VP, Corporate Strategy & Development

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze℠, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses.

Positions located in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York follow a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

Overall Purpose

The Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development is a pivotal leadership role in defining the vision and delivering on the ambition of the company at the forefront of innovation in the financial services. This position will lead and inspire a high-performing team of strategy professionals to not only shape our in-year and multi-year strategies, but to drive transformational change across the organization to meet our bold ambition. To achieve this, the role focus will span three critical areas: development of the organizational strategy, shaping, delivering and championing transformational initiatives, and guiding development activities to drive competitive advantage.

Essential Functions:

Corporate Strategy (40% of time):

• Strategic Planning: Lead the development and execution of comprehensive enterprise strategies that align with Early Warning Services' mission and objectives. Collaborate with business unit leaders to pressure test and support development of compelling strategies, ensuring alignment with broader organizational goals.

• Market & Industry Analysis: Conduct thorough analyses of market trends, competitive landscapes, and emerging opportunities. Apply the insights developed through analyses to create market-leading strategies as identified.

• Executive Collaboration: Partner with executive leadership and the board to communicate strategic plans and ensure organizational alignment.

Transformation (50% of time):

• Design the Change: Lead the identification and design of transformative initiatives for the enterprise and ensure that proposed changes are rooted in best practices and align with EWS' long-term vision.

• Implement the Change: Drive the implementation of large-scale transformation initiatives by establishing clear goals, timelines, and metrics to measure success. Partner with leaders across the organization to ensure full delivery of value from design to execution, fostering organization-wide buy-in and engagement.

• Coordinate Functional Transformation Efforts: Act as a central leader in coordinating cross-functional transformational projects, working closely with function heads to ensure alignment, remove barriers, etc.

Development (10% of time):

• M&A pipeline: Monitor pipeline of M&A targets

• Target evaluation: Develop deal theses in line with our broader M&A strategy and conduct target functional and commercial diligences; develop target valuations ultimately culminating in deal structure, negotiation, and finalization

• Integration planning & execution: Oversee the seamless integration of acquired entities and partnerships into the company's operations.

• Internal & External coordination: Lead engagement with target, in addition to EWS stakeholders (senior leaders and board of directors) to ensure alignment across deal phases

• Supports the company’s commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of 12 or more years of relevant work experience in corporate strategy, development, investment banking, management consulting, or a related field with at least 5 years in a leadership role.

• Education and/or experience typically obtained through completion of a Bachelor’s degree.

• Industry knowledge: Experience in the financial technology sector with a focus on payments, risk insights, digital identity or banking.

• Skilled in framing and tackling complex challenges, leveraging diverse analytical methods to craft effective solutions.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and persuasion abil