Corporate Strategic Planning, Director

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 80,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges.

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network. The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC MANUBANK, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.

The anticipated salary range for this role is between $170,000.00 and $235,000.00. The specific salary offered to an applicant will be based on their individual qualifications, experiences, and an analysis of the current compensation paid in their geography and the market for similar roles at the time of hire. The role may also be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive award. In addition to cash compensation, SMBC offers a competitive portfolio of benefits to its employees.

General Team Description

Corporate Strategic Planning sits within Finance and supports enterprise-level strategy and corporate development efforts, including selective strategic transactions and other complex, non-routine initiatives. The team partners closely with Finance, Treasury, Legal, Risk, Tax, Operations, Technology, and business stakeholders, and works with external advisors as needed.

Role Description

The Director, Corporate Strategic Planning is a senior initiative leadership role responsible for leading complex strategy and corporate development initiatives, transactions, and enterprise-level special situations.

The Director acts as a trusted execution partner to senior Corporate Strategic Planning leadership, independently leading high-impact workstreams and coordinating across senior stakeholders to advance strategic priorities. The role requires a combination of strategic thinking, transaction execution capability, stakeholder management, and sound judgment.

The Director is expected to operate with significant autonomy, identify opportunities proactively, resolve issues before escalation becomes necessary, and serve as a thought partner to senior leadership on strategic and execution-related matters.

Reporting Line & Growth

• The role reports to the Executive Director, Corporate Strategic Planning.
• Provides sustained exposure to enterprise‑level decision‑making and long‑term corporate development and business development leadership opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Strategic Planning Leadership

• Lead evaluation and execution of strategic opportunities, including acquisitions, divestitures, partnerships, minority investments, restructurings, and other special situations.
• Develop strategic recommendations and option frameworks for senior management consideration.
• Assess market opportunities, competitive dynamics, and capability gaps to support enterprise growth objectives.
• Proactively identify strategic opportunities and emerging issues that may impact the firm’s long-term positioning.

Complex Transaction Execution

• Lead transaction execution across the full lifecycle, including evaluation, diligence, structuring, negotiation support, governance approvals, closing, and implementation.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders and external advisors throughout the transaction process.
• Anticipate and resolve execution risks, competing priorities, and organizational challenges.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Serve as primary coordination point for complex initiatives involving multiple functions and business lines.
• Build strong relationships across Finance, Treasury, Risk, Legal, Tax, Operations, Technology, and business leadership.
• Drive alignment among stakeholders with differing perspectives and priorities.

Key Responsibilties (continued)

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide guidance and coaching to Vice Presidents, Associates, and Analysts.
• Review analyses, recommendations, and governance materials for quality and consistency.
• Help develop team capabilities, operating practices, and knowledge resources.
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, and talent development efforts.

Executive Partnership

• Partner closely with the Executive Director and Head of Corporate Strategic Planning to advance key initiatives.
• Present recommendations to senior executives and governance forums.
• Represent Corporate Strategic Planning in internal and external meetings as appropriate.

Qualifications and Skills

Required Experience

• 8+ years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, corporate development, strategic finance, private equity, or related fields.
• Meaningful experience within financial services, banking, capital markets, asset management, fintech, or other regulated financial institutions.
• Demonstrated leadership of complex transactions and enterprise-level strategic initiatives.
• Strong financial analysis, valuation, and transaction structuring, and strategic problem-solving capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead through influence in matrixed organizations.

Preferred Qualifications / Differentiators

• Combination of management consulting and financial services experience strongly preferred.
• MBA preferred.
• Experience presenting to executive leadership and governance committees.
• Experience operating within regulated financial institutions.

What Differentiates a Strong Candidate

• Operates as an owner rather than a task manager.
• Anticipates issues before they become problems.
• Distinguishes critical decisions from noise.
• Successful candidates are supportive collaborators who have a “can do” attitude and share a team first mindset.
• Comfortable making recommendations with imperfect information.
• Brings strategic insight and original thinking, not just execution.
• Able to independently lead complex initiatives while maintaining alignment with leadership objectives.
• Develops people and elevates team performance.

SMBC’s employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process. Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required.

SMBC provides reasonable accommodations during candidacy for applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know at View email address on us.fitly.work.