AVP, Head of Strategy, Portfolio & CX

Pacific Life • Charlotte, NC

3d • $190,000 - $225,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Providing for loved ones, planning rewarding retirements, saving enough for whatever lies ahead – our policyholders count on us to be there when it matters most. It’s a big ask, but it’s one that we have the power to deliver when we work together. We collaborate and innovate – pushing one another to transform not just Pacific Life, but the entire industry for the better. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. Pacific Life is more than a job, it’s a career with purpose. It’s a career where you have the support, balance, and resources to make a positive impact on the future – including your own. We’re actively seeking a talented Head of CX, Strategy and Portfolio to join our Group Employee Benefits Strategy, Delivery & Shared Services team in Newport Beach, CA, Omaha, NE, or Charlotte, NC. This role follows a hybrid schedule of four days in the office (on-site). If you are not currently located near one of our offices, we offer comprehensive relocation assistance. The Head of CX, Strategy and Portfolio is responsible for unifying customer experience (CX) strategy with business strategy, and translating both into a prioritized, governed portfolio of initiatives that improves customer outcomes and accelerates profitable growth. This role will oversee a team of resources responsible for CX measurement and insights, business strategy, and portfolio lifecycle. This role will partner closely with senior management, Finance, product management, and cross-functional teams to translate CX insights and business strategy into actionable initiatives that drive profitable growth, enable scale, and amplify Group Employee Benefits market differentiation.

Requirements

• 10+ years of leadership experience across CX, strategy, and portfolio management (or consulting) within financial services, insurance, or adjacent industries
• Ability to translate vision into actionable plans, roadmaps, and measurable outcomes - balancing stakeholder needs, capacity, risk, and value
• Proven success improving end-to-end customer journeys and experience standards, with measurement that informs prioritization and demonstrates impact
• Deep experience operating portfolio governance in complex, cross-functional environments
• Strong business and financial acumen - able to frame trade-offs, quantify value, manage budgets, and drive disciplined decisions
• Demonstrated change leadership and comfort leading through ambiguity
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and influence skills - able to align senior stakeholders and drive clear outcomes and accountability
• High judgment, integrity, and discretion; trusted to steward company resources and manage risk appropriately
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, analytics, design, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Nice To Haves

• Group Employee Benefits experience
• Facilitative leader who builds cross-functional partnerships, clarifies expectations, removes obstacles, and drives outcomes through influence
• Strong analytical and storytelling skills - synthesizes qualitative and quantitative inputs into crisp executive narratives that drive fast, high-quality decisions
• Track record building governance and operating systems that drive consistent, measurable improvement
• Experience using AI, automation, and analytics to enable scalable growth

Responsibilities

• Define and evolve the Group Employee Benefits customer experience strategy
• Oversee customer and market research, integrating findings into strategy and portfolio recommendations
• Own customer experience measurement and the operationalization of insights
• Champion innovation and next-gen technologies to unlock scalable growth, reduce cycle time, and improve customer and employee experience
• Own and evolve our Group Employee Benefits’ strategic planning process and cadence, ensuring alignment with Enterprise strategic planning
• Develop, execute, and monitor integrated business strategies to achieve short-term and long-term organizational goals
• Oversee the development and management of Group Employee Benefits’ multi-year strategy roadmap; monitor trajectory to long term strategic aspirations and, as appropriate, recommend what adjustments need to be made
• Maintain awareness of market research and analysis to identify strategic opportunities and risks, and translate external trends into relevant internal actions
• Build intelligence processes that can scale across the organization
• Oversee development of Group Employee Benefits’ strategic narrative, including but not limited to Quarterly Strategic Views, board meetings, etc.
• Act as the Strategy leader for Group Employee Benefits in Enterprise Community of Practice, providing thought leadership and participation as needed in joint strategy efforts such as AI
• Own the end-to-end portfolio management lifecycle - intake, assessment, prioritization, sequencing, resource/capacity alignment, execution governance, dependency management, and benefits realization/value tracking
• Establish and maintain portfolio governance practices and operating rhythms that enable clear decisions (start/stop/pivot), transparency, and accountability across cross-functional leaders and teams
• Serve as the Portfolio leader for Enterprise cross-portfolio planning and quarterly alignment

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Wellbeing Reimbursement Account
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Schedules
• Financial Planning Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Adoption Assistance Program
• Competitive 401k savings plan with company match and an additional contribution regardless of participation
• Relocation assistance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive