Vice President, Express NEXT

Sitting within the corporate office of Express Employment International, and reporting to the Senior Vice President of Global Development, the Vice President, Express Next serves as the primary execution and integration leader for Express Next, the company’s future-focused strategy, innovation, and business evolution function. The Vice President partners with the SVP of Global Development to identify and shape consequential Horizon 2 and Horizon 3 opportunities and translate them into disciplined exploration, experimentation, evidence, and decision-ready recommendations. Working across Express, the franchise network, and selected external partners, the Vice President mobilizes the expertise required to test critical assumptions, focus resources on the strongest opportunities, stop unsupported ideas early, and prepare validated concepts for long-term operating ownership. About Express Next Express Next exists to anticipate future opportunities and mitigate potential threats so Express can remain built to last. Focused primarily on Horizon 2 and Horizon 3, Express Next looks beyond the immediate demands of today’s business to explore the opportunities, threats, technologies, markets, operating models, and business models that could shape Express over the next 3–10 years and beyond. Express Next combines strategic exploration with disciplined, real-world experimentation. Express Next converts uncertainty into evidence, invests progressively, stops weak ideas early, builds with future owners, and brings leadership decision-ready recommendations. Express Employment International values the benefits of in-person collaboration in fostering teamwork, creativity, and connection. Employees in this position who are located within the Oklahoma City metropolitan market are expected to work in the office four (4) days per week, with the flexibility to work remotely one (1) day per week, based on business and department needs. For candidates located outside the Oklahoma City metropolitan market, remote work may be considered within the continental 48 states, based on business and department needs. Responsibilities Partner with the SVP of Global Development to identify, frame, and prioritize emerging risks, future growth opportunities, and strategic questions that could materially affect ExpressManage the active Horizon 2 and Horizon 3 opportunity portfolio, balancing strategic importance, potential enterprise value, uncertainty, feasibility, resource requirements, and Express’s right to winTranslate priority opportunities into focused research, discovery, experiments, pilots, partnerships, and incubation plans designed to address the most important unknownsEstablish clear hypotheses, success and failure criteria, time boundaries, resource requirements, and intended decisions for experiments and pilotsEvaluate evidence and prepare clear recommendations to Advance, Modify, Hold, or Stop an opportunityMobilize expertise across Operations, Technology and AI, Finance, Legal, Business Intelligence, Marketing, International operations, franchisees, and external partners as neededPartner with willing franchisees and operating leaders to test new services, technologies, markets, operating models, customer experiences, and workforce solutionsDevelop the economics, capabilities, technology, controls, resources, and implementation approach needed to determine whether a validated concept can scaleEngage the likely long-term operating owner as confidence grows and transition validated initiatives into the appropriate organization for implementation and scaleMonitor external developments in technology, AI, workforce trends, regulation, competition, demographics, markets, and emerging business models and connect relevant signals to Express’s long-term needsBuild relationships with external experts, technology providers, startups, potential partners, and other sources of insight that can accelerate learning and opportunity developmentProvide senior leadership with concise, timely, decision-ready portfolio updates and recommendationsPromote disciplined investment by ensuring resources follow evidence and by treating the early termination of unsupported ideas as a successful outcomePerform other duties as assigned Education & Experience Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required; advanced degree preferredAt least ten (10) years of progressive leadership experience in strategy, innovation, technology, operations, transformation, new ventures, consulting, or a related fieldDemonstrated success leading complex cross-functional work from strategic concept through evidence, decision, and implementation readinessExperience developing pilots, products, services, capabilities, partnerships, ventures, investment cases, or new business modelsExperience in staffing, workforce solutions, franchising, technology, international markets, or multi-unit business models is beneficial Knowledge, Skills, Or Abilities Exceptional strategic, commercial, and organizational judgmentStrong execution, portfolio management, integration, and problem-solving skillsAbility to turn ambiguity into focused action and complex ideas into clear recommendationsAbility to influence senior leaders and mobilize cross-functional teams without relying on formal authorityStrong financial acumen and ability to evaluate opportunity economics, investment requirements, and potential enterprise valueFluency in technology, data, AI, emerging business models, and their strategic implicationsExcellent verbal, written, executive communication, and presentation skillsIntellectual curiosity and willingness to challenge assumptions constructively and responsiblyAbility to build productive relationships across corporate functions, franchisees, operating teams, and external partnersAvailability to travel as neededProficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software Not sure you meet every requirement? Apply anyway! At Express, we celebrate what makes you, you. We value diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and talents—because we know that’s what makes us stronger together. If you're excited about the role, we’re excited to hear from you. Express Employment International supports Express Employment Professionals franchises and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with more than 870 franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, our corporate team is committed to empowering franchisees by providing world-class support, training, and strategic guidance through a unified global network. Our mission is to professionally market and provide quality human resource solutions through an international franchising network—benefiting our associates, clients, franchisees, corporate staff, shareholders, and the communities we serve. Our vision is simple yet powerful: To help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people.