Chief of Staff Director, R&I Strategic Planning and Performance

Chief of Staff - Director, R&I - Strategic Planning and PerformanceJob LocationsUS-CO-Louisville | US-NY-White PlainsID2026-27299Number of People to Hire1Job FamilyResearch & InnovationLevel of ExperienceExperienced ProfessionalsShort Intro and About the JobThis is a pivotal leadership role designed to propel key initiatives forward and accelerate the Research & Innovation (R&I) organization toward its future vision. The Chief of Staff will act as a strategic partner to the CRIO and the Executive team, elevating the effectiveness of R&I leadership for the benefit of the broader business. This position requires a highly resourceful individual with strong emotional intelligence, analytical rigor, and the ability to stay several steps ahead of the executive team.Core ResponsibilitiesStrategic Planning & Performance ManagementAnnual & Long-Term Planning:Lead the annual and long-term strategic planning process to align with broader enterprise strategies. * Performance Dashboards: Partner with the data science team to build automated, consistent dashboards that track R&I performance measures and critical metrics. * Data Validation: Identify and validate data sources in partnership with key leaders to ensure accuracy in exception reporting and trend analysis. * Decision Support: Develop measures to add rigor to decision-making, helping leaders determine where R&I should spend time for the greatest impact.Executive Advisory & Representation * Right-Hand Advisor: Serve as a confidant and sounding board for the CRIO, offering objective, enterprise-wide perspectives without specific "turf" considerations. * Executive Representation: Represent the CRIO in critical meetings, articulating their viewpoints and decisions while managing their agenda to maximize efficiency. * Succession & Objectives: Advise the Head of R&I and project manage annual objectives to ensure all groups within the organization are successful.Governance & Operating Model * Leadership Forums: Drive agendas and content for R&I Leadership Team (LT) meetings and Townhalls, ensuring a focus on both strategic priorities and tactical updates. * Meeting Management: Facilitate team communication, manage follow-ups on project metrics, and partner with EA support to maintain an accessible framework for prep materials and minutes. * Way of Working: Implement standards for the division, such as email protocols (e.g., clear subject lines like "Decision Needed" or "Seeking Approval") to facilitate faster information assimilation. * Prioritization: Challenge the leadership group on "go vs. no-go" initiatives, tracking deferred projects for future consideration.Communications & Engagement * Strategic Framework: Develop a communications cadence for engaging the broader team through town halls, recorded videos, and site visits. * Executive Presence: Consolidate weekly reporting for the executive committee and partner with the CRIO on quarterly board documents and external communications. * Culture & Engagement: Assess employee engagement survey results and sponsor action teams to drive meaningful change in organizational culture.Strategic Transformation & Catalytic Leadership * Agile Innovation Catalyst: Drive a cultural shift toward agile innovation and experimentation, championing a "test & learn/fail fast" mentality to accelerate speed-to-market. * Organizational Transformation: Lead one or more high-priority strategic projects in direct partnership with senior leadership to fundamentally transform organizational capabilities. * Cross-Functional Leadership: Work across the North America R&I Leadership team by partnering with other function leads towards the seamless execution of key organizational goals and collective success. * Best-in-Class Talent Development: Create a superior team of associates by modeling and coaching high-level leadership behaviors and setting modern standards for exc lle