Director of Strategic Planning and CEO Chief of Staff

$127,500 - $229,500/Yr

Xylem - Washington, DC

Full-time - Director

Washington, DC

10,001+ employees

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

About the position

Join Xylem in the global mission to #LetsSolveWater! As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions. Are you passionate about solving global water challenges? Join our team at Xylem, Inc., a Fortune 500 global water technology company dedicated to making a positive impact. As the Director of Strategic Planning and CEO Chief of Staff within our Corporate Strategy team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping Xylem's strategic direction, while also serving as the CEO's Chief of Staff (CoS). The role will report into the VP, Strategy & Business Development. Your responsibilities will include developing and implementing strategic plans, translating enterprise strategy into capital and resource allocation, ensuring effective communication of the strategy, and managing the Board of Directors materials development process. In addition, you will partner directly with the CEO as Chief of Staff, managing the CEO's operating cadence, leading material development for key meetings and events, as well as supporting communication of the company's strategy both internally and externally. Your work will directly contribute to our mission of creating smart, sustainable solutions for water management. At Xylem, you will have the opportunity to solve water by participating in our paid volunteer program, Xylem Watermark!

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with executive, strategy, and finance leaders to develop fully integrated strategic plans that align with Xylem's mission and goals.
• Analyze industry trends, market data, and internal insights to identify opportunities and threats.
• Present strategic recommendations to the executive team and Board of Directors.
• Translate high-level strategy into actionable capital and resource allocation decisions.
• Ensure alignment between strategic initiatives and business priorities.
• Monitor and report on the progress of strategic initiatives.
• Facilitate communication of the strategy throughout the organization.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to create high-quality materials for Board meetings.
• Prepare strategic presentations, reports, and analyses for Board discussions.
• Support the communication of CEO strategy with key stakeholders including Board of Directors, investors, and colleagues.
• Serve as a thought partner and collaborator to the CEO, leading preparation for key internal and external presentations and meetings.
• Manage CEO's operating cadence including setting agendas for senior leadership team meetings, writing Board updates, and ensuring the CEO's time is aligned with priorities and strategy.
• Foster a high-impact culture and environment that encourages innovation, accountability, and empowerment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree (e.g., engineering, computer science, business administration, law, economics) preferred.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to solve complex business problems.
• Excellent planning skills, capable of creating structured and actionable strategic plans.
• Knowledge of the water industry and familiarity with related areas (utilities, industrial processes, IoT).
• Interdisciplinary perspective, synthesizing insights from various fields (policy, economics, environmental science, engineering).
• Global experience, especially in emerging markets and cross-sectoral partnerships.
• Strong influencing skills to align stakeholders around strategic actions.
• Passion for advancing global sustainability through water management.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience working in a professional services environment with tight deadlines and a focus on complex client deliverables, such as management consulting, investment banking, law or accounting is preferable.
• Prior experience related to corporate strategy, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions would be a plus.
• Prior experience in a diversity of environments, such as multiple geographies, work across public/private/nonprofit sectors, and different functional roles.

Benefits

• Paid volunteer program, Xylem Watermark.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and Employee Resource Groups (ERG).
• Flexible hybrid work arrangement.
• Competitive salary range of $127,500 - $229,500.