VP Strategy Integration

Advantage Sales & Marketing dba Advantage Solutions•Charlotte, NC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The VP, Strategy & Integration serves as a strategic partner to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Demo Services & Workforce Operations, providing enterprise-level leadership across the full scope of the organization. This role drives the development and execution of integrated strategies that align operational priorities, accelerate business transformation, and deliver measurable outcomes across Demo Services and Workforce Operations. Spanning the entire COO organization, the VP operates as the connective tissue between functional teams, shared services, and commercial segments—ensuring strategic coherence, cross-functional alignment, and organizational readiness to meet evolving business demands. This leader owns the strategic planning cadence, stewards enterprise-wide initiatives from concept through execution, and influences decision-making at the most senior levels of the organization. The ideal candidate is a seasoned operator who thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution, can navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, and brings the leadership presence to drive alignment across a matrixed enterprise. Cross-Functional Program Leadership & Operational Excellence: Own and drive enterprise-level programs and transformation initiatives that span multiple business units, shared services functions, and commercial segments. Design and implement operating frameworks, governance structures, and performance management systems that accelerate execution and accountability. Lead cross-functional teams through complex, ambiguous initiatives—establishing clear workstreams, milestones, and escalation paths. Partner with shared services leaders (Finance, HR, IT, Legal) to ensure operational initiatives are resourced, supported, and integrated across the enterprise. Drive continuous improvement by identifying systemic inefficiencies and championing scalable process and technology solutions. Oversee the preparation and orchestration of leadership offsites, planning summits, and cross-functional working sessions. Executive Communication & Enterprise Stakeholder Management: Develop and execute a communications strategy that ensures consistent, compelling messaging across the COO organization and to key enterprise stakeholders. Build and maintain trusted senior-level relationships across commercial segments, shared services, and executive leadership to facilitate collaboration and remove barriers. Serve as the primary liaison between the COO’s office and internal/external stakeholders, ensuring clarity of priorities, alignment on decisions, and timely follow-through. Draft executive communications, strategic briefings, and organizational updates that shape narrative and drive engagement at all levels. Represent the COO organization in cross-enterprise forums, steering committees, and leadership councils. Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly manages a team of strategy, integration, and/or project management professionals. Provides executive-level leadership, coaching, and development to direct reports and extended team members. Leads and influences cross-functional teams, workstreams, and matrixed project teams without direct authority. Sets team vision, establishes performance expectations, and cultivates a high-performance, results-oriented culture. The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today. Job Duty Business Development: Drive, develop, and work to deliver Pitch and Account Strategy in partnership with Customer and Business Development Leaders. Drive Agency positioning to ensure storylines continue to evolve. Thought Leadership (white papers, trade prominence etc.,). Partner with Planning and Insights team to ensure that all client and customer responses are squarely grounded in business and industry insights. Create Best Practices on Pitch, Account, and Customer Development responses. Partner with Business Development Leaders and internal business segments to drive integrated pitch responses. Participate in client/customer meetings and in room for client and customer pitch responses. Actively develop thought leadership content and opportunities for the Division. Develop and implement strategic business plans which formally identify additional business opportunities and specific ways to strengthen our service delivery with our clients. Team Leadership: Manage our current Marketing and Sales Planning resources. Lead, manage, coach, and hold any direct reports accountable to ensure highly effective and efficient processes and/or team collaboration. Set expectations and interface closely with all stakeholders on the Executive Leadership Team on performance against strategic goals. Oversee management of staff priorities, workload balancing/utilization, employee recognition/rewards, and routine staff professional development to keep turnover at a minimum and staff morale high. Client and Customer Management: Ensure all work product is delivered on-time, on-scope, and delivers measurable value that maximizes client satisfaction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree required; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred.
10+ years of progressive experience in strategy, operations, management consulting, or enterprise program leadership.
5+ years leading cross-functional or enterprise-level initiatives within large, matrixed organizations.
Demonstrated experience partnering with C-suite executives and influencing at the most senior levels of an organization.
Track record of driving organizational transformation, strategic integration, or large-scale change management.
Experience working across shared services functions and commercial business segments.
Executive presence with the ability to lead, influence, and build consensus across senior stakeholders in a complex, matrixed environment.
Exceptional strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate ambiguity into structured, actionable plans.
Advanced program leadership and organizational design capabilities.
Outstanding written, verbal, and visual communication skills with experience presenting to C-suite and board audiences.
High degree of professionalism, executive judgment, and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive matters.
Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational execution to commercial outcomes.
Ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics and drive alignment across competing priorities.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook) and enterprise collaboration platforms (Teams, Miro, Asana, etc.).
10+ years of experience in sales and marketing consumer packaged goods, or food brokerage organization.
5-10 years successfully managing a P&L, budgeting and forecasting, and managing client expectations either personally or through a team.
Experience working with Vice President of Sales level and above positions.
10+ years managing direct reports; reporting directly to VP or C-level executive.
Ability to make oral presentations.
Good interpersonal skills.
Excellent written communication and verbal communication skills.
Excellent customer service orientation.
Ability to complete multiple duties with accuracy shifting from one to another with frequent interruptions and competing deadline.
Analytical and research Skills.
Well-organized, detail-oriented, and able to handle a fast-paced work environment.
Strong computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, and web-browsers.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred.
Experience in Brand Management, Customer Management, Category Management, and Shopper Marketing a plus.

