Sr. Director, Strategy & Planning

FHLB Des Moines; Houston (TX); Remote; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work flexibility

Opportunity for travel

Job summary

A leading foodservice distribution company seeks a Senior Director of Strategy & Planning to support the VP by driving alignment and operational efficiency across the organization. This role involves managing the VP's operating cadence, facilitating decision-making, and leading cross-functional technology initiatives. Candidates should have 8-12 years of relevant experience, strong skills in executive communications, and a Bachelor's degree in a related field. The position allows for remote work with up to 25% travel, primarily to Houston.

Qualifications

• 8-12 years of experience in technology within large, matrixed organizations.
• Experience supporting senior executives requiring discretion.
• Ability to craft executive-level communications and board materials.
• Experience supporting senior executives and cross-functional initiative leadership.
• Familiarity with IT planning, budgeting, governance, and performance tracking.
• Ability to craft executive-level communications and strategic deliverables.
• Experience with IT sourcing, vendor management, and post-acquisition integration.
• Global/multi-regional coordination experience.

Responsibilities

• Drive alignment around the VP’s priorities and orchestrate planning cycles.
• Provide analysis to support decision-making by the VP and leadership.
• Manage the VP’s calendar of business reviews and leadership forums.
• Lead execution of team-wide technology initiatives ensuring accountability.
• Develop executive-level communications and presentations.
• Oversee dashboards and KPIs to monitor organizational health and risks.
• Handle confidential initiatives with discretion and broad organizational perspective.
• Monitor risks and misalignments, proposing proactive interventions.

Skills

Executive Communications

IT Financial Acumen

Project & Program Management

Data Analysis & Reporting

Project & program management

Technology fluency

Data analysis & reporting

Collaboration platforms

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance or a related field

Master’s Degree (MBA or equivalent)

