Assistant Director - Strategy And Operations

The Opportunity

The Assistant Director - Strategy and Operations provides strategic and tactical support to develop and drive the execution of the market segment/sector go-to-market plan. This is enabled primarily through activities that impact revenue growth, pipeline integrity, and margin improvement.

You will work directly with the market segment leadership team (MSLT), including the market segment leader (MSL), sector leaders, service line leaders and account GCSPs to support an integrated growth strategy across accounts, services and solutions—ensuring a client-centric approach.

You will act as a Market and Sector community connector to propose and drive the right strategies that align ambition to plan. Facilitating relationships to bring the right people, service lines, sectors, and accounts together to promote teaming, maximize synergies, and share leading practices.

It is not the intent of this role to drive pursuits or marketing campaigns. Assistant Director - Strategy and Operations should enable culture change for the most important marketing campaigns/tactics to build pipeline and conversions that will impact ROI.

Assistant Director - Strategy and Operations reports directly to the Managing Partner, Markets and Growth, and engages with and is evaluated by the Market Segment Leader and the members of the market segment leadership team.

The framework for the role described below is applied consistently across markets. However, the prioritization and weighting of the responsibilities will vary based on market segment or sector priorities.

Key performance indicators for the role include market segment/sector revenue growth, sales and pipeline management.

Your key responsibilities

Depending on maturity of market segment or sector and areas that need most development, Assistant Director - Strategy and Operations will develop prioritization in conjunction with Canada Market leader and MS leadership team. This is the framework, but priorities will be determined in conjunction with MSLs.

Enabling growth

• Facilitate the annual strategic planning process. Work with stakeholders across sector(s), service lines, finance, alliances, accounts, business development and markets to develop go-to-market plans and strategic priorities to achieve growth. This may include GIP, Market Segment Execution Plan “MSEP,” sector and account plans.
• Project management for the most strategic growth initiatives within the MSEP and related sector plans. Bring to fruition the programs, campaigns and other prioritized market initiatives as determined by the MSLT. Responsible for leading the project from development through successful execution. Team with all relevant functions such as markets, finance, marketing, pursuits, alliances, service lines, HR and GDS. Track results (ROI) and impact.
• Cascade account management and account leading practices to GCSPs of a portfolio of Replenishment and Top-End core accounts. Offer strategies to nurture growth and inform account teams on implementation of enablers such as account management framework, LENS, ECS, sector insights/TL, client experience (CX). Act as a connector, directing teams to the right internal resources and suggest opportunities to enable cross-SL teaming through priority solutions that will add value.
• Support the execution of the Client Experience (CX) program for the market segment/sector in collaboration with the CX and Business Development (BD) teams.
• Champion account reviews. Working together with the MSL to ensure Focus and key core account reviews are scheduled and conducted on a regular cadence. See that the right people attend, key messages are communicated, account performance is reviewed, and that GCSP feedback/requests are compiled and followed up. Highlight the successful activities that can be replicated across other accounts.

Analyze and interpret reporting to enable decision making

• Conduct revenue, sales and pipeline analysis and forecasting to support CLT meetings. Recommend corrective actions to leadership as required
• Track BD/Marketing investment. Compare budget to actual spending through variance analysis and track impact on profitability. Recommend corrective action to leadership as required
• Oversee the planning and execution of the Market Board/MSLT meetings. Provide data and analysis that gives the leadership team business insights on current progress, market opportunities and risks.
• Adopt and support the modernization and innovation of our reporting outputs by ensuring consistent use of reports, data and interpretation of market segment/sector performance KPI’s. Seek ways to reduce time spent on reporting.

Collaboration and process optimization

• Promote and advance market segment/sector communities. Play a central role in recommending strategies and actions to engage our people around a MS or sector-led growth culture. Advise on communication and engagement needs with the employee and PPED groups that will increase individual and team impact with clients by raising their awareness of trends developments. Seek ways to raise visibility and awareness of sector thought leadership, solutions, alliances, wins that can be replicated elsewhere. Leverage channels such as All-Hands meetings, internal newsletters, PPED meetings, to increase enthusiasm and involvement.
• Connect with EY Global and Americas Resources. Engage with respective sector Markets counterparts in other countries, attend sector webcasts, consult sector SharePoint/Discover to stay informed on strategic priorities, knowledge, thought leadership and other growth initiatives. Leverage and share content that may be relevant to Canadian clients. Look for opportunities to bring the global power of EY to Canadian accounts by connecting them to the right global and Americas resources as applicable.
• Serve as the segment/sector primary point of contact. Field and direct inquiries, acting as a key connector across the market segment, sectors, practitioners, accounts, service lines and functions such as marketing, finance, HR, etc.
• Participate in Canada Markets Strategy & Operations Community. Stay connected to key priorities, initiatives, milestones, and governance. Contribute actively to the broader markets community.
• Elevate leading practices, and drive consistency of practices within own market segment/sectors/accounts, working with all relevant PPEDs to gain alignment and increase performance. Relay leading practices back into the Canada Markets Strategy & Operations Community for deployment in other markets.
• Collaborate with Client Executives and Account Managers across the market segment and accounts to ensure we are leveraging best practices from high-performing teams, standardizing account framework and closing the gap across a variety of teams/disciplines working toward the same goals.

Skills and Attributes for success:

• Ability to work independently and with the team, collaborate effectively with other functional groups within EY, and rely on strong influencing skills to achieve results
• Exceptional relationship building/relationship management skills; ability to build trust and confidence.
• Demonstrated success in large matrix organizations
• Ability to manage ambiguity and successfully navigate large, matrixed organizations. Ability to understand complex service offerings and client issues

Requirements:

• 5+ Years of working with various Market Segments, ideally in the Energy Sector
• Strong project management skills; demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders and complex projects and initiatives at one time.
• Proven experience building and maintaining relationship with executives
• Experience conducting and interpreting financial analysis, interpret data and identify financial trends
• In-depth knowledge of sales management, and relationship and opportunity tools and processes
• Ability to review reports, interpret data and identify trends that will assist in further targeting appropriate go-to-market activities that will generate pipeline growth

What we offer

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. In addition, our Total Rewards package allows you decide which benefits are right for you and which ones help you create a solid foundation for your future. Our Total Rewards package includes a comprehensive medical, prescription drug and dental coverage, a defined contribution pension plan, a great vacation policy plus firm paid days that allow you to enjoy longer long weekends throughout the year, statutory holidays and paid personal days (based on province of residence), and a range of exciting programs and benefits designed to support your physical, financial and social well-being. Plus, we offer:

• Support and coaching from some of the most engaging colleagues in the industry
• Learning opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
• The freedom and flexibility to handle your role in a way that’s right for you

Diversity and Inclusion at EY 

Diversity and inclusiveness are at the heart of who we are and how we work. We’re committed to fostering an environment where differences are valued, policies and practices are equitable, and our people feel a sense of belonging. We embrace diversity and are committed to combating systemic racism, advocating for the 2SLGBT+ community, promoting our Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence and Accessibility initiatives, and are dedicated to amplifying the voices of Indigenous people (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) nationally as we strive towards reconciliation. Our diverse experiences, abilities, backgrounds, and perspectives make our people unique and help guide us. Because when people feel free to be their authentic selves at work, they bring their best and are empowered to build a better working world.