Strategic Initiatives Lead

Responsibilities

• Opportunity Framing & Market Insights
• Analyze industry trends, competitor activity, and emerging capabilities relevant to Vanguard's priorities
• Develop core deliverables such as market maps, target lists, competitive analyses, and opportunity briefs
• Synthesize research into clear insights that inform early-stage opportunity evaluation
• Strategic Prioritization & Opportunity Development
• Support intake, screening, and prioritization of inorganic opportunities using established frameworks
• Help assess strategic fit, potential value drivers, and key risks through structured analysis
• Partner with business sponsors and deal teams to refine opportunity scope, define strategic objectives, and assess potential partnership or deal structures, including scenario analysis and key value drivers
• Deal Shaping, Diligence & Execution
• Partner closely with M&A, partnerships, and venture teams to refine opportunities as they progress through diligence and negotiation
• Contribute to development of partnership constructs, commercial models, and key business terms
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and clearly communicate in-depth market research, analyses, and detailed models to senior stakeholders
• Manage assigned components of workstreams (e.g., research, analysis, deliverables) with guidance from senior team members
• Build and evolve playbooks, standards, and working models that improve speed, rigor, and execution quality
• Value Realization & Ongoing Partnership Support
• Support the tracking of key metrics and performance indicators across partnerships and venture investments
• Enable post-deal success through structured engagement (e.g., pilots, commercialization support, executive alignment)
• Capture and feed lessons learned back into future thesis development and prioritization
• Participate in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 5+ years of related experience, with demonstrated experience leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives in strategy, consulting, corporate development, venture, or adjacent fields
• Prior experience with strategic partnerships and M&A preferred.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience. MBA preferred.
• Special Factors
• Sponsorship
• Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.
• About Vanguard
• At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission-we're on a mission.
• To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
• How We Work

Additional Information

The Strategic Initiatives Lead plays a key role in how Vanguard identifies, evaluates, and advances inorganic opportunities from early thesis development through execution alignment and value realization. In this role, you will work across strategy, corporate development, and business teams to conduct analysis, develop materials, and support the evaluation and execution of inorganic opportunities.

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at Vanguard? Share your experience