Strategic Initatives Director

AARP Services (ASI) is where AARP's mission meets the marketplace for the 50 population, by sparking new solutions that transform the marketplace to improve people's lives as they age. Founded in 1999 as the professional services arm of AARP, ASI supports the Association's mission of Disrupt Aging by helping bring new products to market to drive innovation and build richer connections with consumers. ASI acts as a bridge, connecting companies to people by helping bring experiences, products and services that matter to them as they move through life stages.

The Strategic Initiative Director is a key member of the Financial Products and Services team and partners with members of the FPS team as well as ASI Leadership to lead the development and more importantly lead the process of on boarding the FPS current and future pipeline of opportunities.  The positions is cross-cutting and also helps develop additional product and provider identification for new and innovative products and services.    

Other duties as required will also include some of the following:  new whitespace areas, strengthening current offerings through product enhancements and extensions as well as working within the FPS team to help develop in depth strategy and roadmap for a current area of focus.  The Director will play the lead or key role in working with other ASI cross cutting departments to ensure the cohesive and comprehensive roll out of the new FPS products – which includes coordination across ASI Legal, Marketing, Distribution, Finance and others within AARP as needed.  The Director will also help identify key needs of consumers/members, identifies market trends, provides relevant environmental landscape, interviews internal and external experts, identifies new business or operating model, and works with a cross functional team of ASI/AARP stakeholders to identify strategy recommendations. The Director will develop ASI strategy documents both presentation and prose and will socialize internally and present to senior management for approval. Key responsibilities include:

• Lead development and implementation of current FPS new product pipeline and all necessary coordination across all ASI to ensure timely and comprehensive launch of new products.
• Manage and co lead with FPS team key strategic product initiatives into new and innovative products that are identified in the FPS roadmap for new offerings.
• Will serve as advisor and or consultant to research new product ideas in the insurance, banking investments, real estate spaces.
• Identify product solutions verse products ideas that allow FPS to enhance and extend current product solutions to more of a solutions-based approach to serving member's needs. 
• Identify and evaluate new consumer needs states, business opportunities, product and service solutions that further the company's strategic growth objectives
• Keep current of all new marketplace products and offerings that would or could exist inside the FPS team including such things as mapping competitive landscape, understanding revenue models, and identifying and building the case for ASI's business model and opportunity
• Develops and presents strategic recommendation and roadmaps and gains consensus with a cross/functional team of ASI/AARP stakeholders
• Forges and maintains relationships with key stakeholders across ASI/AARP ecosystem including senior executives
• Actively participates in the development of new concepts, new product development and implementation plans including evaluating new business models

• Completion of a degree, Business Management or related undergraduate degree, or a related discipline (or equivalent) with a minimum of 10 years of experience in Product launch and development. 
• Experienced in a significant number of Financial related products including such things as Investments, banking, Real Estate, insurance, credit, lending and debt products and offerings.
• Proven strategic thinker with prior experience in being able to take a product at early stage and shepherd it through the NPD process by clearing all hurdles or finding solutions and answers to ensure all stakeholders are satisfied.  This would include leading the launch initiatives and ensuring all documentation and authorizations are competed on a timely and accurate basis to ensure a successful launch.   
• Ability to assist and assess strategic options for potential revenue and engagement growth, overall value, and risk assessment. 
• Ability to develop an implementation plan from strategies.
• Proven leadership skills and management experience at all levels within an organization (up, across, down) and effectiveness in a matrix organization.
• Results oriented, decisive, and analytical, leading to creative solutions, while managing key stakeholder involvement. 
• Good communicator (written, presentation) and excellent interpersonal skills.  Exhibit positive, enthusiastic attitude with member focus, while motivating others to lead. 

AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition; tuition reimbursement; among others. Visit careers.aarp.org/benefits for more information. 

As a result of the COVID pandemic, all interviews will be held virtually and all non-essential employees will continue to work remotely until further notice. 

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture.  AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.