Strategy Analyst, Affinity Business Unit

at  Manulife

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JOB DESCRIPTION

The Strategy Analyst, Affinity Business Unit is a key contributor to the development, governance, and realization of our long-term strategy and vision. This role focuses on driving the Affinity Business Unit Strategy forward with direct accountability to the Head of Strategy for Affinity. The Strategy Analyst will support the acceleration of strategic objectives by providing data and insights to help stakeholders solve challenging problems. Additionally, this role aids in the delivery of comprehensive advisory services to senior management and supports maintaining an effective monitoring framework and process to ensure successful strategy execution. The individual will work closely with various teams to enable efficient completion of business unit-led initiatives.
The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with strong communication skills, able to make complex concepts simple and engaging for various audiences.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• 1-3 years of relevant experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field; advanced degree or experience in management consulting is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to foster and maintain relationships in a matrixed organization.
• Ability to set, manage, and work to the expectations of stakeholders and to work independently as well as collaboratively in a dynamic group.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, for varying audiences.
• Financial Services business acumen is an asset in a fast-paced, high-performing environment.
• Aptitude for strategic, critical, and analytical thinking, and effective problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to break down complex problems into actionable steps and to create solutions where blueprints may not exist.
• Receptive and adaptive to an evolving, fast-paced environment.

Delivery Execution & Reporting

• Assists development and delivery roadmaps across key strategic initiatives as needed.
• Supports ad-hoc and monthly portfolio management reporting.
• Helps in managing the portfolio-level intake process, understanding the impact of new items on the existing portfolio.
• Provides recommendations on tools and processes to drive enhancements across reporting and analytics.

Strategic Communications

• Assists in planning, developing, and deploying communications in support of strategy execution.
• Supports internal communications strategies, such as all-colleague town halls and offsites, helping to bring them to life.
• Facilitates strategic partnerships with key business partners to gather and share relevant information.

Strategic Analysis & Planning

• Work with internal partners to gather information and deliver thoughtful recommendations on strategic planning and direction.
• Prepare presentation materials, metrics and performance reports, and ad-hoc requests, including crafting analysis and conclusions.
• Analyze key business priorities, evaluate options and bring insights to generate executive action that creates value for the company.
• Monitor industry trends, market positioning, or competitive activity to inform strategy and plans.
• Conduct external research on emerging trends, synthesize recommendations and present findings in a clear, concise manner.