Senior Manager, Strategic Planning - Group Medicare

We’re building a world of health around every individual — shaping a more connected, convenient and compassionate health experience. At CVS Health®, you’ll be surrounded by passionate colleagues who care deeply, innovate with purpose, hold ourselves accountable and prioritize safety and quality in everything we do. Join us and be part of something bigger – helping to simplify health care one person, one family and one community at a time. Position Summary Aetna's Group Medicare organization helps employers deliver high-quality, affordable healthcare coverage to retirees nationwide. As a Senior Manager of Strategic Planning, you'll help shape our growth and competitive strategy in a dynamic, rapidly evolving market. This role is a key contributor to the Group Medicare Strategy team, responsible for supporting and executing the end-to-end strategic planning process — from coordination and development through implementation and ongoing monitoring — ensuring alignment with business priorities and enterprise objectives. You will partner closely with leaders across sales, underwriting, finance, and operations, and will own the development of competitive insights, executive materials, and strategic communications that enable informed decision-making and strong execution. Success in this role requires the ability to operate independently, manage ambiguity, and influence stakeholders to move work forward with clarity and accountability. This position directly supports sustained growth by strengthening strategic rigor, enhancing performance visibility, and deepening understanding of the competitive landscape. Key responsibilities include: Cross-functional partnership: Collaborating with leaders across sales, underwriting, finance, and operations to drive alignment, manage timelines, and proactively identify risks and dependencies. Competitive intelligence: Owning the development and continuous refinement of market insights, including competitor positioning and translating market dynamics into actionable strategy. Executive storytelling: Synthesizing complex data into clear, concise insights and recommendations that support executive decision-making. Leading the development of business reviews, strategic updates, and executive-level materials. Strategic communications: Ensuring enterprise and business partner strategies are clearly translated and effectively shared across the organization to enable strong execution. Key Responsibilities Strategic Planning & Execution Lead the development, coordination, and execution of annual and multi-year strategic planning processes Establish and maintain structures that support planning, execution, accountability, and alignment to priorities Manage timelines, dependencies, risks, and issue resolution across strategic initiatives Develop performance monitoring frameworks and track progress, identifying risks, gaps, and opportunities Ensure performance data informs ongoing strategy refinement Advise on growth opportunities, performance improvement, and market positioning Competitive Insights & Market Intelligence Monitor competitor activity, market dynamics, and industry trends impacting our positioning Analyze win/loss drivers, pricing dynamics, and market shifts to inform strategic priorities Translate competitive intelligence into actionable recommendations for leadership Develop and maintain regular outputs (e.g., insights briefs, executive summaries, competitor POVs) Anticipate emerging risks and opportunities, proactively surfacing recommendations Communications & Project Management Create high-quality executive-level presentations and strategic materials Lead cross-functional workgroups to drive alignment and execution Support organizational communications that reinforce priorities and improve consistency Coordinate strategic forums and events (e.g., business reviews, offsites, leadership meetings), including content development, logistics, and follow-through Identify and implement process improvements to streamline workflows Influence stakeholders at all levels to drive progress and maintain momentum Required Qualifications 7+ years' experience in strategy, project / program management and delivery; preferably within the healthcare or insurance industry Experience in managing large-scale projects from inception to completion, ensuring deadlines and objectives are met Strong data analysis and problem-solving skills to identify trends, assess risks and inform decision making Ability to build and maintain strong relationships across diverse teams and functions Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage with senior executives and stakeholders Experience presenting to audiences at all levels in an open and transparent way that quickly builds trust and respect Ability to manage multiple priorities, operate in ambiguity, and deliver under tight timelines Highly motivated self-starter with a growth mindset Confidence and courage to work independently, execute priorities, identify and initiate improvements without requiring step-by-step direction Experience with competitive intelligence, market analysis, and translating insights into strategy Preferred Qualifications Medicare background Strategy/Chief of Staff experience Project management certification Strong analytical mindset with ability to connect market dynamics to business implications Education Bachelor's Degree required Advanced Degree preferred Pay Range The typical pay range for this role is: $75,400.00 - $199,144.00 This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company’s equity award program. Our people fuel our future. Our teams reflect the customers, patients, members and communities we serve and we are committed to fostering a workplace where every colleague feels valued and that they belong. Great benefits for great people We take pride in offering a comprehensive and competitive mix of pay and benefits that reflects our commitment to our colleagues and their families. This full‑time position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the physical, emotional, and financial well‑being of colleagues and their families. The benefits for this position include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement savings options, wellness programs, and other resources, based on eligibility. Additional details about available benefits are provided during the application process and on Benefits Moments. We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on: 07/06/2026 Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state and local laws. Our Work Experience is the combination of everything that's unique about us: our culture, our core values, our company meetings, our commitment to sustainability, our recognition programs, but most importantly, it's our people. Our employees are self-disciplined, hard working, curious, trustworthy, humble, and truthful. They make choices according to what is best for the team, they live for opportunities to collaborate and make a difference, and they make us the #1 Top Workplace in the area.