Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy

Whirlpool•Benton Harbor, MI

35d•Hybrid

About The Position

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales - close to 90% of which were in the Americas - 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com. The Strategy and Business Development team is responsible for the overall development, implementation and progress of strategic business targets. Identifies, evaluates and negotiates acquisitions, partnerships, alliances and joint ventures. Directs the planning and preparation of business proposals and makes recommendations to senior management. Whirlpool is looking for qualified candidates to fill a critical Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy role located at our Global Headquarters in Benton Harbor, Michigan, or at our World of Whirlpool location in downtown Chicago, Illinois. The Corporate Strategy team is aligned with the C-suite at Whirlpool and drives initiatives in four major areas: Strategic Projects & Initiatives, Competitive Intelligence, and Strategic Planning, primarily for our North America (NAR) Business Unit. Strategic Projects and initiatives - Lead important strategic projects or initiatives mandated by the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee on behalf of the enterprise or NAR Business Unit. We are often responsible for leading and executing large-scale change or transformation efforts as well as supporting the development of business strategies. Types of initiatives we drive include market entry strategy, product/brand strategy, growth strategy, and portfolio strategy. Competitive strategy & intelligence - Partner with Executive Committee members to shape the competitive strategy for the company and embed it into strategic efforts within BUs. Assess competitor activities and performance, including being accountable for ongoing competitive monitoring. Strategic planning - The team defines the strategic planning process for the NAR Business Unit, including long-range planning, strategic planning, and strategy reviews with the Board of Directors. For Chicago-based applicants choosing to report into our World of Whirlpool location in downtown Chicago, weekly visits to our Global Headquarters in Benton Harbor, Michigan, are required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Strategy, or related field
4+ years of Business Analyst experience at a management consulting, investment banking or private equity firm
4+ years of experience in project management, strategic communications or change management

Nice To Haves

MBA
Ability to recognize the accomplishments of the team before the individual
Be highly motivated and possess vision and enthusiasm
Be comfortable acting as an individual contributor and as a cross-functional team manager (Player/Coach)
Understand how to deliver on short time frames and be committed to meeting deadlines
Communicate in an open and honest way that quickly builds trust and respect
Possess an entrepreneurial spirit
Be comfortable making presentations
Strong judgment, problem- solving and analytical skills, both quantitative and qualitative
Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal, including confidence and presence to engage effectively with senior executives Combination of out of the box thinking and ability to question the status quo and generally accepted beliefs
Comfort with ambiguity and change

Responsibilities

Analyze key strategic growth opportunities for Whirlpool and work towards "cracking the case"
Work closely with business leaders to identify key strategic questions, scope analysis, assign resources, manage execution, and report findings
Develop competitive intelligence-gathering that aids in the formation of relevant competitive strategies
Execute financial and quantitative analyses that will yield critical answers to the questions at hand
Understand the required data sets to complete the analyses and procure them accordingly I
Manage the delivery of insightful, zero-defect analysis
Contribute with strategic input into potential mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships and divestitures to ensure maximum returns on invested capital and consistency with the overall business
Communicate effectively, both verbally and on paper, at the most senior levels of the organization
Lead the development of major presentations for senior executives.
Leverage PowerPoint to create impactful, concise, and defect-free slide loops
Develop junior team members and streamline processes inherent of the Strategic Planning and Business Development team.
Effectively design and manage the day-to-day activities of cross-functional teams comprised of individuals across different brands, functional groups, and geographic regions.

Benefits

Generous benefits package
Whirlpool employee discount
fitness & educational reimbursement programs
kitchenettes
Beautiful, recently renovated office space
Barista Bar
biking/walking trails
access to The Eddy - Early Childhood Center (depending upon availability - additional costs required).
Always On Flexibility - You will have the autonomy to manage personal, family, and outside-of-work commitments as needed.
Two-Week Work from Anywhere - Minimum of one-week increments for a total of two weeks per year.
Sabbatical - Four weeks paid leave after every five years of service.