AVP, Strategy and Executive Operations (Chief of Staff

Kemper • Chicago, TX

1d

About The Position

The AVP, Strategy and Executive Operations serves as Chief of Staff and trusted advisor to the Head of Distribution and as a member of the Distribution Executive Leadership Team. The role enhances executive effectiveness, facilitates strategic planning, coordinates cross-functional priorities, and manages the leadership operating cadence across Exclusive Agency, Personal Auto, Commercial Auto, Lead Generation, Direct to Consumer, Marketing, and Distribution Enablement.

The Chief of Staff is a strategic advisor and force multiplier to the Head of Distribution, shaping leadership processes for alignment on strategy, priorities, business performance, and enterprise decisions. The role connects priorities across functions, anticipates risks and dependencies, improves decision quality, and ensures leaders have the insights and alignment needed to drive business outcomes. The Head of Distribution and functional executives retain accountability for strategic choices, resource decisions, operational execution, and business results. The Chief of Staff synthesizes information, frames complex issues, surfaces risks and opportunities, facilitates alignment, and supports follow-through on executive commitments.

The role does not assume accountability for business results, functional execution, project delivery, or organizational decision rights. Functional leaders remain accountable for strategy execution and outcomes. The Chief of Staff creates value through strategic insight, organizational alignment, executive decision support, and proactive identification of risks and opportunities.

Requirements

• 10+ years of relevant experience supporting senior executives and complex business priorities, with progressive experience in strategy facilitation, executive operations, distribution, marketing, or program/portfolio governance.
• Experience influencing multidisciplinary teams and senior leaders in a matrixed organization; direct line authority over functional execution is not required.
• Ability to connect business performance, financial outcomes, customer insights, and market dynamics into actionable executive recommendations.
• Ability to develop executive-level briefings and materials for senior management, executive committees, and Boards.
• Strong business and financial acumen, analytical judgment, discretion, and emotional intelligence; ability to synthesize complex information into actionable decisions.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, relationship-building, and organizational skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in insurance, financial services, or another multichannel consumer business.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Head of Distribution; anticipate leadership needs, prepare executive briefings and decision materials, coordinate sensitive cross-functional matters, facilitate follow-through on executive commitments, and focus leadership attention on high-value opportunities, risks, and decisions.
• Design and facilitate annual and ongoing strategic planning; coordinate executive inputs, structure planning discussions, document strategic choices, and integrate functional plans into a coherent Distribution agenda while leaders retain ownership of strategy and execution.
• Establish and manage leadership meetings, business reviews, planning forums, agendas, decision logs, escalation paths, and accountability tracking; coordinate executive committee, CEO, and Board materials as requested.
• Facilitate coordination across Distribution functions and enterprise partners, connecting priorities, resolving ambiguity, identifying dependencies, and supporting effective flow of decisions and information.
• Coordinate executive scorecards and business performance reviews; synthesize financial, operational, customer, and distribution information and identify trends, risks, opportunities, trade-offs, and strategic implications requiring leadership attention.
• Maintain an integrated view of major initiatives, strategic priorities, dependencies, organizational friction points, and emerging risks; identify potential conflicts, surface issues early, and facilitate executive dialogue for timely decisions and course correction.
• Support consistent communication of Distribution priorities and leadership decisions; prepare executive narratives, updates, and presentations.
• Connect priorities, align stakeholders, reduce complexity, accelerate decision-making, and keep leadership attention focused on matters critical to business performance and growth.

What This Job Offers

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