Strategic Planning Director

Overview

AARP Foundation is the nation's leading organization serving the 39 million older adults living in poverty or one life event away from slipping into it. Our mission is to strengthen financial resilience for and with older adults by empowering individuals and improving systems. We do this by creating pathways to quality employment, removing barriers to benefits, and promoting equitable access to essential goods and services. To learn more, visit aarpfoundation.org or follow @AARPFoundation on social media.

The Strategic Planning Director leads AARP Foundation’s organization-wide planning processes, translating long-term strategy into clear priorities, integrating annual plans, and actionable goals. Reporting to the Vice President, Business Integration, and serving as a key member of the President’s Office team, the Director brings hands-on experience designing and running enterprise planning processes and uses it to build consistent planning tools, practices, and rhythms across the Foundation. Working closely with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, the Director aligns work across the organization and strengthens prioritization, accountability, and execution. The Director tracks progress against organizational priorities, surfaces emerging risks and opportunities, and gives leadership the insights and recommendations needed to make decisions and adjust plans. The role also produces executive-level presentations, reports, and analysis for the Board of Directors, the President’s Office, and senior leadership, distilling complex information into clear, actionable takeaways.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and direction in the development and implementation of the organization’s strategy, including leading the strategic planning process as well as providing methods, tools, resources, and guidance to departments managing their own strategy development and implementation efforts.
• Serves as an engagement lead for internal strategic consulting projects, guiding a team of internal consultants responsible for strategic problem solving through data gathering, root cause analysis, recommendations, and implementation considerations.
• Partners with leadership to cultivate and nurture strategic and client relationships that help advance strategic planning excellence across the organization. Pushes thinking and challenges conventional wisdom when necessary.
• Partners with stakeholders to analyze and develop a recommended approach for solving critical enterprise-wide issues and challenges.
• Leads and works with cross-functional and matrix teams toward common goals through influence instead of authority.
• Acts as a subject matter expert in strategic planning and strategic intelligence for the department.
• Monitors and evaluates marketplace activities including conducting relevant marketplace assessments, mapping competitive landscapes, understanding revenue models, and identifying white space opportunities to inform strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, business integration, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-wide strategic and annual planning, translating strategy into priorities, goals, and performance metrics, while monitoring performance and recommending adjustments based on emerging risks and opportunities.
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives, and matrixed teams through influence rather than direct authority.
• Experience advising senior executives and facilitating leadership planning and decision-making through strategic problem-solving, analysis, synthesis of complex information, evaluation of options, and development of actionable recommendations.
• Experience developing planning frameworks, tools, and operating rhythms that strengthen organizational alignment, accountability, and execution.
• Exceptional written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, with experience translating complex information into clear executive- and board-level materials.
• Strong judgment, relationship-management skills, and the ability to constructively challenge assumptions while building trust with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority projects in a fast-moving environment with a high degree of independence, discretion, and attention to detail.

AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position.

Additional Requirements

• Regular and reliable job attendance
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships
• Independent judgement in evaluation options to make sound decisions
• In office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise

Hybrid Work Environment

AARP observes Mondays and Fridays as remote workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.