Director, Program Management - Strategic Research & Advisory

Walmart•Bentonville, AR

2d•$90,000 - $180,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Strategic Research & Advisory serves as the intellectual engine for the Corporate Affairs Office of AI Innovation & Transformation - leading the reputation intelligence agenda and translating insights into enterprise strategy. This role sits at the center of how Corporate Affairs understands, anticipates, and shapes the external environment, ensuring leaders are equipped with forward-looking, data-driven insights to inform critical decisions. Blending deep research expertise with strategic advisory, this leader connects signals across channels, synthesizes complex inputs, and delivers actionable recommendations that influence enterprise priorities, positioning, and response strategies. About the team: Walmart operates at a scale that affects communities, customers, and policymakers across the country. The Corporate Affairs Office of AI Innovation & Transformation ensures the decisions that shape how we engage with that world are informed by rigorous insights, modern capabilities, and a unified, forward-looking strategy. The team owns the roadmap, governance, and prioritization of AI and transformation efforts across Corporate Affairs—enabling progress already underway while bringing greater cohesion, consistency, and impact across the function. This work sits at the intersection of strategy, technology, and execution. Through strategic integration, the team aligns insights, analysis, and reporting into shared frameworks. Through technical modernization, they embed AI and automation into workflows to scale productivity. Through cultural shift, they build a data-driven, learning-oriented environment where teams are confident leveraging new capabilities. We are a small, senior team doing high-visibility work. We move fast, operate with a high bar, and are committed to building the systems, capabilities, and mindset that will define the next chapter of Corporate Affairs.

Requirements

Deep expertise in research, insights, strategy, or advisory roles, with experience translating complex data into actionable business or policy recommendations.
Proven ability to lead integrated research programs (e.g., surveys, polling, qualitative and quantitative research, message testing) and connect findings across diverse inputs.
Strong strategic thinking and executive advisory capabilities, with experience influencing senior leaders and shaping enterprise-level decisions.
Experience operating in complex, matrixed environments with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Familiarity with reputation management, public affairs, communications strategy, or policy environments is strongly preferred.
Experience leveraging AI, advanced analytics, or emerging technologies to enhance research and insights generation.
Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to distill complexity into clear, compelling narratives.
Ability to bring structure to ambiguity, connect dots across disparate signals, and identify implications for business strategy.
High degree of curiosity, judgment, and intellectual rigor, with a bias toward action and impact.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Human Resources, Legal, or related field and 5 years’ experience in project management, compliance, operations management or related area OR 7 years’ experience in project management, compliance, operations management, or related area.
4 years’ experience using intermediate functionality of Microsoft Office.
4 years’ experience leading cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

experience developing training curriculum or content
Managing cross-functional teams
Managing Large Scale Change Initiatives
Master's degree in Business Administration or related field
Retail consulting.
Walmart experience in Merchandising, Operations, Marketing, or Finance, including at least 2 years in a role requiring strategy development.

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end reputation intelligence agenda for Corporate Affairs, synthesizing data from surveys, polling, primary research, message testing, and external signals into clear, actionable insights.
Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders by translating insights into enterprise-level recommendations that inform positioning, engagement strategies, and decision-making.
Partner across Global Communications, Public Affairs (State & Local), Global Public Policy, and Global Responsibility to align research agendas, reduce fragmentation, and establish shared priorities and frameworks.
Design and oversee integrated research strategies—including perception tracking, stakeholder insights, scenario planning, and message development—to anticipate risks and opportunities.
Drive consistency and rigor in how insights are generated, interpreted, and applied across Corporate Affairs.
Co-develop executive insights products and decision-support tools in partnership with technology and product teams, embedding insights into scalable, repeatable platforms.
Accelerate research capabilities through AI—leveraging advanced analytics, automation, and AI-assisted tools to increase speed, depth, and precision of insights generation.
Translate complex data into compelling narratives, executive briefings, and materials that influence senior leadership and enterprise stakeholders.
Monitor emerging trends, policy environments, and reputational dynamics to proactively inform strategy and preparedness.

Benefits

medical
vision
dental coverage
401(k)
stock purchase
company-paid life insurance
PTO (including sick leave)
parental leave
family care leave
bereavement
jury duty
voting
short-term and long-term disability
company discounts
Military Leave Pay
adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement
PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes
Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.