Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships Lead

Vanguard; Malvern (Chester County); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard is seeking a Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships Lead in Malvern to drive inorganic growth by identifying and launching strategic partnerships across Vanguard business lines. You will guide the end-to-end deal process from sourcing to integration, coordinating with internal teams and external partners to capture value for clients.

The role requires 7+ years in strategic partnerships or related fields, strong analytical and negotiation skills, and the ability to manage complex

Qualifications

• 7+ years related work experience in strategic partnerships, corporate development, management consulting, investment banking, private equity, or similar field.
• Excellent judgment, communication, presentation, negotiation, persuasion, and stakeholder-management skills, including experience working directly with senior executives.
• Undergraduate degree in Business, Economics, Finance, or similar; graduate degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Translate enterprise aspirations and business needs into partnership opportunities with analyses to estimate potential value.
• Lead Build/Buy/Partner assessments for strategic capability gaps and growth opportunities, including business-case development.
• Conduct market, ecosystem, and competitive analysis to identify opportunities and assess partners.
• Support design, structuring, and negotiation of strategic partnerships with commercial models and governance frameworks.
• Develop partnership frameworks, tools, and best practices to improve identification, evaluation, and structuring of partnerships.
• Work independently on deal workstreams and mentor junior team members.
• Support partnership negotiations and due diligence to execute inorganic transactions.
• Strong conceptual thinking, time management, analytical, problem solving, negotiation, and persuasion skills.
• Participate in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Time management

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Negotiation

Persuasion

Stakeholder management

Education

Undergraduate degree

Graduate degree preferred

Job description

Drive enterprise strategy through inorganic growth Strategic Business Development shares in Vanguard’s mission to take a stand for all investors. You can help us change the way the world invests by identifying potential inorganic opportunities that will increase value for our clients. You will be a part of the team tasked with guiding the organization through complex issues related to strategic partnerships. In addition, you will play a role in the end-to-end deal process from sourcing to integration across multiple Vanguard business lines.

The Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships Lead helps Vanguard identify, develop, and launch strategic partnerships that advance enterprise priorities and create value for clients.

This role sits at the intersection of enterprise strategy, business development, and partnership execution and is responsible for helping Vanguard connect internal priorities with external capabilities and ecosystems. This role will lead partnership opportunities from early-stage opportunity development through launch and support the transition to long-term business ownership. The ideal candidate knows how to build and foster strong external relationships, work cross-functionally with internal teams, and support partnership negotiations and due diligence to execute inorganic transactions.

Responsibilities:

• Translate enterprise aspirations, strategic priorities, and business needs into partnership opportunities delivering both quantitative and qualitative analyses, including financial models and scenario analysis, to estimate potential value.
• Lead Build / Buy / Partner assessments for strategic capability gaps and growth opportunities, including business-case development and scenario analysis.
• Conduct market, ecosystem, and competitive analysis to identify emerging opportunities and assess potential partners based on strategic fit and complementary capabilities.
• Support the design, structuring, and negotiation of strategic partnerships by developing commercial models, governance frameworks, operating structures, and key business terms.
• Support development of partnership frameworks, tools, and best practices that improve how Vanguard identifies, evaluates, and structures strategic partnerships
• Work independently with attention to detail and sensitivity to deadlines. Lead individual workstreams of a deal and contribute to larger deal team.
• Coach less experienced crew in financial methodologies, partnership frameworks and approaches, and inorganic growth best practices based on deep knowledge of emerging trends and industry standards.
• Strong conceptual thinking and time management, as well as analytical, problem solving, negotiation, and persuasion skills.
• Participate in special projects and perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years related work experience. Two years' experience in strategic partnerships, corporate development, management consulting, investment banking, private equity, or similar field required. Prior experience with strategic partnerships required.
• Excellent judgment, communication, presentation, negotiation, persuasion, and stakeholder-management skills, including experience working directly with senior executives.
• Undergraduate degree required in Business, Economics, Finance, or similar concentration. Graduate degree preferred.
• Asset management or financial services experience a plus.

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.