Service and Operations Strategy Leader (Hybrid)

About the role

We are seeking a strategic, collaborative, and innovative leader to drive Service and Operational Strategy for Financial Protection and Retirement Solutions (FPRS). In this role, you will report to the Head of Operational Solutions, and will help shape the roadmap and vision for new business and inforce service, across operations and contact center functions, with a focus on improving customer experience, scalability, and efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Assess current-state operations, customer journeys, channel performance, service demand, and cost drivers to identify transformation opportunities.
• Lead the evaluation and prioritization of automation, digital containment, workflow optimization, and AI-enabled solutions that improve speed, quality, consistency, and customer experience.
• Partner with technology, customer experience, finance, and operational leaders to build business cases, roadmaps, and implementation plans.
• Evaluate potential outsourcing, managed service, nearshore/offshore, and hybrid delivery models, including service design, vendor capabilities, cost-benefit analysis, risk management, governance, and transition planning.
• Define operating model requirements, including roles, governance, workforce impacts, process ownership, controls, change management, and performance management routines.
• Establish KPIs and success measures for transformation initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional workshops and executive-level discussions to align stakeholders, resolve tradeoffs, and advance strategic decisions.
• Monitor market trends, emerging technologies, competitive practices, and customer behavior shifts to keep the operations strategy future-ready.

Requirements

• Transformative: Demonstrated experience developing long-term strategies, transformation roadmaps, operating models, and business cases for complex service organizations.
• Customer-focused: Experience identifying and implementing automation, self-service, digital service, workflow, or AI-enabled capabilities in an operational environment.
• Analytical: Ability to analyze operational, financial, workforce, and customer data to identify opportunities, quantify impact, and influence strategic decisions.
• Collaborative and able to influence: Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, manage ambiguity, and drive alignment across teams with competing priorities.
• Strong communicator: ability to simplify complex topics, develop compelling narratives, and present recommendations to senior leaders.
• Commercially oriented: Strong financial and commercial acumen, including cost modeling, ROI analysis, vendor evaluation, and benefits realization.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in operations strategy, service transformation, management consulting, business process improvement, or a related field.
• Background in customer experience, service design, or enterprise transformation.
• Experience with contact center platforms, workforce optimization tools, conversational AI, virtual agents, automation solutions, etc.
• Experience designing outsourced, co-sourced, offshore, nearshore, or managed service operating models.
• Experience in regulated or high-complexity service environments where risk, compliance, privacy, and operational controls are critical.

Skills

• Bachelor's degree required, MBA or other advanced degree preferred.

Pay

Salary Range: $132,420.00 - $217,545.00

The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Benefits

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

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