Strategy Manager
Guildford, ENG, GB, GU1 1DB
In this role you will be responsible for managing key strategic topics within the Strategy and Business Change pillar of our UK Transformation Programme, working closely with the Transformation Director and Head of Strategy, Vision and Business Change. You will ensure we implement the Programme Strategy, support in setting ourselves up for success to hit our delivery dates, and ensure the business is best positioned to maximise the benefits. This is a dynamic, fast-paced role working across multiple functions inside and outside the Programme to achieve both the Programme, Business and Change objectives.
About You
- Demonstrable experience of handling multiple, complex projects across different workstreams in a fast paced environment.
- Understand principles of leadership and team building and is able to apply these to create a motivated and impactful team. Coaching, mentoring and training colleagues and direct reports.
- Previous strategy or delivery experience, especially in relation to large scale agile Transformation or Change projects / programmes.
- Excellent appreciation of stakeholder expectations and motivations at Executive and Board Level through previous experience. Demonstrates examples of developing, maintaining and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders.
- Demonstrates ability to influence strategic direction and decision making with the project and wider business areas.
- Excellent written and oral communication. Previous experience in constructing presentations for Board and Executive level audiences.
- Proven track record of demonstrating effective planning, problem solving and analytical skills.
- A strong commercial awareness and knowledge of UK insurance market.
- Record of showing strong political awareness, flexibility and adaptability to shifting workloads and priorities, and using own initiative to go above and beyond to get deliverables completed.
- Repeatedly deliver successfully on time bound projects and focused on continuous improvement.
Key Accountabilities
- Continuously assess the Programme strategy to make sure it aligns with the business, customer and IT objectives and ensure it is adhered to across the Programme with the relevant deliveries, as well as communicated regularly to the Programme team and wider business.
- Support with defining the future business vision and ensuring the programme is continuously delivering against this.
- Manage the day to day requests coming into the strategy pillar from Group, the UK Board and Programme Executives / Sponsors and produce the relevant content for this audience, including for key forums / processes such as the Strategic Dialogue and Planning Dialogue.
- Manage the Strategy Analysts within the team, allocating and prioritising the strategic topics for them to complete whilst providing steer and oversight.
- Driving the defining and setting up of the Centre of Excellences and Long Lived Teams across the business as we transition into BAU working alongside the CTO Function.
- Present updates on the strategic topics at key Programme governance and business forums.
- Build relationships with leaders and peers across Group, the different Programme areas and wider business stakeholders to support with mitigating risks and issues aligned to the key strategic topics.
- Monitor the Programme set up and implement changes to ensure the Programme is set up for success and the ways of working are well established.
- Manage third party relationships, such as vendors and consultancies working with us on the Programme, to make certain they are performing to the standard expected and any issues and queries are proactively addressed.
- Maintain consistent dialogue and collaborate with the Business Change and Implementation pillar and CTO function to assure alignment and effective prioritisation of activities and deliverables.
- Engage with both the Business and Change Functions to provide an overview of the Programme direction and objectives to ensure they are aligned to these, and the relevant prioritisation of change activities takes place outside of the Programme.
- Work with the Agile COE, Business Owners and the Implementation team to ensure key agile playbook strategy documentation linked to business vision, OKRs and to-be processes is kept up to date, relevant and accurate to the business needs.
- Continuously evaluate the programme impacts and support the definition of the future strategy in collaboration with the Business as we transition through the various rollout phases.
- Attend external events and build a network with incubators and accelerators to find opportunities to continuously innovate on the Transformation Programme.
Technical Skills
- Strong communication, influencing and relationship management skills
- Strong understanding of Allianz UK Business Areas and industry trends
- Expert Microsoft Office skills, most specifically Powerpoint, Word and Excel
- Analytical and problem solving skills
- Strategic mindset and ability to understand the detail but also how this feeds into the bigger picture
What We Will Offer You
Recognised and rewarded for a job well done, we have a range of flexible benefits for you to choose from- so you can pick a package that’s perfect for you. We also offer flexible working options, global career opportunities across the wider Allianz Group, and fantastic career development and training. That’s on top of enjoying all the benefits you’d expect from the world’s number one insurance brand, including:
- Flexible buy/sell holiday options
- Hybrid working.
- Annual performance related bonus
- Contributory pension scheme
- Development days
- A discount up to 50% on a range of insurance products including car, home and pet
- Retail discounts
Our Ways of Working
Do you need some flexibility with the hours you work? Let us know as part of your application and if it’s right for our customers, our business and for you, then we’ll do everything we can to make it happen.
Here at Allianz, we are signatories of the ABIs flexible working charter. We believe in supporting hybrid work patterns, which balance the needs of our customers, with your personal circumstances and our business requirements. Our aim with this is to help innovation, creativity, and you to thrive - Your work life balance is important to us.
Diversity & Inclusion
At Allianz, we prioritize diversity and inclusion, demonstrated by our numerous accreditations: EDGE certified for gender inclusion, Women in Finance Charter members, Disability Confident employer, Stonewall Diversity Champion, Business in the Community’s Race at Work Charter signatories, and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard employer.
We embrace neurodiversity and welcome applications from neurodivergent and disabled candidates, offering tailored adjustments to ensure your success.
We encourage our employees to advocate for their needs, whether it’s assistive technology, ergonomic equipment, mentoring, coaching, or flexible work arrangements.
Accessible Application for All
As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we support candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions through the Offer an Interview Scheme, for those meeting the essential skills for the role.
Contact our Resourcing team to opt into this scheme or for assistance with your application, including larger text, hard copies, or spoken applications.
Join us - Let’s Care for Tomorrow.
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