OverviewThe Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives is part of the Cordis Spark Program, a rotational leadership development initiative designed to accelerate future leaders through exposure to enterprise-level projects. In this role, the Senior Manager leads complex strategic initiatives and major cross-functional workstreams tied to Cordis business priorities. This role is designed for experienced professionals who can translate ambiguous priorities into structured plans, influence senior stakeholders, drive execution, and coach junior teammates or contributors.
The Spark Program is Cordis' rotational leadership development program designed to build future enterprise, functional, and regional leaders through high-impact assignments, executive exposure, structured rotations, and deliberate post-program placement into business-critical roles. Spark participants rotate through 2-3 assignments over an expected 2-3 year period. Each rotation is intended to be a chartered assignment with defined business priorities, role expectations, leadership sponsorship, and measurable business outcomes. Each assignment includes a rotation sponsor responsible for day-to-day business direction, with program-level support from Spark leadership to provide development continuity, mentorship, and connectivity across the broader program.
Spark teammates are expected to deliver meaningful business impact while building the leadership capabilities, functional breadth, and enterprise perspective required for future roles at Cordis. Spark assignments are expected to move from problem definition and recommendation development through execution planning, stakeholder alignment, and value realization. At the completion of the program, Spark participants are expected to transition into permanent functional, regional, or enterprise roles aligned to business need and individual trajectory.
Duties and Responsibilities- Lead complex strategic initiatives or major cross-functional workstreams aligned to Cordis business priorities.
- Define workstream scope, roadmap, governance, milestones, and success metrics in partnership with functional leaders and senior stakeholders.
- Translate ambiguous business priorities into structured problem-solving plans, analytical workstreams, recommendations, and execution plans.
- Drive disciplined execution, including financial impact assessment, risk management, stakeholder alignment, and performance tracking.
- Develop executive-level presentations, business cases, and recommendations to support decision-making.
- Partner across stakeholders to align priorities, resolve roadblocks, and maintain execution momentum.
- Serve as a change agent within assigned initiatives by anticipating risks, supporting adoption, and helping embed new ways of working.
- Provide thought leadership on process improvements, operating model opportunities, and strategic priorities within assigned areas.
- Mentor, coach, and elevate junior Spark teammates or project contributors.
- Rotate across 2-3 assignments over an expected 2-3 year period to broaden exposure and build enterprise perspective.
Expected Areas of Competence- Demonstrated ability to lead complex strategic or operational workstreams with measurable business impact.
- Strong project / program management capability, including scoping, execution tracking, stakeholder management, risk mitigation, and change management.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to synthesize complex quantitative and qualitative inputs.
- Ability to create business cases, pressure-test recommendations, and support value realization.
- Strong executive communication skills, including the ability to develop concise, decision-oriented materials.
- Ability to influence across functions, geographies, and levels without relying solely on formal authority.
- Ability to provide direction and scope guardrails to junior teammates or workstream contributors.
- Strong judgment in navigating ambiguity, stakeholder tradeoffs, and cross-functional conflict.
- Excellent teaming, collaboration, and written / verbal communication skills.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications- Requires a minimum 12+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree; or equivalent education and experience; Or 10+ years and a Master's degree;Or a PhD with 8+ years experience; or equivalent experience. Where required, the role must hold an appropriate degree in the industry (eg. Legal)
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in healthcare, medical device, life sciences, or relevant industrial / operational environments a plus.
- Project / program management experience or certification a plus.
- Experience working in ambiguous, cross-functional environments preferred.
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