Strategic Initiatives Lead

Focus Financial Partners•St. Louis, MO

13d•$85,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The Strategic Initiatives Lead is a high-impact role on Focus Financial Partners’ small, senior Strategic Initiatives team, which functions as an internal strategy and transformation group. The position provides analytical and presentation support so the Director can focus on strategic decisions, stakeholder management, and team direction. The role is suited to someone with a traditional finance skillset who wants to work on broad, high-priority initiatives, directly with executive leadership, and help advance complex cross-functional decisions. The Lead owns project workstreams, builds financial models and business cases, develops executive and board materials, and helps keep stakeholders aligned and accountable. The role also supports execution of Focus’s enterprise AI strategy, including vendor evaluations, intake processes, governance committee operations, and pilot programs.

Requirements

At least 2 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, management consulting, or corporate strategy at a financial services firm.
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or a related discipline.
Ability to build and own structured work products, including models, memos, and slide decks, independently and under time pressure.
Experience working in fast-paced environments with multiple concurrent priorities and senior stakeholder exposure.
Exceptional financial modeling and Excel skills, including building models from scratch rather than relying on templates.
Strong structured communication skills, including writing a one-pager, building a five-slide deck, or leading a working session.
Intellectual curiosity and comfort operating amid ambiguity without waiting to be told what the answer should be.
High personal accountability and willingness to own output, correct mistakes, and ensure tasks are completed.
Collaborative approach and ability to work independently with minimal supervision on defined workstreams.
Familiarity with AI productivity tools such as Claude, Notion AI, or Copilot, and willingness to be an early adopter.

Nice To Haves

MBA or CFA in progress or completed.
Experience building with AI.

Responsibilities

Own individual workstreams within the AI Strategy Program and other cross-functional initiatives, structuring the work, driving decisions, and delivering outputs on time.
Build and maintain project infrastructure, including project trackers, decision logs, risk registers, governance frameworks, and meeting rhythms.
Triage incoming requests and competing priorities across the team’s portfolio and focus the team on high-leverage work.
Build financial models, business cases, and ROI frameworks to support strategic decisions.
Conduct competitive intelligence and market research, and synthesize findings into executive-ready summaries and recommendations.
Support initiative tracking and KPI dashboards connecting strategic priorities to measurable outcomes.
Prepare board materials, executive presentations, and governance committee deliverables, ensuring the quality of the narrative and numbers.
Represent the Strategic Initiatives team in cross-functional meetings and keep stakeholders aligned and accountable without positional authority.
Translate complex, ambiguous situations into clear problem statements and structured options for senior decision-makers.
Support execution of Focus’s enterprise AI strategy, including vendor evaluations, use case intake, governance committee operations, and pilot program management.
Develop and maintain the AI program’s knowledge base, intake forms, risk frameworks, and operating cadences.
Use AI tools hands-on and contribute practical experience to discussions about where and how AI can create value at Focus.