Finance Transformation Lead

Is the opportunity to join a culture where “We Do the Right Thing,” and “We Courageously Shape Our Future Together” important to you? If so, Guardian is seeking a motivated individual to join our team as a Finance Transformation Lead.

This role is responsible for driving strategic transformation initiatives across the Finance organization to improve performance, optimize processes, advance AI-enabled capabilities, and strengthen data-driven decision-making. Reporting to the Head of Finance & Risk Transformation, Strategy and Operations, s/he will partner closely with Finance, Technology, Risk, Operations, Data, and business leaders to design and implement future-state operating models, modernize planning and reporting processes, and deliver sustainable business value.

AI enablement is a core accountability

This leader will advance the organization's AI-enabled Finance strategy by embedding Generative AI, intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and agentic AI capabilities into Finance processes, operating models, and ways of working, while ensuring responsible adoption, governance, risk management, and measurable value realization.

You will

Key Responsibilities

Transformation Strategy & Execution

• Develop and execute Finance transformation strategies aligned with business and enterprise objectives.

• Lead large-scale transformation initiatives spanning Finance processes, operating models, systems, data, controls, and organizational capabilities.

• Manage transformation roadmaps, implementation plans, milestones, dependencies, and value realization objectives.

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness, decision support, governance, and stakeholder experience.

• Drive continuous improvement and innovation across Finance functions.

AI Enablement & Digital Innovation

• Lead the Finance AI strategy and roadmap, identifying opportunities to leverage Generative AI, predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and agentic AI solutions to improve productivity, decision-making, and business outcomes.

• Partner with Finance leaders to identify, prioritize, and scale high-value AI use cases across FP&A, forecasting, management reporting, expense management, financial close, workforce planning, and decision support.

• Drive adoption of enterprise AI capabilities, including Microsoft Copilot, Claude, AI agents, and emerging technologies, ensuring alignment with business priorities and governance expectations.

• Establish frameworks for AI use case intake, evaluation, prioritization, value realization, adoption measurement, and ongoing performance monitoring.

• Collaborate with Technology, Data, Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Information Security teams to ensure responsible AI adoption and adherence to enterprise governance standards.

• Lead AI-related change management efforts, including communications, training, stakeholder engagement, and capability-building programs to increase AI literacy across Finance.

• Measure and track AI adoption, productivity gains, capacity creation, cost savings, decision quality improvements, and other business outcomes.

• Monitor emerging AI trends, technologies, and industry best practices, translating innovation into actionable opportunities for Finance.

Operating Model & Process Transformation

• Design and implement future-state Finance operating models, governance structures, and service delivery frameworks.

• Lead process optimization across FP&A, forecasting and budgeting, management reporting, financial close and consolidation, business performance management, expense management, and capital planning.

• Promote standardization, automation, simplification, and scalable ways of working across Finance processes.

• Assess organizational readiness, capability gaps, role impacts, and process changes required to sustain transformation outcomes.

Technology, Data & Analytics Enablement

• Partner with Technology and Data teams to lead implementation of Finance platforms, reporting solutions, analytics capabilities, and digital tools.

• Support transformation initiatives involving ERP modernization, Oracle Planning/EPM, enterprise performance management, reporting platforms, AI-enabled workflows, and automation solutions.

• Translate business requirements into technology-enabled solutions, user stories, process designs, and implementation roadmaps.

• Strengthen Finance data quality, consistency, transparency, and accessibility to support analytics, forecasting, and AI-enabled insights.

Stakeholder Management, Governance & Change Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Finance executives, senior stakeholders, and cross-functional partners.

• Facilitate executive workshops, strategic planning sessions, use case prioritization discussions, and operating model design conversations.

• Establish governance structures, reporting mechanisms, risk management routines, and escalation channels for transformation initiatives.

• Manage vendor, consulting partner, and cross-functional delivery relationships as required.

• Lead change management, communications, training, and stakeholder engagement activities that support adoption and sustained behavior change.

You have

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Engineering, Information Systems, Data Analytics, or a related field.

• 8+ years of Finance, consulting, transformation, strategy, technology enablement, or program management experience.

• 5+ years leading large-scale Finance transformation initiatives or enterprise change programs.

• Experience leading AI, Generative AI, automation, digital transformation, or advanced analytics initiatives within Finance or related business functions.

• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize, and implement AI use cases that deliver measurable business value.

• Strong understanding of Finance operating models, planning, forecasting, reporting, expense management, and performance management processes.

• Experience developing transformation roadmaps, business cases, benefits realization plans, and executive-level presentations.

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders across business, technology, data, risk, and operations.

• Strong analytical, facilitation, problem-solving, communication, and executive storytelling skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA, CPA, CFA, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, SAFe, or other relevant advanced degree or certification.

• Experience within Financial Services, Insurance, Banking, Risk Management, or other highly regulated industries.

• Experience implementing Oracle Planning, Oracle EPM Cloud, Hyperion, SAP, Workday, Anaplan, or similar Finance platforms.

• Experience with Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio, Azure AI, Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, agent-based AI solutions, workflow automation, or similar platforms.

• Knowledge of Responsible AI, AI governance, model risk management, data governance, privacy, information security, and adoption frameworks.

• Consulting experience with a leading management consulting firm or enterprise transformation practice.

Key Competencies

Strategic Leadership

Enterprise mindset, strategic planning, business acumen, vision-setting, prioritization, and decision-making.

Transformation Delivery

Program leadership, portfolio management, roadmap execution, risk management, change leadership, and benefits realization.

AI & Digital Enablement

Generative AI adoption, AI use case identification, intelligent automation, analytics, responsible AI practices, and innovation management.

Finance Expertise

FP&A, forecasting, reporting, performance management, expense management, operating model design, and process optimization.

Relationship Management

Executive presence, stakeholder influence, facilitation, cross-functional partnership, and communication.

Location 

• Hybrid: 3 days a week in office - NYC, Hudson Yards; or Stamford CT. 2 days WFH

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.