Vice President, Strategy & Commercial Finance

The Vice President, Strategy & Commercial Finance leads the Company's strategic planning, business development finance, M&A functions. The VP of Strategy designs and manages all strategic planning activities, drives innovation, and monitors performance of key initiatives. This includes directing the construction of the 5-year strategic plan and detailed annual operating plans and ensuring connectivity with financial targets. The role works closely with the executive leadership team to facilitate the planning process - conducting an annual environmental scan of industry, consumer, and economic trends; organizing and facilitating strategic planning sessions; and constructing concise deliverables to articulate the resulting strategy. Additionally, the VP of Strategy serves as a key financial and analytical partner on inorganic growth opportunities, commercial deal structures, and strategic partnerships, working in close collaboration with Finance, Operations, and Business Development leadership. RESPONSIBILITIES: Strategic Planning & InnovationDesign and execute the annual strategic planning process, including developing calendars and ensuring alignment with budgeting and planning cyclesFacilitate strategic planning sessions with the Senior Leadership Team to deliver a 5-year strategyPrepare and present an annual environmental scan of industry and markets, including competition, prospective brands, and growth opportunities in adjacent categories and channelsDevelop processes and tools to manage the portfolio of key strategic initiatives, including core reporting tools and an appropriate update cadence with the Senior Leadership TeamDrive prioritization within the Strategic Initiatives Portfolio to address dependencies and resource constraintsDesign and implement capabilities for identifying, testing, evaluating, and launching innovation within the CompanyFacilitate development, execution, and monitoring of the Sales and Operations Planning process Commercial Finance & RFP SupportPartner with Business Development to lead financial modeling for RFP responses, including pro forma development, scenario analysis, and bid economicsTranslate complex financial structures into clear narratives and assumptions for internal review and client-facing submissionsEstablish a repeatable, scalable framework for RFP financial modeling and analysis to improve speed and consistency across BD pursuitsAssist with evaluation of strategic partnership opportunities, licensing arrangements, and other potential growth vehiclesCollaborate with Operations, Legal, and Finance to advance partnerships from concept through execution M&A SupportSupport the executive team in identifying and evaluating potential acquisition targetsLead financial and strategic due diligence workstreams, including market sizing, synergy modeling, and integration planning considerationsDevelop target screening criteria aligned to the Company's strategic priorities, and maintain an active pipeline of evaluated opportunities EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONSMBA strongly preferredAt least 10-12 years of progressive leadership experience in strategy, corporate development, or finance; experience in retail, dining, or travel retail preferredPrior exposure to M&A processes, RFP-driven business development, or investment banking / management consulting a strong differentiator POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:Strong business and financial acumen, with demonstrated ability to build and pressure-test complex financial models (RFP, M&A, partnership)Effective written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to executive leadership, boards, and external partnersWell-developed analytical and problem-solving skills, with a willingness to engage with the details of complex problems and drive creative solutionsIntellectual curiosity and the ability to serve as a thought leader on business trends, competitive dynamics, and growth opportunitiesProven ability to lead, inspire, and engage peers and senior leaders across the organizationSuperior organizational, interpersonal, and collaborative skills to work effectively across internal functions and with external stakeholdersStrong creative thinking skills with the ability to operate in an ambiguous, fast-moving environmentExcellent strategic agility with a track record of designing and executing against strategiesProven ability to develop new concepts from inception to completion - including brands, commercial deals, partnerships, and process designAbility to travel periodically #LI-KB1 Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.