MassMutual
Head of Strategic Expense Initiatives & Capabilities
MassMutual, Hartford, Connecticut, us, 06112
Overview
Head of Strategic Expense Initiatives & Capabilities is a full-time role based in Boston, MA; New York, NY; or Springfield, MA. The leader will be responsible for advancing expense management initiatives, capabilities, and policies, including 3rd party benchmarking interpretation, analysis of results, and driving key actions and alignment. This role also pioneers innovation including expansion of Global Business Solutions (GBS) capabilities and building out AI/Gen AI digital analyst functionalities, and partners closely with Procurement and Strategic Priorities and delivery. The ideal candidate will have experience in financial analysis and/or expense management, and be fluent in life insurance, wealth management and annuity products. The role requires cross-functional collaboration with peers and leaders inside and outside the finance function, the ability to navigate ambiguity, mobilize teams, and operate at a nimble, fast pace. The ability to translate and distill complex financial issues into simple business narratives with “so what” implications is essential. The position leads a small team and emphasizes proactive, customer-centric development within a learning culture. The team will research and drive education and adoption of expense benchmarking, establish and maintain unit cost frameworks, and manage the timing, accuracy, and hands-on execution of deliverables with fact-based analysis guiding insights and decision support. Responsibilities
Drive alignment on YoY top-down expense guidance and support business and functional partners in delivering results. Design intuitive, actionable expense performance analysis to create transparency and surface savings opportunities (including an external lens / benchmarking). Enhance reporting and deep analytics around overall expenses, headcount, pricing gaps. Develop tools for HC scenario impacts, Global Business Solutions (GBS) net savings, scenario analysis around expense levers and pricing impacts; ongoing reporting and validation. Establish potential for category-specific councils (software, travel, HC, 3P contractors, management consulting, etc.). Establish unit cost transparency on run-the-business spend by prioritizing technology and operations areas and ongoing reporting. Partner with Actuarial to deepen understanding of pricing expense allowances vs. actuals and benchmarking gaps; align ELT on multi-year aspiration and surgical levers to achieve it; track and monitor delivery of multi-year aspiration. Partner, influence and align capabilities and processes with Strategic Planning & Delivery (SP&D), PMO and Procurement to increase transparency, improve economics and execution rigor. Build robust transparency to improve economics (connect business drivers to spend, 3rd party spend, portfolio execution and benefit realization). Provide transparency into funding capacity and alignment (improve T-shirt sizing), CBA, execution health metrics and benefit realization (SPD & BAU programs) – linkage to forecast (spend and benefits). Provide transparency into Procurement levers / options and drive strategic trade-off discussions with ELT/SLT in partnership with procurement; create clear linkage to forecast. Innovation Capabilities
Raise the bar on analytics to guide decision support (historical trends, correlations, transparency on BAU vs. outliers, etc.). Build Pilot Gen AI/agentic AI ad hoc analytics solutions to support initial use cases. Stand up Global Business Solutions (GBS) support team to support SEM (executive presentations and analysis for SLT/ELT reviews/recommendations). Assess technology tools and capabilities needs, design business requirements and secure funding. The Minimum Qualifications
10+ years of experience in senior finance roles with proven ability to lead across a heavily matrixed organization, navigate ambiguity, and mobilize teams; tech-forward leader with a track record of implementing new technologies and strong communication, training and change management skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to convey complex materials to all levels, including senior executives and the Board of Directors. Demonstrated experience implementing advanced forecasting / strategic planning techniques including activity-based costing and zero-based budgeting. Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business/Finance/Accounting or related discipline. High degree of financial acumen; strong analytical skills; ability to analyze data and articulate implications. Organized, detail-oriented, able to work under pressure and manage multiple deliverables; proactive and self-motivated. Ability to think critically, demonstrate good judgment, and solve problems creatively. Experience driving transformation efforts; ability to work with large data sets to identify key trends. Innate desire to provide excellent service to clients. MBA or CPA designation (preferred); prior management consulting experience (preferred). MassMutual is an equal employment opportunity employer. We welcome all persons to apply. If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.
