Head of Distribution Strategy

Position Summary

The Head of Distribution Strategy partners with the Head of Distribution to convert the enterprise distribution strategy into an actionable growth plan. While the Head of Distribution sets the strategic direction, this role determines how and where the organization will compete, evaluates expansion opportunities, develops data-supported business cases, and coordinates execution across business lines and enabling functions. The role serves as a strategic connector across Distribution, Product, Technology, CRM, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Risk, and Compliance to align investments, capabilities, governance, and implementation priorities that support sustainable and profitable growth.

Role Scope and Distinction

·    Own the translation of the Head of Distribution’s strategic direction into an integrated enterprise plan, business cases, sequenced priorities, and execution roadmaps.

·    Focus on enterprise strategy, market choices, cross-business alignment, and investment decisions rather than the day-to-day creation of seller-facing dashboards, targeting tools, and CRM insights led by Sales Enablement.

·    Partner with Risk and Compliance to understand regulatory and suitability boundaries; this role does not replace the independent oversight, interpretation, or approval responsibilities of those functions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Translation & Enterprise Planning

·    Convert the distribution strategy established by the Head of Distribution into a practical plan that defines where to play, how to compete, and which capabilities and investments are required.

·    Translate business objectives into strategic initiatives, implementation plans, governance structures, KPIs, and execution roadmaps.

·    Coordinate priorities across business lines and establish shared accountability for enterprise growth objectives.

Market Intelligence & Business Case Development

·    Assess market, customer, advisor, competitor, and business-line data to identify additional markets and growth opportunities.

·    Understand how data from available tools and systems is integrated, evaluate the quality and relevance of the evidence, and use it to inform strategic choices.

·    Develop data-supported business cases that articulate opportunity size, strategic rationale, investment requirements, risks, dependencies, and expected business value.

·    Build a strong understanding of each business line to determine where enterprise distribution capabilities can connect, create value, and unlock growth.

Cross-Functional Strategy & Integration

·    Partner with PO Growth & Development, Wealth Management, Product, Finance, Risk, Compliance, Operations, Technology, CRM, Marketing, and other business leaders to align strategy, investments, and execution priorities.

·    Connect business lines and enabling functions, ask the critical questions needed to resolve gaps, and ensure opportunities are evaluated from an enterprise perspective.

·    Drive technology and platform integration priorities that improve distribution effectiveness and advisor and customer experiences.

CRM, Data & Sales Enablement Partnership

·    Define the strategic capabilities, data connections, and business requirements that Distribution needs from CRM and related platforms.

·    Partner with Sales Enablement to translate strategic priorities and integrated data into seller-facing actions, CRM enhancements, segmentation, dashboards, pipeline visibility, and cross-sell insights.

·    Partner with Marketing and other teams to strengthen connections among market insights, campaigns, advisor engagement, and sales execution.

·    Promote consistent data definitions, integration, quality, and governance across distribution and operational systems.

Governance, Risk & Compliance Partnership

·    Identify regulatory, risk, compliance, and suitability considerations that may affect strategic options or implementation plans.

·    Engage Risk and Compliance early to define boundaries, assess third-party companies or capabilities related to suitability, and incorporate required controls into business cases and roadmaps.

·    Maintain clear decision rights so that Risk and Compliance functions retain responsibility for independent interpretation, oversight, and approvals.

Executive Communication & Change Leadership

·    Create executive-level presentations, white papers, strategic recommendations, and board-ready materials that clearly frame choices and recommended actions.

·    Communicate the strategic narrative, decisions, tradeoffs, milestones, and expected outcomes to senior stakeholders.

·    Lead change across functions by building alignment, resolving dependencies, and maintaining momentum from strategy through implementation.

Qualifications

Required

·    10+ years of progressive experience in distribution strategy, sales strategy, enterprise strategy, or a related discipline within broker-dealer, RIA, insurance, wealth management, or financial services environments.

·    Demonstrated experience translating senior-leader strategy into enterprise plans, market choices, investment priorities, business cases, and implementation roadmaps.

·    Proven success working across sales, PO growth & development, wealth management, product, technology, CRM, marketing, operations, finance, risk, and compliance functions.

·    Experience using integrated market and business data to evaluate growth opportunities and support strategic recommendations.

·    Working knowledge of CRM platforms, data integration, analytics, and digital transformation initiatives.

·    Exceptional executive communication, PowerPoint development, strategic storytelling, and stakeholder-influence skills.

Preferred

·    Experience evaluating new markets, distribution models, partnerships, or platform capabilities in a regulated environment.

·    Knowledge of suitability considerations and experience partnering with Risk and Compliance to establish strategic and operating boundaries.

·    Experience supporting executive committees or boards with decision-ready strategy materials.

Salary Range:

The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.

Our Promise

At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals.  Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.

Inspire Well-Being

As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Accommodations

Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.

Visa Sponsorship

Guardian Life is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment-based visas (e.g., such as an H-1B). In order to be a successful applicant, you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship/support now or at any time in the future.

Notice Regarding Guardian’s Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

As part of Guardian’s job application process, Guardian may use artificial intelligence tools (“AI Tools") to automate the sorting and filtering of information provided by applicants as part of its preliminary screening. This preliminary screening may be used to help identify applicant materials and resumes relative to their indication that the applicant meets the requirements for the specific job for which they are applying, as specified in the listing posted on Guardian’s jobs website (Careers at Guardian at https://www.guardianlife.com/careers). At Guardian, we do not use AI Tools to substantially assist or replace human judgment or discretionary decision making in our hiring process. All hiring decisions will be made by Guardian colleagues.

Please be aware that if you apply for a specific position with Guardian, you will have the choice of opting out of Guardian’s use of AI Tools during the job application process. If you would like to request an alternative process that does not utilize AI Tools or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, within ten business days of your position application, you must email your request to MyHR@glic.com, making sure to provide your name and job requisition identification number. Guardian will retain your applicant materials and resume and all information therefrom in accordance with Guardian’s document retention policy, a copy of which you may request via MyHR@glic.com.

Additionally, at applicable times, Guardian will make public the most recent bias audit results for such AI tools, which may be found here. 

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.