Working with KinderCare Learning Companies means using your outstanding talents to help set the foundation for lifelong learners, where you can collaborate with colleagues, grow and learn, and positively impact the families we serve.

With over 50 years of experience, 30,000+ employees, and more than 2,000 early learning center programs, we are the most accredited leaders in early childhood education. Together, we create environments where kids grow and thrive. As one of only four companies to receive the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award six times, we’re confident that you can grow and thrive here, too. We can’t wait to meet you.

The Corporate Strategy team has a unique opportunity to develop, plan and execute KinderCare’s short and long-term strategic vision which drives the company’s achievements and, as industry leader, influences the entire early childhood education field. This is done through providing strategic thought leadership, internal consulting, and ownership in strategic planning and execution.

The Senior Manager, Strategy and Transformation will contribute to the development and execution of corporate strategy, driving our business objectives forward. This role will work closely with key leaders and teams to drive planning, development, implementation and tracking of our corporate strategy.

The Corporate Strategy team is for you want to…

• Work in a highly collaborative, relationship driven environment,
• Shape the exciting future of a growing organization,
• Apply your endless curiosity to solve business challenges and explore new opportunities.
• Gain exposure and collaborate with senior leadership,
• Be part of a fast paced, and high-impact team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
Strategic Planning & Development:

• Lead annual strategic planning process for the organization.
• Assess, develop, and evolve our 5-year corporate strategy informed by internal and external factors.
• Lead and facilitate workshops with internal teams and leaders to understand opportunities and obstacles to inform strategic priorities.
• Ongoing prioritization of initiatives inclusive of incremental initiative approvals and resource allocation.
• Study the competitive landscape and make strategic recommendation's strategy based on industry trends and insights.
• Develop logical and insightful frameworks and structures to solve challenges or pursue new opportunities.
• Leadership and BOD presentation development.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PORTFOLIO PROGRAM MANAGEMENT & EXECUTION

• Own the portfolio of initiatives in strong partnership with cross-functional leaders and partners.
• Bridge the gap between concept and implementation to ensure initiatives are aligned to organization objectives.
• Lead programmatic approach across portfolio that brings discipline and consistency strategic initiatives management.
• Lead and facilitate quarterly planning sessions to ensure progress and provide support.
• Act as a thought partner providing critical insights, coaching and recommendations as cross-functional teams to design and implement their program plans.
• Find efficiencies across initiative workstreams to optimize work while minimizing disruption for the family and field such as:
  • Pilot groups
  • Focus groups, surveying and feedback
  • External research partners
  • Internal subject matter expertise
  
  

MEASURE SUCCESS

• Ensure these initiatives are delivering value and return on investment to the organization.
• Be the liaison between teams and finance to develop quantitative and qualitative baseline metrics and targets.
• Present progress and success through clearly defined OKRs regularly.
• Partner with finance to construct, measure and report out pilots.
• Provide visibility, illuminate changes in timelines, help unblock teams from achieving outcomes.
• Reevaluate or contingency plan based on progress or business need.

PEOPLE LEADER

• Lead a skilled team focused on driving strategic excellence for KinderCare including individual development, managing performance, setting expectations, and recruiting activities.

Qualifications:

• Experience strategy or consulting with a track record of driving high impact work and projects from concept to execution.
• Ability to operationalize and implement complex company strategic roadmaps, to remove obstacles to implementation, to manage cross-functional complexities and collaborators, to engage individuals throughout the organization and across all levels.
• Ability to effectively collaborate and influence at all levels.
• Experience leading people and teams, both directly and indirectly.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, by taking initiative and proactively seeking new opportunity.
• Strong attention to detail, with a demonstrated ability to work in an organized and efficient manner even under pressure.
• Excellent presenter able to articulate information widely from senior management to analysts.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, PPT, and Excel

Our benefits meet you where you are. We’re here to help our employees navigate the integration of work and life:

• Know your whole family is supported with discounted child care benefits.
• Breathe easy with medical, dental, and vision benefits for your family (and pets, too!).
• Feel supported in your mental health and personal growth with employee assistance programs.
• Feel great and thrive with access to health and wellness programs, unlimited paid time off and discounts for work necessities, such as cell phones.
• … and much more.

At KinderCare Learning Companies you'll use your skills and expertise to help craft and contribute to our shared mission of supporting communities and encouraging lifelong learners. From our teachers to our cooks to our financial analysts, we are all passionate about crafting a world of learning, happiness and adventure for more than 150,000 children every day.

As the first national early childcare education provider to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute, we continue to follow the latest science-backed and evidence-based strategies for maintaining a safe and worry-free workplace.

Our highest priority has always been to keep our employees, children, families, and communities as safe and healthy as possible. KinderCare highly encourages its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect themselves and their communities. We are proud to provide paid time off for employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We are also subject to state law, local ordinances, and Health Department requirements for employees working in child care, school facilities, and corporate work spaces.

We truly believe that everyone belongs in our circle, and everyone deserves to be celebrated for who they are. By partnering with underrepresented groups and experts in DEI, we are identifying areas to improve and forging a path forward through accountability, compassion, accessibility, and inclusion.

KinderCare Learning Companies is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.

Primary Location : Portland, Oregon, United States

Job : Corporate