VP, Strategic Planning & Initiatives

At Gallagher Bassett, we're there when it matters most because helping people through challenging moments is more than just our job, it’s our purpose. Every day, we help clients navigate complexity, support recovery, and deliver outcomes that make a real difference in people’s lives. It takes empathy, precision, and a strong sense of partnership—and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. We’re a team of fast-paced fixers, empathetic experts, and outcomes drivers — people who care deeply about doing the right thing and doing it well. Whether you're managing claims, supporting clients, or improving processes, you’ll play a vital role in helping businesses and individuals move forward with confidence. Here, you’ll be supported by a culture that values teamwork, encourages curiosity, and celebrates the impact of your work. Because when you’re here, you’re part of something bigger. You’re part of a team that shows up, stands together, and leads with purpose.

Gallagher Bassett is the premier provider of global claims services, dedicated to exceptional customer service and demonstrably superior outcomes. GB helps people, teams and businesses overcome adversity and loss through the guiding expertise of over 5,000 claims professionals, all committed to going beyond expectations in the continuous pursuit of a better way.

As the market leader in Claims and Risk Management services, Gallagher Bassett (“GB”) is committed to providing tailored solutions that help clients achieve demonstrably superior outcomes. Consistent with this mission, we are seeking an experienced leader to assist in the prioritization, analysis, execution and value capture associated with the highest priority business needs for Gallagher Bassett North America both short and long-term in nature.

In this role, the successful candidate will also be helping to build and grow our Strategic Initiatives team. This team is comprised of dynamic problem solvers who partner with GB’s business leaders in scoping, designing and implementing lasting change to build a more dynamic and consistently excellent organization. This role will work closely with leaders across the Executive Leadership Team.

Projects will encompass all areas of GB’s North America business, however examples include:

• Efforts to ensure exceptional claimant and customer engagement and experience
• Delivery of end-to-end operational excellence throughout the claim lifecycle
• Pursuit and delivery of efficiencies across functions to reduce GB’s total cost to serve
• Development and leadership of targeted cross-sell opportunities to increase GB’s value-add to our customers
• Establishment of operating controls/processes to minimize waste and reduce unintended revenue leakage
• Definition and clarification of operating model , with particular emphasis on roles/responsibilities/SLAs between functions to enhance speed and effectiveness of service delivery to the marketplace

In tackling such opportunities, the VP Strategic Planning & Initiatives will focus on pragmatic solutions where value to the business is delivered rapidly. The successful candidate must have an exceptional nose for value and be able to drive to insights, actions and results.

Partner with the CEO in setting the strategic roadmap for GB North America

• Establish dominant strategic initiatives and projections for GB NA’s 5-year and annual planning cycle
• Assist in the definition of Dominant Priorities, inclusive of responsibilities, timelines and expected value
• Establish governance of Dominant Priorities to ensure timely execution and value delivery

Prioritization of potential initiatives/projects

• Understand GB North America’s strategy and Dominant Priorities to help define and evaluate potential projects
• Maintain roster of potential projects and evaluate relative effort/value to the organization
• Manage and nimbly re-prioritize own and team’s efforts based on emergent business needs

Lead scoping, success definition and approach

• Assist team members in defining project scope to clearly understand business needs, areas for analysis / investigation and expected value of efforts
• Assist team members in defining approach / workplans and ensure resource commitments from the business to ensure initiative success and execution

Value delivery

• Identify and establish pragmatic solutions to obstacles encountered throughout business
• Support CEO and Finance leaders to shape budget and forecast expectations related to key initiatives

Team Development

• Attract and develop exceptional problem solvers to serve as “leadership lab” for the business
• Partner with the business in establishing development plans and transitions into dedicated staff/line roles

Required

• Requires a University Degree or equivalent experience
• Minimum 8 years prior relevant experience.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, or a related field; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years of experience in strategy, corporate development, or business transformation
• 3+ years at a top-tier consultancy (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Strategy&, Kearney) highly preferred
• Proven success leading strategic initiatives
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and financial modeling skills with a data-driven mindset
• Confident communicator and influencer, capable of navigating complex stakeholder environments
• Experience in a global, matrixed organization with the ability to lead without formal authority
• Willingness to travel up to 15%.

Behaviors:

• Results oriented. Individual must thrive on delivering value and in seeing opportunity where others see challenges.
• Exceptional problem solver. Individual must be passionate about understanding and solving complex business problems and enjoy working with others to identify and execute solutions.
• Business acumen/analytics. Must be able to quickly size opportunity and drive to insights through data. However, does not become enamored with analysis when solutions/value add is evident.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Can translate own ideas into structured and compelling communications easily understood and embraced by customers, channels, team and internal constituencies.
• Confident leader, able to both collaborate and influence others, but also form and defend own perspective.
• Consistently operates with integrity, drive and passion for doing what is in the best interest of Gallagher Bassett and our clients.

#LI-HL1

We offer a competitive and comprehensive compensation package. The base salary range represents the anticipated low end and high end of the range for this position. The actual compensation will be influenced by a wide range of factors including, but not limited to previous experience, education, pay market/geography, complexity or scope, specialized skill set, lines of business/practice area, supply/demand, and scheduled hours. On top of a competitive salary, great teams and exciting career opportunities, we also offer a wide range of benefits.

Below are the minimum core benefits you’ll get, depending on your job level these benefits may improve:

• Medical/dental/vision plans, which start from day one!
• Life and accident insurance
• 401(K) and Roth options
• Tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, FSA)
• Educational expense reimbursement
• Paid parental leave

Other benefits include:

• Digital mental health services (Talkspace)
• Flexible work hours (availability varies by office and job function)
• Training programs
• Gallagher Thrive program – elevating your health through challenges, workshops and digital fitness programs for your overall wellbeing
• Charitable matching gift program
• And more...

**The benefits summary above applies to fulltime positions. If you are not applying for a fulltime position, details about benefits will be provided during the selection process.

We value inclusion and diversity

Click Here to review our U.S. Eligibility Requirements

Inclusion and diversity (I&D) is a core part of our business, and it’s embedded into the fabric of our organization. For more than 95 years, Gallagher has led with a commitment to sustainability and to support the communities where we live and work.

Gallagher embraces our employees’ diverse identities, experiences and talents, allowing us to better serve our clients and communities. We see inclusion as a conscious commitment and diversity as a vital strength. By embracing diversity in all its forms, we live out The Gallagher Way to its fullest.

Gallagher believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any form of discrimination by its managers, employees, vendors or customers based on race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity (which includes transgender and other gender non-conforming individuals), gender expression, hair expression, marital status, parental status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected (herein referred to as “protected characteristics”) by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Equal employment opportunity will be extended in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, compensation, benefits, layoff, and termination. In addition, Gallagher will make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified person with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.