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Planview

Smartsheet

Microsoft 365

Job description

**Company:**US6469 Sysco Payroll, Division of Sysco Resources Services, LLC**Sales Territory:**None**Zip Code:**77077**Travel Percentage:**Up to 25%The pay range provided is not indicative of Sysco’s actual pay range but is merely algorithmic and provided for generalized comparison. Factors that may be used to determine rate of pay include specific skills, work location, work experience and other individualized factors**Job Summary**The Senior Director, Strategy & Planning (Americas) is a highly strategic and execution-focused role that exists to amplify the impact of the VP by driving alignment, prioritization, and operational efficiency across the organization. Acting as a trusted advisor and integrator, this position ensures that the VP's vision and priorities are translated into actionable plans, executed effectively, and communicated clearly across stakeholders. The role is responsible for managing the VP's operating cadence, facilitating decision-making, coordinating cross-functional initiatives, and overseeing critical communications and strategic deliverables. Success in this role requires a strong mix of business acumen, organizational savvy, and the ability to navigate complexity while maintaining focus on outcomes.**Duties and Responsibilities**1. Strategic Planning & Prioritization – Drive alignment around the VP’s priorities, orchestrate annual and quarterly planning cycles, and ensure focus on the most critical initiatives across the technology organization.2. Executive Decision Support – Provide analysis, context, and recommendations to support effective and timely decision-making by the VP and their leadership team.3. Operating Rhythm & Governance – Manage the VP’s calendar of business reviews, staff meetings, leadership forums, and ELT engagements; ensure agendas are focused, materials are high quality, and outcomes are actionable.4 . Cross-Functional Program Execution – Lead or support the execution of team-wide technology initiatives, ensuring accountability, coordination, and progress tracking.5. Internal Communications & Messaging – Develop executive-level communications, presentations, and messaging to align stakeholders and reinforce key strategic narratives across the organization.6. Metrics, Reporting & Insights – Oversee development of dashboards and performance indicators that provide visibility into organizational health, progress on key initiatives, and operational risks.7. Special Projects & Confidential Initiatives – Serve as a go-to leader for high-priority, time-sensitive efforts requiring discretion, judgment, and broad organizational perspective.8 . Risk Awareness - Monitor emerging organizational or delivery risks, surface early indicators of misalignment or friction, and recommend proactive interventions to maintain strategic and operational momentum.**Qualifications****Education Required**:Bachelor’s Degree – A degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance or a related field**Education Preferred:**Master’s Degree (MBA or equivalent) with a focus on strategy, operations, or technology management.**Experience Required:**• 8–12 years of progressive experience in technology within large, matrixed organizations• Proven experience supporting senior executives or working in highly visible roles requiring discretion, sound judgment, and influence• Strong track record of leading cross-functional initiatives and aligning diverse teams to deliver complex programs• Familiarity with IT planning, financial management, and governance processes, including budgeting cycles, investment reviews, and performance tracking.• Demonstrated ability to craft high-quality executive-level communications and strategic deliverables including preparation of board materials, leadership presentations, and organizational messaging.• Experience with IT sourcing and vendor management, including contract review, vendor performance tracking, and alignment with service-level expectations.• Exposure to M&A integration and organizational change, particularly aligning technology teams, roadmaps, or platforms post-acquisition.• Experience operating in global or multi-regional environments, coordinating across time zones, cultures, and business models**Experience Preferred:**• Led technology strategy development at the enterprise or business unit level, including translating vision into actionable roadmaps.• Worked in a high-growth, post-acquisition, or restructuring environment, helping stabilize operations or integrate teams• Partnered with enterprise functions such as Legal, Finance, or HR on strategic initiatives beyond day-to-day coordination — e.g., designing new governance models, building business cases, or developing workforce plans.• Supported or prepared content for investor relations, board technology briefings, or external executive communications.• Built or matured an office of the VP function, including implementing KPIs, leadership cadences, and initiative tracking frameworks.**Licenses/Certifications Preferred:**Certifications in project management (PMP), business relationship management (BRMP), change management (CCMP)**Technical Skills and Abilities****Skills and Abilities:*** Executive Communications – Expertise in crafting high-quality presentations, board materials, and strategic communications using tools like PowerPoint and Word, with a strong emphasis on clarity, simplicity, storytelling, and stakeholder alignment.* IT Financial Acumen – Understanding of IT budgeting, forecasting, cost allocation models (e.g., gross/net), and financial performance metrics.* Contract Review & Vendor Coordination – Ability to review and interpret technology contracts, statements of work, and service-level agreements, coordinating with procurement, legal, and vendor management teams to ensure alignment with strategic goals, budget constraints, and compliance requirements.* Strategic Planning Tools – Proficiency in tools and methodologies for enterprise planning, portfolio management, and prioritization frameworks (e.g., OKRs, balanced scorecards, strategic roadmaps).* Project & Program Management – Skilled in managing complex, cross-functional initiatives using agile, waterfall, or hybrid delivery methods; familiarity with tools like Planview and Smartsheet.* Technology Fluency – Strong understanding of core IT functions (e.g., infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, data, architecture) and how they enable business outcomes.* Data Analysis & Reporting – Ability to interpret and synthesize data into actionable insights, proficiency with Excel, Power BI, or other analytics and dashboard tools.* Collaboration Platforms – Proficiency in enterprise collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Confluence) to manage workflows and drive team coordination.**Additional Requirements****Language Requirements:**Fluency in English**Physical Demands:**Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.Standard office-based work demands**Travel Requirements:**Up to 25% travel to various sites including Global Service Center**Work Environment:**Remote with travel to Global Service Center in Houston as required**Decision Making Authority**Decisions to be made independently without direction or supervision:This role operates with a high degree of coordination and influence key decisions are typically made in collaboration with or delegated by the VP. The role may independently:• Recommend agenda priorities, meeting structures, and follow-ups for the VP’s leadership cadence.• Coordinate across teams to drive execution of agreed-upon initiatives and ensure accountability to timelines.• Draft executive-level communications and presentations for VP approval.• Identify and flag risks, misalignments, or resource constraints to the