer will be rescinded unless you provide an acceptable explanation. Elevance Health will also follow all relevant federal, state, and local laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Elevance Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Applicants who require accommodation to participate in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws, including, but not limited to, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act