14481 - Head of Corporate Strategy & Development (Virtual)

Together we change lives. 

Kelly is a team of experts driven by our belief that the impact of the right person in the right job is limitless. 

No matter where you are in your career journey you can apply your knowledge and passion to move people, organizations, and communities forward.  You’ll have opportunities to grow your expertise and capabilities, both professionally and personally.  As a team we celebrate inclusion, caring and collaboration.  As a company we value your contribution, we work with integrity, and we always put people first – so your impact really will change lives.  

Our Head of Corporate Strategy and Development is a senior strategy executive serving as Kelly’s chief architect of enterprise direction and capital allocation — combining strategic planning and execution, corporate development leadership, and competitive intelligence and analysis governance under a single remit that reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

As Kelly enters a pivotal chapter in its 80 th year, with new executive and Board leadership focused on profitable growth amid rapid industry change, this Vice President position will serve as a key strategic advisor to senior leadership and the Board. The role will lead long-range planning, corporate development, and enterprise execution, ensuring strategic priorities translate into measurable business outcomes while overseeing strategy, M&A, and enterprise management functions.

The successful candidate will bring a combination of top-tier strategic intellect, buy side and sell side transaction experience, executive presence and the ability to influence and mobilize a complex, matrixed enterprise behind a unified direction.

Responsibilities:

• Enterprise Strategy Leadership
  • Own the enterprise-wide strategic agenda, setting the 3–5 year strategic planning cycle and long-range plan (LRP)
  • Develop and track key initiatives and operational performance metrics that are critical to executing against to deliver the LRP
  • Drive competitive intelligence, market analysis, and scenario planning
  • Define organic growth priorities and capital allocation recommendations

• Corporate Development Program Ownership
  • Oversee the full lifecycle from pipeline sourcing through post-merger integration
  • Govern deal structuring, valuation, due diligence, and negotiation
  • Lead integration planning and performance tracking; manage external advisors, banks, and divestiture activities
  • Manage matrixed governance model spanning all key functional areas and across the business units
  • Develop and manage critical external relationships ensuring strategic alignment of Kelly goals with their objectives

• Strategic Counsel
  • Serve as primary strategic advisor to the CEO, CFO and executive leadership team; develop and curate Board-level strategy narrative and materials
  • Support investor relations and broader external messaging storyline and enterprise positioning
  • Facilitate executive team alignment on strategic priorities

• Cross-Functional Governance
  • Chair enterprise-wide strategic initiative governance forums; broker alignment across BU leaders on shared priorities
  • Define and track KPIs for strategy execution and accountability
  • Partner with Finance, HR, and Operations on integrated planning

• Strategic Partnerships & Alliances
  • Lead non-M&A strategic partnership development and negotiation
  • Identify and evaluate alliance opportunities that accelerate strategy; govern partnership performance and relationship management
  • Represent Kelly in external strategic forums and industry bodies

Key Success Measures:

• Clearly defined, CEO- and Board-aligned 3 year strategic plan with measurable milestones, capital allocation guidance, and executive sponsorship in place
• CEO and Board confidence in the quality and cadence of strategic materials, reflected in Board feedback and executive team adoption of strategic governance frameworks
• Strong cross-functional relationships with BU presidents and functional leaders, evidenced by participation in and adoption of enterprise planning and governance processes
• Defined and robust Corporate Development processes including pipeline tracking and transparency, capital allocation priorities and opportunity evaluation criteria, due diligence and post deal integration
• Established and engaged partner portfolio for all facets of the strategic and corporate development lifecycles

Knowledge, Skills, and Experiences:

• 15+ years of progressive senior leadership experience spanning corporate strategy, corporate development, and enterprise execution — ideally combining top-tier management consulting or investment banking with in-house strategy leadership at a publicly traded, global organization
• Proven track record leading complex deals from origination to close, with demonstrated ability to govern M&A at pace and build repeatable deal processes
• Experience building and leading enterprise planning processes and advising C-suite and Board-level stakeholders with credibility and impact
• Rare combination of strategic intellect, deal acumen, and organizational influence to drive alignment across a complex, matrixed enterprise
• Polished communicator and effective steward of external narrative with investors, partners, and industry bodies
• Demonstrated ability to connect strategy to execution — sequencing, resourcing, and delivering transformation programs against strategic intent
• Strong cross-functional partnership skills; able to broker alignment across BU presidents and functional leaders without relying on positional authority
• Analytical rigor with the ability to build strategy from first principles, synthesizing market intelligence, competitive dynamics, and internal capability into clear, prioritized plans
• Fluency in AI-enabled strategy and analytics workflows, including applied use of AI tools for competitive intelligence, scenario modeling, and deal evaluation; working knowledge of leading CRM, program management, and productivity platforms

Location:  Virtual / Remote

Travel:  As required by business needs

Base pay range for this position is $250,000 – $300,000 per year. Final annual compensation will be based on experience and may vary by geographic location.

Compensation package and benefits applicable to the position – understanding that each person has unique professional and personal needs focused on your total well-being. Our range of Benefits for full-time employees can be explored at: Kelly Services | People (benefitsatkelly.com) .

Kelly is an equal opportunity employer committed to employing a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce, including, but not limited to, race, gender, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Equal Employment Opportunity is The Law.