Senior Strategic Initiatives Specialist

Position Summary The Strategic Initiatives department is looking for a Senior Strategic Initiatives Specialist to join their team. This role carries a high‑impact, high‑visibility position on Focus Financial Partners’ Strategic Initiatives team—a small senior group that functions as an internal strategy and transformation entity for the firm. The Senior Specialist will lead analytical and presentation work to ensure business priorities are met while working directly with executive leadership and driving the highest‑priority strategic initiatives at Focus. The role includes trade‑by‑deal or engagement‑by‑engagement work for broader impact. Primary Responsibilities Program & Project Execution Own individual workstreams within the AI Strategy Program and other cross‑functional initiatives—structure the work, drive to decisions, and deliver outputs on schedule. Build and maintain operating infrastructure for complex projects: project trackers, decision logs, risk registers, governance frameworks, and meeting rhythms. Triage incoming requests and competing priorities across the team’s portfolio to keep focus on highest‑leverage work. Analysis & Modeling Build financial models, business cases, and ROI frameworks to support strategic decisions—clean, accurate, and built to be used, not just filed. Conduct competitive intelligence and market research; synthesize findings into executive‑ready summaries and recommendations. Support initiative tracking and KPI dashboards that connect strategic priorities to measurable outcomes. Communication & Influence Prepare board materials, executive presentations, and governance committee deliverables; own the quality of narrative and numbers. Represent the Strategic Initiatives team in cross‑functional meetings; keep stakeholders aligned and accountable without positional authority. Translate complex, ambiguous situations into crisp problem statements and structured options for senior decision‑makers. AI Strategy Program Support Support execution of Focus’s enterprise AI strategy, including vendor evaluations, use case intake process, governance committee operations, and pilot program management. Help develop and maintain the AI program’s knowledge base, intake forms, risk frameworks, and operating cadences. Serve as a credible, hands‑on user of AI tools; bring practical experience to conversations about where and how AI creates value at Focus. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or related discipline required; MBA or CFA in progress or completed preferred. 3+ years of experience in investment banking, private equity, management consulting, or corporate strategy at a financial services firm. Demonstrated ability to build and own structured work products—models, memos, slide decks—independently under time pressure. Experience working in fast‑paced environments with multiple concurrent priorities and senior stakeholder exposure. Exceptional financial modeling and Excel skills—build from scratch, not template‑dependent. Strong structured communication skills: can write a one‑pager, build a five‑slide deck, or lead a working session with equal command. Intellectually curious and comfortable operating in ambiguity; does not wait to be told what the answer should be. High personal accountability—owns output, fixes mistakes, and does not let things fall through cracks. Collaborative by instinct but comfortable working independently; can operate with minimal supervision on defined workstreams. Familiarity with AI productivity tools (Claude, Notion AI, Copilot, etc.) and a willingness to be an early adopter; experience building with AI is a plus but not required. Compensation and Benefits This is an exempt position. Base pay may vary based on experience, expertise, geographic location, and applicant’s skill set. Base pay is part of total compensation, which may include an annual cash bonus and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k). The job title is subject to change based on the selected candidate’s experience and education. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Focus is an equal‑opportunity employer and bases its employment decisions on the candidate’s skill set, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic according to law. Focus complies with federal and state disability laws and provides reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive other benefits, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io. For Indiana Applicants: It is unlawful to discriminate against a prospective employee on the basis of veteran status. For Maryland Applicants: Under Maryland law, an employer may not require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. For California Applicants: The information on your California privacy rights can be found here. For Massachusetts Applicants: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. For Montana Applicants: If hired, the employment relationship is governed by the Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act, Mont. Code Ann. Section 39‑2‑901. For Rhode Island Applicants: Focus is subject to Rhode Island workers’ compensation laws and complies fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act. #J-18808-Ljbffr Focus Partners