Head of Strategic Initiatives

About the role

The Strategy team shapes the long-term direction of the GSMA to ensure we provide maximum value to our members and the broader mobile ecosystem. The team is responsible for: Sector Strategy & Projects - defining the industry's 3-5 year outlook and implications for GSMA. Corporate Strategy & Projects - developing the 3-year strategic roadmap of GSMA, KPIs, business plan, and high-level operating plan. Strategic Initiatives - leading/ coordinating cross-functional initiatives externally and internally (e.g., 5G monetisation, 6G, AI, Innovation, inorganic growth opportunities, AI-first GSMA etc.). GSMA Intelligence - the only data and insights source built from inside the telecoms industry, delivering trusted forecasts, real-time insights and deep research across the global telecoms ecosystem Strategy Group - convening telecom CSOs to align on industry-level priorities. As a small, high-impact team, we work across functions and regions to drive clarity, alignment, and execution against long-term goals. The Head of Strategic Initiatives is responsible for identifying, shaping, and amplifying high-impact strategic priorities for GSMA and the broader mobile ecosystem. The role brings a top-down, ecosystem-level perspective to selected industry priorities (e.g., 5G monetisation, 6G, AI, innovation, inorganic growth opportunities, AI-first GSMA) and ensures GSMA delivers maximum value and visible leadership in those domains. This is not about taking over operational ownership. It is about: Setting direction Mapping the ecosystem Identifying gaps and opportunities Coordinating internal capabilities Elevating impact to industry scale

Responsibilities

• Strategic Priority Identification & Scoping
• Identify and champion high-impact strategic initiatives aligned with sector and corporate strategy
• Define clear ambition, scope, and outcomes for selected priority areas
• Develop initiative charters and strategic roadmaps
• Ecosystem Mapping & Opportunity Identification
• Map the industry landscape for each priority:
• Key players and competitors
• Existing industry initiatives
• Potential partners and collaborators
• White spaces and gaps
• Identify where GSMA can uniquely add value and differentiate
• Cross-Functional Orchestration
• Coordinate across GSMA functions (policy, technical domains, events, marketing, regional teams, GSMA Intelligence)
• Ensure initiatives leverage GSMA's full capability stack:
• Technical expertise
• Policy influence
• Global events and convening power
• Brand and communications
• Align stakeholders around shared objectives and measurable outcomes
• Execution Oversight & Impact Amplification
• Establish governance and progress tracking mechanisms for key initiatives
• Ensure initiatives move beyond concept into visible, measurable impact
• Identify and resolve execution bottlenecks
• Drive storytelling and positioning to reinforce GSMA's leadership in selected domains
• Ensure the "GSMA stamp" is clearly visible in priority areas
• Partnership & External Engagement
• Develop strategic partnerships that accelerate impact
• Represent GSMA in relevant industry forums and working groups
• Strengthen GSMA's position as the industry's coordination platform for priority domains
• About You
• Significant experience leading complex, cross-functional strategic initiatives
• Strong understanding of the telecom and broader digital ecosystem
• Demonstrated ability to orchestrate across multiple stakeholders without direct authority
• Strong commercial and strategic acumen
• Experience shaping large-scale programmes or ecosystem initiatives
• Comfortable operating at executive level and influencing senior leaders
• Pragmatic, impact-oriented, and execution-focused
• Experience operating in fast-paced or high-growth environments
• Results orientated problem-solver with strong resilience and adaptability
• About Your Skills
• Delivery - d riving execution excellence by translating strategy into actionable plans, overcoming bottlenecks, and ensuring initiatives deliver measurable, high-impact outcomes
• Leadership - l eading with clarity and influence by setting direction, aligning diverse stakeholders, and driving teams to deliver

Additional Information

Department: Strategy Team: Strategic Initiatives Location: London (Hybrid) Position type: Permanent, Full time What the hiring manager says Strategy only matters if it translates into meaningful impact. The Head of Strategic Initiatives will ensure that GSMA does not simply observe industry shifts but actively shapes them. This role will identify, champion, and amplify high-impact priorities across the mobile ecosystem - ensuring that when GSMA selects a strategic focus area, we lead with scale, coordination, and visible impact. This is about making GSMA the centre of gravity for selected industry priorities - leveraging our technical expertise, policy leadership, global convening power, and brand to deliver outsized impact for our members. Hakan Dursun, Chief Strategy Officer

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at gsma? Share your experience