Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy

Cognex Corporation; Natick (MA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity program

Annual bonus or sales incentive plan

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Cognex is seeking a Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy to lead the corporate strategy process, guide the LRFP, and partner with the Head of Corporate M&A. You will influence senior leadership and drive growth through strategic initiatives, M&A, and partnerships.

The role reports to the CFO and requires a strong background in corporate strategy or management consulting, with experience in M&A execution and financial planning.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in corporate development, investment banking, or management consulting.
• Experience translating complex tech products into strategic/financial insights.
• Technical or engineering background valued but not required.

Responsibilities

• Develop the annual corporate planning process with leadership.
• Shape strategy and capital allocation priorities with executives.
• Prepare strategy presentations for executives and the Board.
• Conduct market, competitor, and industry research for investments.
• Develop and maintain long-range financial plan (LRFP) with FP&A.
• Lead and support M&A evaluation and due diligence with cross‑functional teams.
• Drive the corporate development pipeline and build business cases.

Skills

Strategic finance expertise

Stakeholder influence

Analytical thinking

Leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field

MBA or advanced degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Data analysis tools

Job description

Job Description The Role: We are seeking an energetic and highly analytical Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy to lead our corporate strategy process and to collaborate with and support the Head of Corporate M&A. This role is critical in driving the company’s profitable growth agenda through strategic initiatives, mergers & acquisitions, partnerships, and the development and maintenance of the long-range financial plan (LRFP). The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in corporate strategy or management consulting, M&A execution, and financial planning, with the ability to influence and collaborate across senior leadership. This role will report directly to our CFO.

Key Responsibilities

• Corporate strategy Work with the Chief Financial Officer to develop the annual corporate planning process, including strategic planning and aligning other sub-planning processes such as product planning and the budget process.
• Partner with executive leadership to shape corporate strategy and capital allocation priorities.
• Prepare strategy presentations for executives and the Board.
• Conduct comprehensive market, competitor, and industry research to support strategic investment decisions.
• Develop and maintain the company’s long-range financial plan (LRFP), working closely with FP&A and senior leaders to align financial planning with strategic goals.
• Work with senior leadership to develop strategic initiatives aligned to Cognex LRFP.
• Corporate M&A Collaborate and support the Head of Corporate M&A and product teams on the identification and evaluation of M&A, partnerships, and other strategic investment opportunities.
• Drive the corporate development pipeline by sourcing opportunities, building business cases and strategic frameworks, conducting financial modeling, and coordinating execution.
• Work with Head of Corporate M&A to manage due diligence across cross-functional teams (legal, tax, operations, product, R&D, employee services).
• Manage post-acquisition integration efforts in coordination with relevant teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Experience working in a technically complex, innovation-driven environment, with the ability to understand sophisticated technologies, products, markets, and business models and translate them into strategic and financial insights.
• Experience in industrial technology, automation, robotics, software/hardware, semiconductors, or other technology-driven industries is preferred.
• A technical or engineering educational background is valued but not required.
• 7+ years of experience in corporate development, investment banking, management consulting, or a similar strategic finance role.
• Demonstrated success in developing and managing long-range financial plans and strategic forecasting.
• Proven experience in M&A execution, including target evaluation, financial modeling, due diligence, and deal structuring.
• Highly proficient in Excel (financial modeling), PowerPoint (executive communication), and data analysis tools.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a track record of influencing at senior levels.
• Comfortable managing multiple complex projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is $170,000.00 - 195,000.00 USD Annual. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location.

• In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance or a sales incentive plan.
• This position is also eligible for equity under the Cognex Equity Program.
• This position provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan with company matching; employer-paid disability, family leave, life insurance, paid time off (including holidays), optional voluntary benefits, and recognition and wellness programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Cognex is an equal opportunity employer. Cognex evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.

WE MAKE COMPUTERS THAT CAN SEE Cognex is the largest, most successful and most recognized global player in industrial machine vision. Using advanced optics, image sensors, and artificial intelligence software Cognex vision and ID systems capture an image, then analyze it to make sense of what’s being seen. Companies use Cognex vision and ID in their manufacturing processes to improve product quality, guide assembly robots, and track items through each stage of production and distribution. Cognex is focused entirely on solving the toughest problems in industrial machine vision and ID, and we have sold more solutions in these areas than any other company in the world. More than a billion products are made each day using Cognex vision. The only thing smarter than our vision and ID systems are the people that stand behind them. One of them could be you!