Responsibilities

Define and lead the strategic planning process across Demo Services & Workforce Operations, ensuring alignment with enterprise goals and commercial segment priorities.
Architect and drive cross-functional integration strategies that connect operational execution to business growth objectives across shared services and commercial segments.
Serve as a strategic thought partner to the COO, synthesizing market intelligence, operational data, and organizational insights to shape executive decision-making.
Lead the development and delivery of executive-level materials for board meetings, MPRs, investor updates, and C-suite strategy sessions.
Establish and govern the strategic initiative portfolio, ensuring resources are allocated to highest-impact priorities and progress is tracked against defined outcomes.
Identify emerging trends, competitive dynamics, and organizational risks that inform long-range planning and strategic pivots.
Own and drive enterprise-level programs and transformation initiatives that span multiple business units, shared services functions, and commercial segments.
Design and implement operating frameworks, governance structures, and performance management systems that accelerate execution and accountability.
Lead cross-functional teams through complex, ambiguous initiatives—establishing clear workstreams, milestones, and escalation paths.
Partner with shared services leaders (Finance, HR, IT, Legal) to ensure operational initiatives are resourced, supported, and integrated across the enterprise.
Drive continuous improvement by identifying systemic inefficiencies and championing scalable process and technology solutions.
Oversee the preparation and orchestration of leadership offsites, planning summits, and cross-functional working sessions.
Develop and execute a communications strategy that ensures consistent, compelling messaging across the COO organization and to key enterprise stakeholders.
Build and maintain trusted senior-level relationships across commercial segments, shared services, and executive leadership to facilitate collaboration and remove barriers.
Serve as the primary liaison between the COO’s office and internal/external stakeholders, ensuring clarity of priorities, alignment on decisions, and timely follow-through.
Draft executive communications, strategic briefings, and organizational updates that shape narrative and drive engagement at all levels.
Represent the COO organization in cross-enterprise forums, steering committees, and leadership councils.
Directly manages a team of strategy, integration, and/or project management professionals.
Provides executive-level leadership, coaching, and development to direct reports and extended team members.
Leads and influences cross-functional teams, workstreams, and matrixed project teams without direct authority.
Sets team vision, establishes performance expectations, and cultivates a high-performance, results-oriented culture.
Drive, develop, and work to deliver Pitch and Account Strategy in partnership with Customer and Business Development Leaders.
Drive Agency positioning to ensure storylines continue to evolve.
Partner with Planning and Insights team to ensure that all client and customer responses are squarely grounded in business and industry insights.
Create Best Practices on Pitch, Account, and Customer Development responses.
Partner with Business Development Leaders and internal business segments to drive integrated pitch responses.
Participate in client/customer meetings and in room for client and customer pitch responses.
Actively develop thought leadership content and opportunities for the Division.
Develop and implement strategic business plans which formally identify additional business opportunities and specific ways to strengthen our service delivery with our clients.
Manage our current Marketing and Sales Planning resources.
Lead, manage, coach, and hold any direct reports accountable to ensure highly effective and efficient processes and/or team collaboration.
Set expectations and interface closely with all stakeholders on the Executive Leadership Team on performance against strategic goals.
Oversee management of staff priorities, workload balancing/utilization, employee recognition/rewards, and routine staff professional development to keep turnover at a minimum and staff morale high.
Ensure all work product is delivered on-time, on-scope, and delivers measurable value that maximizes client satisfaction.