Finance Transformation Lead

Guardian Life Insurance Company•Stamford, NY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is responsible for driving strategic transformation initiatives across the Finance organization to improve performance, optimize processes, advance AI-enabled capabilities, and strengthen data-driven decision-making. Reporting to the Head of Finance & Risk Transformation, Strategy and Operations, s/he will partner closely with Finance, Technology, Risk, Operations, Data, and business leaders to design and implement future-state operating models, modernize planning and reporting processes, and deliver sustainable business value. AI enablement is a core accountability. This leader will advance the organization's AI-enabled Finance strategy by embedding Generative AI, intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and agentic AI capabilities into Finance processes, operating models, and ways of working, while ensuring responsible adoption, governance, risk management, and measurable value realization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Engineering, Information Systems, Data Analytics, or a related field.
8+ years of Finance, consulting, transformation, strategy, technology enablement, or program management experience.
5+ years leading large-scale Finance transformation initiatives or enterprise change programs.
Experience leading AI, Generative AI, automation, digital transformation, or advanced analytics initiatives within Finance or related business functions.
Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize, and implement AI use cases that deliver measurable business value.
Strong understanding of Finance operating models, planning, forecasting, reporting, expense management, and performance management processes.
Experience developing transformation roadmaps, business cases, benefits realization plans, and executive-level presentations.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders across business, technology, data, risk, and operations.
Strong analytical, facilitation, problem-solving, communication, and executive storytelling skills.

Nice To Haves

MBA, CPA, CFA, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, SAFe, or other relevant advanced degree or certification.
Experience within Financial Services, Insurance, Banking, Risk Management, or other highly regulated industries.
Experience implementing Oracle Planning, Oracle EPM Cloud, Hyperion, SAP, Workday, Anaplan, or similar Finance platforms.
Experience with Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio, Azure AI, Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, agent-based AI solutions, workflow automation, or similar platforms.
Knowledge of Responsible AI, AI governance, model risk management, data governance, privacy, information security, and adoption frameworks.
Consulting experience with a leading management consulting firm or enterprise transformation practice.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute Finance transformation strategies aligned with business and enterprise objectives.
Lead large-scale transformation initiatives spanning Finance processes, operating models, systems, data, controls, and organizational capabilities.
Manage transformation roadmaps, implementation plans, milestones, dependencies, and value realization objectives.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness, decision support, governance, and stakeholder experience.
Drive continuous improvement and innovation across Finance functions.
Lead the Finance AI strategy and roadmap, identifying opportunities to leverage Generative AI, predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and agentic AI solutions to improve productivity, decision-making, and business outcomes.
Partner with Finance leaders to identify, prioritize, and scale high-value AI use cases across FP&A, forecasting, management reporting, expense management, financial close, workforce planning, and decision support.
Drive adoption of enterprise AI capabilities, including Microsoft Copilot, Claude, AI agents, and emerging technologies, ensuring alignment with business priorities and governance expectations.
Establish frameworks for AI use case intake, evaluation, prioritization, value realization, adoption measurement, and ongoing performance monitoring.
Collaborate with Technology, Data, Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Information Security teams to ensure responsible AI adoption and adherence to enterprise governance standards.
Lead AI-related change management efforts, including communications, training, stakeholder engagement, and capability-building programs to increase AI literacy across Finance.
Measure and track AI adoption, productivity gains, capacity creation, cost savings, decision quality improvements, and other business outcomes.
Monitor emerging AI trends, technologies, and industry best practices, translating innovation into actionable opportunities for Finance.
Design and implement future-state Finance operating models, governance structures, and service delivery frameworks.
Lead process optimization across FP&A, forecasting and budgeting, management reporting, financial close and consolidation, business performance management, expense management, and capital planning.
Promote standardization, automation, simplification, and scalable ways of working across Finance processes.
Assess organizational readiness, capability gaps, role impacts, and process changes required to sustain transformation outcomes.
Partner with Technology and Data teams to lead implementation of Finance platforms, reporting solutions, analytics capabilities, and digital tools.
Support transformation initiatives involving ERP modernization, Oracle Planning/EPM, enterprise performance management, reporting platforms, AI-enabled workflows, and automation solutions.
Translate business requirements into technology-enabled solutions, user stories, process designs, and implementation roadmaps.
Strengthen Finance data quality, consistency, transparency, and accessibility to support analytics, forecasting, and AI-enabled insights.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Finance executives, senior stakeholders, and cross-functional partners.
Facilitate executive workshops, strategic planning sessions, use case prioritization discussions, and operating model design conversations.
Establish governance structures, reporting mechanisms, risk management routines, and escalation channels for transformation initiatives.
Manage vendor, consulting partner, and cross-functional delivery relationships as required.
Lead change management, communications, training, and stakeholder engagement activities that support adoption and sustained behavior change.