Director, Strategy & Operations - Business Enablement

KPMG•Toronto, ON

About The Position

KPMG is seeking a Director with executive-level presence and strategic leadership capabilities to serve as a trusted advisor, operational delegate, and strategic delivery partner to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). This role exists to extend the capacity and effectiveness of the CAO by driving alignment, decision-making, and execution across enterprise priorities. Acting as the CAO’s right hand, the Director ensures that strategic initiatives are clearly defined, rigorously advanced, and delivered with discipline across the organization. The Director, Strategy & Operations will play a central leadership role by driving enterprise-wide initiatives, leading transformation programs, optimizing operational effectiveness, and enabling the CAO to focus on strategic leadership and executive stakeholder engagement. This role has three primary components: Strategic advisor and delegate to the CAO, Core member of the CAO Leadership Team, Driver of key strategic priorities across business operations.

Requirements

Bachelors degree required
Executive-level leadership presence with the ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders, including C-suite executives
Demonstrated experience as a Chief of Staff, Strategy & Operations leader, or trusted advisor to executive leadership
Strong strategic thinking combined with a bias for action and execution excellence
Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives in matrixed environments
Exceptional stakeholder management skills and ability to influence without direct authority
Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to translate strategy into measurable outcomes
Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Excellent communication, executive presentation, and storytelling skills
Strong program management and governance experience
Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity and navigate change in a dynamic environment
High degree of judgment, discretion, and professionalism

Nice To Haves

MBA and/or CPA designation is considered an asset
Experience working in large, complex, or professional services organizations is an asset.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor and operational delegate to the CAO on enterprise priorities, transformation initiatives, and execution
Represent the CAO in key meetings, forums, and cross-functional initiatives, advancing discussions and influencing outcomes
Review, synthesize, and prioritize materials, ensuring clear alignment on risks, decisions, and executive actions
Lead and be accountable for the delivery of strategic initiatives, including design, execution, and value realization
Drive alignment of CAO priorities with the broader firm strategy and enterprise objectives
Identify risks, interdependencies, and execution challenges and proactively develop mitigation strategies
Lead program management activities, including agenda ownership, executive reporting, communications, and action tracking
Support the CAO on Global COO Steering Group matters and ensure firm leadership is informed on outcomes and implications
Centralize and manage the firm’s global investment program in collaboration with functional leaders
Drive operational excellence initiatives focused on scalability, efficiency, automation, and continuous improvement
Support transformation initiatives involving systems implementation, process redesign, automation, AI enablement, and data modernization
Support the execution and effective operation of SOQM controls
Build strong relationships across business units and corporate functions to drive collaboration and alignment
Partner closely with business enablement leaders across FP&A, Treasury, Tax, Procurement, Risk, HR, and Controllership
Act as a connector across teams to improve transparency, coordination, and enterprise execution