Vice President, Operational Strategy

Ares Management Corporation•New York, NY

1d•$200,000 - $240,000

About The Position

Ares is seeking a versatile and highly motivated Vice President to join the Corporate Strategy – Operational Strategy Group. Operational Strategy brings best-in-class execution discipline and program management rigor to the firm’s most critical transformation initiatives, including M&A integration master planning, enterprise operating model evolution, corporate efficiency efforts, and governance support for senior leadership forums. Working across Ares’ lines of business and business operations functions, the team advances high-priority strategic initiatives through disciplined solution design, enterprise coordination, strong delivery, and scalable execution. The Operational Strategy Group supports the Executive Office and serves as the enterprise control tower and nerve center for the firm’s highest-priority transformations, bringing together strategy, execution oversight, assurance, and cross-functional delivery to ensure these initiatives move in a coordinated, disciplined, and value-focused way. The team manages complexity across the targeted transformation portfolio, keeps priority programs on track, surface dependencies and risks early, and drive clear decision-making at the executive level. Positioned close to the Executive Office, the team executes enterprise programs across all Ares’ lines of business (Credit, Private Equity, Real Assets, and Secondaries) as well as technology, legal, compliance, finance, Sales/Marketing and other functional groups, ensuring that the firm’s most operationally critical initiatives are aligned to enterprise priorities, sequenced effectively, and delivering measurable value. This individual will support and lead workstreams across a diverse portfolio of governance programs, strategic initiatives, operating model redesign efforts, and cross-functional transformation activities. Working closely with the Executive Office, Operational Strategy leadership, and business stakeholders, the Vice President will help structure complex problems, develop recommendations, coordinate program execution, and support implementation efforts across the firm. The role will play a key part in supporting enterprise governance processes, executive decision-making forums, and the delivery of the firm's highest-priority operational and strategic initiatives. The role requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills, the ability to navigate ambiguity, and exceptional communication and stakeholder management capabilities. The successful candidate will be comfortable partnering across operations, technology, legal, compliance, finance, and investment teams while supporting enterprise governance processes, executive decision-making, and strategic initiative delivery.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business Administration, Management, Political Science, or a related field, with outstanding academic achievement.
10-12+ years of experience in business transformation, operating model design, process improvement, enterprise governance, strategy execution, program management, executive support, business integration, or management consulting
Demonstrated executive presence and the ability to engage confidently with senior leaders, facilitate discussions, navigate differing viewpoints, and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization
Experience supporting senior leadership forums, governance committees, steering groups, and executive decision-making processes
Proven experience supporting and delivering complex cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholder groups
Experience analyzing and redesigning business processes, organizational workflows, operating models, and governance structures
Strong understanding of project and program management disciplines, including planning, dependency management, risk management, and stakeholder coordination
Demonstrated ability to work effectively across operations, technology, finance, legal, compliance, investor relations, and investment teams
Strong knowledge of alternative investments and familiarity with investor, fund, and investment lifecycles
Structured problem solver with strong analytical and critical thinking capabilities
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing executive-ready presentations, recommendation materials, and status reporting
Ability to build relationships, influence outcomes, and drive alignment across diverse stakeholder groups
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Sound judgment, discretion, and experience handling sensitive and confidential information
Proactive self-starter with a collaborative mindset and commitment to continuous improvement

Nice To Haves

Experience with project and program management tools and methodologies preferred
Prior experience mentoring junior team members and contributing to team development preferred

Responsibilities

Support governance and executive decision-making
Support the design, implementation, and ongoing management of governance processes, senior leadership forums, steering committees, and other executive decision-making bodies
Develop executive-ready presentations, analyses, recommendations, status updates, and discussion materials that provide transparency into key issues, risks, and decisions
Coordinate agendas, meeting preparation, decision and action tracking, stakeholder follow-up, and related executive communications
Lead and support strategic initiatives
Lead defined workstreams and coordinate broader strategic initiatives that advance firm priorities and improve organizational effectiveness
Partner with business and functional stakeholders to develop workplans, define requirements, track progress, and drive execution against agreed objectives
Support initiative sponsors and leadership teams by identifying dependencies, surfacing risks, and developing practical approaches to implementation
Partner across the organization to build alignment
Facilitate workshops, working sessions, and stakeholder discussions to gather input, test potential solutions, and support decision-making
Build strong working relationships across business and functional teams to advance initiative objectives and resolve challenges
Serve as a trusted partner to stakeholders by providing thoughtful analysis, practical recommendations, and reliable execution support
Support implementation and change adoption
Translate complex business and operational topics into clear, concise communications tailored to executive and working-team audiences
Support implementation of new processes, governance structures, operating models, and ways of working
Contribute to change management, stakeholder communications, training, and adoption activities as needed
Support communications, change management, and implementation
Translate complex business and operational topics into clear, concise communications tailored to executive and working-team audiences
Support implementation, change management, training, and adoption activities associated with strategic initiatives and operating model changes
Contribute to leadership reporting and communications across governance programs and enterprise initiatives
Support special projects and team development
Contribute to merger integration activities, corporate efficiency efforts, and other high-priority initiatives as needed
Provide guidance and project support to analysts and associates and contribute to team knowledge-sharing and development