Balance of Trade, Head of Strategy and Execution

WTW•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Balance of Trade (BoT) initiative supports our ability to unlock the holistic relationship with our vendor partners and equips our leaders with the resources to focus on sustainable, mutually beneficial outcomes and embed a One WTW growth mindset in our approach to the relationship. Exploring where and how value can be created in our B2B relationships requires establishing robust and scalable processes, growing our skills and capabilities across relevant stakeholders, and increasing WTW’s culture and appetite to build our holistic relationship with selected client-vendors. The Balance of Trade, Head of Strategy and Execution (BoT Director) is accountable for managing and driving progress of the strategic balance of trade objectives to strengthen WTW’s B2B relationships with its client-vendor partners. The BoT Director partners with functional and business teams across WTW to deliver these objectives. The BoT Director engages with WTW leaders and colleagues to guide the Balance of Trade portfolio of work, increase awareness of the Balance of Trade effort and resources, promote opportunities for positive financial impact to relevant stakeholders via targeted campaigns and periodic outreach, and escalate critical situations to senior leadership when necessary. Additionally, the BoT Director oversees the Balance of Trade team and ensures work products are accurate and aligned with strategic objectives. This is a strategic role with global influence. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in optimising client-vendor relationships, supporting robust financial stewardship and enabling business growth. The Balance of Trade, Head of Strategy and Execution will report to Imran Qureshi, Global Head of Geographies, and is responsible for WTW’s Balance of Trade initiative.

Responsibilities

Refine and execute a portfolio of workstreams that support the delivery of the Balance of Trade objectives, coordinating across functional and business teams (as needed).
Accountable for the management of data used by and produced by the Balance of Trade initiative.
Partner closely with Procurement on all workstreams
Identify key stakeholder populations for Balance of Trade and how they impact and are impacted by Balance of Trade efforts
Deliver effective change and communication plans to Balance of Trade stakeholders, as needed in support of workstream activities
Provide educational support and guidance on Balance of Trade concepts to stakeholders.
Coordinate with and support Business Supplier Owners (e.g., Technology) on strategic Balance of Trade efforts within their functional area (e.g. Technology).
Promote opportunities to Balance of Trade stakeholders with high potential for positive financial impacts through targeted outreach, priority opportunity activation, and awareness campaigns.
Facilitate internal Balance of Trade discussions with client-facing colleagues, Business Supplier Owners, Procurement, and Sales Operations.
Escalate critical Balance of Trade situations to senior leadership, as needed.
Partner with sales teams across WTW to identify Balance of Trade opportunities in target accounts.
Oversee Balance of Trade team’s work and review outputs for accuracy and alignment with objectives.
Develop, implement, and regularly monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess and track the success of Balance of Trade initiatives and overall program effectiveness.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify relevant metrics, establish reporting frameworks, and communicate results to stakeholders, enabling data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.