Papa Johns International

Director of Strategy

Papa Johns International$120K — $150K *
Business Services
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years in strategy, consulting, corporate finance, private equity, or investment banking
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related discipline
  • MBA or equivalent graduate degree preferred
  • Consumer-facing industry experience preferred (retail, restaurant, CPG)
  • Proven ability to influence senior leaders without direct authority

Responsibilities

  • Monitor industry trends to inform strategic direction
  • Support strategic planning processes and align resources
  • Develop strategic recommendations and trade-offs for complex questions
  • Build and evaluate financial models for strategic initiatives
  • Prepare decision materials and updates for senior leadership and the Board
  • Facilitate executive discussions to align on strategic priorities
  • Lead planning for strategic initiatives, managing interdependencies

Benefits

  • Access to professional development opportunities
  • Collaborative work environment involving cross-functional teams
  • Opportunities for influencing high-level company strategy
  • Visibility and engagement with senior leadership and the Board
  • Empowerment to drive strategic initiatives and transformation
Full Job Description

Job Summary

The Director, Strategy is responsible for driving enterprise-wide strategic planning, competitive insight development, and rigorous evaluation of strategic initiatives and investments. This role partners closely with Finance, FP&A, Consumer Insights, and cross-functional business leaders to translate market intelligence and financial analysis into clear strategic recommendations for senior leadership, the CEO, and the Board of Directors.

The Director is responsible for combining structured problem solving, financial modeling, and strategic storytelling to inform decision-making at the highest levels of the organization. This position plays a critical role in shaping the annual and multi-year strategic agenda and ensuring disciplined execution across strategic initiatives.

Duties & Responsibilities (Other duties as assigned)

Enterprise & Corporate Strategy

  • Monitor the competitive landscape and track industry trends, synthesizing insights to inform enterprise strategic direction and key leadership decisions.
  • Support the annual and multi-year strategic planning process, including defining strategic priorities, sequencing initiatives, and aligning enterprise resources with long-term objectives.
  • Develop fact-based strategic recommendations, scenarios, and tradeoff analyses to address complex, ambiguous business questions.

Financial Modeling & Business Case Development

  • Build, evaluate, and pressure-test financial models and business cases to assess strategic options, growth initiatives, and capital investments.
  • Partner with FP&A and Finance to ensure alignment between strategy, financial forecasts, and capital allocation decisions.
  • Translate financial outputs into clear, executive-level narratives and recommendations.

Executive & Board-Level Communication

  • Prepare strategic recommendations, progress updates, and decision materials for senior leadership, the CEO, and the Board of Directors.
  • Facilitate executive discussions to drive alignment, decision-making, and commitment to strategic priorities.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership, providing objective, data-driven perspectives.

Consumer, Market & Insight Partnership

  • Partner closely with Consumer Insights and Analytics teams to identify research needs that deepen understanding of customer behaviors, preferences, and emerging trends.
  • Integrate market, customer, and financial insights into cohesive strategic perspectives.

Strategic Initiative Planning & Governance

  • Lead or support end-to-end planning for strategic initiatives, including defining scope, success metrics, timelines, and resource requirements.
  • Drive alignment across functions and business units, managing interdependencies and ensuring clear accountability.
  • Hold initiative owners accountable to milestones and outcomes, escalating risks and issues as needed.
  • Identify, manage, and mitigate strategic and execution risks through disciplined governance practices.

Education, Experience & Certifications

  • 7+ years of experience in strategy, consulting, corporate finance, private equity, investment banking, or related fields
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related discipline required
  • MBA or equivalent graduate degree preferred
  • Experience in consumer-facing, retail, restaurant, or CPG environments preferred
  • Proven experience influencing senior leaders without direct authority

Functional Skills & Capabilities

  • Enterprise & corporate strategy development
  • Financial & business acumen; advanced modeling and analytical skills
  • Strategic problem solving and structured thinking
  • Executive communication and storytelling
  • Planning, prioritization, and cross-functional execution leadership
  • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment

About Papa Johns International

Papa John's International, Inc. is an American pizza restaurant franchise company. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Papa John's operates over 5,000 restaurants in 45 countries and territories around the world. The company's menu includes a variety of pizzas, sides, and desserts. Papa John's is known for its commitment to quality ingredients and customer service. The company has faced controversy in recent years due to the behavior of its founder and former CEO, John Schnatter. Papa John's has taken steps to distance itself from Schnatter and improve its corporate culture.
Learn more about Papa Johns International
Size
14,000 employees
Market Cap
$2.9 billion
Industry
Net Income
$57.9 million
Founded
1985
5 Year Trend
+3.8%
Revenue
$1.8 billion
NASDAQ

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