General Team DescriptionStrategic Planning sits within Finance and supports enterprise-level strategic development efforts, including selective strategic transactions and other complex, non-routine initiatives. The team partners closely with Treasury, Legal, Risk, Tax, Operations, Technology, and business stakeholders, and works with external advisors as needed.
Role OverviewThe Vice President, Corporate Strategic Planning is a generalist execution and initiative leadership role responsible for independently advancing strategic development initiatives, transactions, and special situations that shape the firm's structure, footprint, and long-term positioning.
The Vice President serves as the day-to-day leader for defined initiatives and transaction workstreams, partnering across Finance, Treasury, Legal, Risk, Tax, Operations, Technology, and business stakeholders to drive analysis, coordination, decision-making, and execution.
The role requires a professional who can operate independently in ambiguous environments, structure complex problems, develop actionable recommendations, and proactively identify and resolve execution risks. The Vice President is expected to bring ideas, challenge assumptions constructively, and escalate issues with recommended solutions rather than simply surfacing problems.
Reporting LineReports to Director or Executive Director, Corporate Strategic Planning.
Key Responsibiliities Strategic Development & Opportunity Assessment- Independently evaluate strategic opportunities, transactions, partnerships, investments, restructurings, and other special situations.
- Develop recommendations regarding strategic fit, execution feasibility, risks, and potential value creation.
- Assess market trends, competitive dynamics, regulatory developments, and peer activity to identify opportunities and strategic implications.
- Proactively identify emerging themes and strategic considerations relevant to the firm's growth and return objectives.
Transaction & Initiative Leadership- Lead defined transactions and strategic initiatives from evaluation through execution.
- Own day-to-day transaction management, diligence coordination, issue resolution, and stakeholder alignment.
- Develop investment theses, financial analyses, valuation assessments, and decision frameworks.
- Manage critical-path execution while proactively identifying risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans.
Cross-functional Leadership- Coordinate stakeholders across Finance, Treasury, Legal, Risk, Tax, Operations, Technology, and business units.
- Facilitate discussions, drive alignment, and help resolve competing priorities across stakeholders.
- Escalate issues appropriately while providing clear recommendations and proposed paths forward.
Key Responsibilities (continued)Governance & Executive Materials- Develop executive-ready presentations, recommendations, and governance materials.
- Present findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders with confidence and credibility.
- Translate complex analyses into clear decision-oriented communications.
External Advisor Management:
- Manage day-to-day interactions with investment banks, consultants, legal counsel, and other advisors.
- Evaluate advisor work critically and ensure internal ownership of recommendations and outcomes.
Confidentiality and discretion- Handle sensitive and confidential information with strong judgment and discretion, following internal information handling protocols and appropriate distribution practices.
Qualifications and Skills- 6+ years of relevant experience in M&A consulting, investment banking, corporate development, private equity, strategy, or strategic finance, with exposure to transactions and/or complex cross-functional initiatives.
- Strong financial analysis and modeling skills (valuation, sensitivities, scenario analysis) and high attention to detail.
- Strong writing and synthesis skills; ability to translate complexity into clear, structured materials for decision-making.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholders and deliver high-quality work under tight timelines.
- High integrity and discretion in handling confidential matters.
Preferred Qualifications / Differentiators:- Combination of management consulting and financial services experience.
- MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
- Familiarity with regulatory and governance considerations within financial services organizations.
What Differentiates a Strong Candidate- Intellectual curiosity and willingness to challenge assumptions constructively.
- Ability to independently structure ambiguous problems.
- Strong judgment regarding when to escalate versus when to resolve independently.
- Comfortable leading initiatives without extensive direction.
- Ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority.
- Bring ideas, not just analyses.
- Successful candidates are supportive collaborators who have a "can do" attitude and share a team first mindset.
SMBC's employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process. Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required.
