Manager, Strategy & Initiatives

Your Opportunity

At Schwab, you’re empowered to make an impact on your career. Here, innovative thought meets creative problem solving, helping us “challenge the status quo” and transform the finance industry together.

We believe in the importance of in-office collaboration and fully intend for the selected candidate for this role to work on site in the specified location(s).

We are offering the opportunity to join the Service Talent Readiness (STR) organization within Licensing as a Manager, Strategy & Initiatives. This role partners closely with Licensing leadership and key SSA stakeholders to support and evolve the onboarding, training, and licensing experience.

The role will begin hands-on, focused on critical manual data entry, data retrieval, and operational tasks that ensure accuracy and stability across the SSA licensing pipeline. Developing a strong understanding of day-to-day Licensing processes is essential. Over time, the role will transition into a more strategic position, driving process improvement and strategic initiatives. A strategic mindset is required, with an expectation to leverage technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools to reduce manual work and improve efficiency. This role works cross functionally with internal partners and serves as a liaison to external vendors, representing Schwab with professionalism, strong business judgment, and accountability.

What you'll do:

• Collaborate with business stakeholders and senior leadership to shape licensing vision and strategy, delivering insights and recommendations to secure alignment and buy in across onboarding, licensing, and training initiatives.
• Develop executive ready PowerPoint presentations to support alignment and decision-making.
• Provide support to the CS&S SSA program and key business partners, managing the SSA pipeline for new hires across all relevant business lines, ensuring efficient processes and timely execution.
• Assist in planning for future SSA cohorts by aligning business needs, capacity planning, and data insights into clear strategies and timelines.
• Embrace AI, technology, and automation as critical tools to simplify workflows, reduce manual effort, and scale impact
• Facilitate scheduling and logistical coordination for new hires to drive successful onboarding outcomes.
• Prioritize and oversee exam scheduling, seat reservations, and coordination with testing centers to ensure seamless completion of licensing steps.
• Manage department inbox, responding promptly to schedule adjustments, roster updates and administrative inquiries from stakeholders.
• Ensure timely and accurate data entry of exam scores, maintaining data integrity to support reporting and analysis for business insights.
• Audit and monitor invoice spending related to onboarding and licensing activities, identifying opportunities for cost efficiencies.
• Support remediation of potential risks in onboarding and licensing processes, engaging stakeholders to maintain progression and compliance.
• Ensure accurate tracking and documentation of testing accommodations and leaves of absence, maintaining proper data governance and communication in alignment with HR policy.
• Work with business partners as well as Licensing Specialists to understand shared processes, workflows, and opportunities to enhance the onboarding model.
• Take ownership of problems and solutions, proactively seeking ways to improve results rather than waiting for direction.
• Facilitate interactive workshops and focused study sessions as necessary, reinforcing exam content and supporting learner readiness and success.

What you have

To ensure that we fulfill our promise of "challenging the status quo," this role has specific qualifications that successful candidates should have.

The successful candidate must be fully committed to serving the needs of clients, employees, and stakeholders. In addition, the individual must possess strong organizational, planning, execution, and communication skills and be effective at managing complex processes, ensuring compliance, and delivering superior business results, including quality and productivity.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required or 5+ years of equivalent work experience.
• Strong knowledge of brokerage/financial services, customer service, onboarding processes, licensing requirements, and HR policy compliance.
• Ability to execute tasks independently with minimal guidance while meeting deadlines and maintaining accuracy.
• Advanced organizational skills with experience managing multiple priorities and resolving complex logistical challenges.
• 2+ years of experience in process improvement or operational efficiency initiatives.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with data entry and maintaining data integrity for reporting and analysis purposes.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to audit and track financial transactions related to onboarding activities.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams and build strong relationships with business partners.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to ensure clarity and accuracy in stakeholder interactions.
• Experience developing and implementing process enhancements to improve efficiency and compliance.
• Ability to analyze data and identify trends or opportunities for improvement.
• Experience with project management and strategic planning, including driving cross‑functional initiatives from concept through execution.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment and managing ambiguity effectively.
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, collaborate and coordinate unique resources in various business units to achieve common goals
• Strong emotional intelligence and senior level executive presence

In addition to the salary range, this role is also eligible for bonus or incentive opportunities