Senior Innovation Strategist, Tokenization

Vanguard; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard is seeking a strategic leader to own tokenization initiatives, partnering with executives, technologists, and business leaders to define priorities and guide the innovation agenda. The role blends market insight with technology strategy across capital markets, payments, and digital assets.

You will mentor colleagues, influence enterprise direction, and help shape industry conversations through strategic engagements and executive briefings.

Qualifications

• Curious, comfortable with ambiguity, willingness to adapt, bias for action.
• 8+ years of relevant experience in strategy, product management, innovation, financial services, technology, or related disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Leads the development and execution of the organization's tokenization strategy, aligning opportunities with enterprise, business, and investment objectives.
• Identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes tokenization use cases by assessing market demand, business value, regulatory considerations, and feasibility.
• Monitors industry developments, regulatory changes, and technology trends to identify opportunities and risks related to tokenization.
• Represents Vanguard to senior leadership, translating complex market and regulatory developments into actionable recommendations.
• Partners with business, technology, legal, compliance, and risk to develop strategic recommendations and roadmaps for tokenization initiatives.

Skills

Tokenization strategy

Digital assets

Blockchain

Capital markets infrastructure

Innovation strategy

Emerging technology research

Education

Undergraduate degree or equivalent

Graduate degree preferred

Job description

About The Opportunity

At Vanguard, we're exploring how tokenization and other emerging technologies can impact our business and benefit our clients and crew. We are seeking a strategic leader who can identify where these innovations create meaningful value for our clients, business, and the broader investment ecosystem. In this highly visible role, you will serve as one of Vanguard's thought leaders on tokenization. You will partner with senior executives, business leaders, and technologists to evaluate emerging opportunities, define strategic priorities, and guide the firm's innovation agenda. This is a unique opportunity to influence enterprise strategy, shape industry conversations, and help determine how Vanguard participates in the evolution of capital markets.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads the development and execution of the organization's tokenization strategy, aligning emerging opportunities with enterprise, business, and investment objectives.
• Identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes tokenization use cases by assessing market demand, business value, operational impact, regulatory considerations, and implementation feasibility.
• Monitors industry developments, competitor activity, regulatory changes, and technology trends to identify emerging opportunities and risks related to tokenization.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, translating complex market, technology, and regulatory developments into actionable strategic recommendations.
• Partners with business, technology, legal, compliance, and risk stakeholders to develop strategic recommendations and adoption roadmaps for tokenization initiatives.
• Drives discovery, research, and experimentation efforts in partnership with innovation engineering team to validate assumptions, assess technical feasibility, and determine market readiness.
• Evaluates external platforms, vendors, and ecosystem partners, providing strategic input on partnership, build-versus-buy, and capability development decisions.
• Represents the organization in industry forums, working groups, partnerships, and strategic engagements to maintain awareness of market developments and influence industry direction.
• Communicates strategic insights, recommendations, and research findings to senior leaders and key stakeholders through presentations, reports, and executive briefings.
• Collaborates with architecture, product, and engineering teams to ensure strategic initiatives are translated into actionable roadmaps and implementation plans.
• Mentors colleagues and contributes to the growth of organizational expertise in tokenization, digital assets, and other emerging technologies.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Curious, comfortable with ambiguity, willingness to adapt, has a bias for action, enjoys ambitious projects.
• Typically requires 8+ years of relevant experience in strategy, product management, innovation, financial services, technology, or related disciplines.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: tokenization, digital assets, blockchain, capital markets infrastructure, payments, financial technology, innovation strategy, or emerging technology research.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience. Graduate degree preferred.

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.