Head of Product Strategy & Platform Innovation

Guardian Life Insurance•New York, NY

About The Position

The Head of Product Strategy & Platform Innovation is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic evolution, differentiation, and commercial success of our open‑architecture wealth management product platform. This individual wakes up every day thinking about what’s next—how product, partners, packaging, and go‑to‑market strategy come together to create a compelling, modern, and advisor‑centric platform across fee‑based advisory, annuities, and alternatives. We do not manufacture products. Our competitive advantage comes from curation, partnership, design, positioning, and delivery. This role exists to ensure our platform is not merely comprehensive—but distinctive, relevant, and growth‑oriented. The role works horizontally across the organization—marketing, sales, business development, training, product management—and externally with asset managers, insurance carriers, TAMPs, and portfolio managers. Success requires influence without direct ownership, entrepreneurial energy, and a strong commercial mindset.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in wealth management, asset management, insurance, or fintech, with exposure to RIA and broker‑dealer environments.
Deep knowledge of fee‑based advisory, annuities, alternatives, and managed solutions.
Demonstrated ability to build or evolve open‑architecture platforms without manufacturing products.
Strong commercial and go‑to‑market orientation—understands how strategy translates into advisor behavior.
Proven success working cross‑functionally and influencing outcomes without direct authority.
Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to balance vision with practical execution.
Comfortable operating with ambiguity and turning ideas into scalable initiatives.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Own the forward‑looking product strategy across advisory, annuities, and alternatives within an open‑architecture ecosystem.
Identify gaps, white spaces, and emerging opportunities driven by advisor needs, client behavior, regulation, and competitive dynamics.
Design differentiated product constructs, solutions, and portfolios by creatively leveraging third‑party partners rather than manufacturing products.
Translate industry trends (e.g., retirement income, tax efficiency, private markets, managed solutions, model portfolios) into actionable platform initiatives.
Develop clear go‑to‑market strategies for platform capabilities, including positioning, messaging, and advisor value propositions.
Partner closely with Marketing to ensure product stories are simple, compelling, and commercially effective.
Work with Sales and Business Development to align product strategy with advisor adoption, growth objectives, and field readiness.
Drive clarity around why advisors should use specific solutions—not just what is available.
Serve as a senior point of engagement with asset managers, insurance carriers, TAMPs, and product sponsors.
Evaluate, onboard, and rationalize partners with a focus on quality, differentiation, economics, and strategic fit.
Co‑create solutions with partners where appropriate, including custom portfolios, white‑labeled offerings, or exclusive access strategies.
Maintain a strong commercial lens on platform economics, scalability, and advisor impact.
Act as a strategic connector across Product Management, Sales, Marketing, Training, and Business Development.
Provide strategic direction while leveraging existing execution teams for implementation.
Influence priorities and outcomes without direct people ownership, using clarity, credibility, and collaboration.
Partner with Training and Sales Enablement to ensure advisors understand not just products—but how to use them in holistic planning conversations.