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Head of Strategic Expense Initiatives & Capabilities is a full-time role based in Boston, MA; New York, NY; or Springfield, MA. The leader will be responsible for advancing expense management initiatives, capabilities, and policies, including 3rd party benchmarking interpretation, analysis of results, and driving key actions and alignment. This role also pioneers innovation including expansion of Global Business Solutions (GBS) capabilities and building out AI/Gen AI digital analyst functionalities, and partners closely with Procurement and Strategic Priorities and delivery. The ideal candidate will have experience in financial analysis and/or expense management, and be fluent in life insurance, wealth management and annuity products. The role requires cross-functional collaboration with peers and leaders inside and outside the finance function, the ability to navigate ambiguity, mobilize teams, and operate at a nimble, fast pace. The ability to translate and distill complex financial issues into simple business narratives with “so what” implications is essential. The position leads a small team and emphasizes proactive, customer-centric development within a learning culture. The team will research and drive education and adoption of expense benchmarking, establish and maintain unit cost frameworks, and manage the timing, accuracy, and hands-on execution of deliverables with fact-based analysis guiding insights and decision support. Responsibilities
Drive alignment on YoY top-down expense guidance and support business and functional partners in delivering results. Design intuitive, actionable expense performance analysis to create transparency and surface savings opportunities (including an external lens / benchmarking). Enhance reporting and deep analytics around overall expenses, headcount, pricing gaps. Develop tools for HC scenario impacts, Global Business Solutions (GBS) net savings, scenario analysis around expense levers and pricing impacts; ongoing reporting and validation. Establish potential for category-specific councils (software, travel, HC, 3P contractors, management consulting, etc.). Establish unit cost transparency on run-the-business spend by prioritizing technology and operations areas and ongoing reporting. Partner with Actuarial to deepen understanding of pricing expense allowances vs. actuals and benchmarking gaps; align ELT on multi-year aspiration and surgical levers to achieve it; track and monitor delivery of multi-year aspiration. Partner, influence and align capabilities and processes with Strategic Planning & Delivery (SP&D), PMO and Procurement to increase transparency, improve economics and execution rigor. Build robust transparency to improve economics (connect business drivers to spend, 3rd party spend, portfolio execution and benefit realization). Provide transparency into funding capacity and alignment (improve T-shirt sizing), CBA, execution health metrics and benefit realization (SPD & BAU programs) – linkage to forecast (spend and benefits). Provide transparency into Procurement levers / options and drive strategic trade-off discussions with ELT/SLT in partnership with procurement; create clear linkage to forecast. Innovation Capabilities
Raise the bar on analytics to guide decision support (historical trends, correlations, transparency on BAU vs. outliers, etc.). Build Pilot Gen AI/agentic AI ad hoc analytics solutions to support initial use cases. Stand up Global Business Solutions (GBS) support team to support SEM (executive presentations and analysis for SLT/ELT reviews/recommendations). Assess technology tools and capabilities needs, design business requirements and secure funding. The Minimum Qualifications
10+ years of experience in senior finance roles with proven ability to lead across a heavily matrixed organization, navigate ambiguity, and mobilize teams; tech-forward leader with a track record of implementing new technologies and strong communication, training and change management skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to convey complex materials to all levels, including senior executives and the Board of Directors. Demonstrated experience implementing advanced forecasting / strategic planning techniques including activity-based costing and zero-based budgeting. Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business/Finance/Accounting or related discipline. High degree of financial acumen; strong analytical skills; ability to analyze data and articulate implications. Organized, detail-oriented, able to work under pressure and manage multiple deliverables; proactive and self-motivated. Ability to think critically, demonstrate good judgment, and solve problems creatively. Experience driving transformation efforts; ability to work with large data sets to identify key trends. Innate desire to provide excellent service to clients. MBA or CPA designation (preferred); prior management consulting experience (preferred). MassMutual is an equal employment opportunity employer. We welcome all persons to apply. If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.
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