Corporate Vice Pres, Director, AI/Agentic Experience Strategy and UX Architecture - Field Journeys
π Job Overview
Job Title: Director, AI/Agentic Experience Strategy and UX Architecture - Field Journeys
Company: New York Life
Location: New York, NY, US
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Revenue Operations / GTM Strategy / Digital Experience Strategy
Date Posted: May 04, 2026
Experience Level: 10+ Years
Remote Status: Hybrid
π Role Summary
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Drive the strategic vision and architectural framework for AI and agentic experiences tailored to the field force, encompassing agents, advisors, and recruiters.
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Facilitate the development and implementation of AI-native and AI-enhanced workflows that redefine the field lifecycle, from recruitment to practice building and productivity.
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Act as a strategic partner and consultant across a matrixed organization, collaborating with Product, Design, Technology, AI, Data, Compliance, and Field Business units.
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Pioneer innovative AI experience artifacts, tooling, and methodologies to accelerate strategy development and ensure consistent, cohesive AI integration across field operations.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned at a senior level (Director/Corporate VP equivalent) within Experience and Digital Marketing, indicating a significant strategic impact on how New York Life leverages AI for its field force. The emphasis on "Field Journeys" and "AI/Agentic Experience Strategy and UX Architecture" suggests a focus on optimizing the entire lifecycle of field professionals through advanced AI applications, rather than just tactical operational improvements. This role requires a blend of deep domain expertise in financial services and a forward-thinking approach to AI and UX.
π Primary Responsibilities
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AI/Agentic Experience Strategy Development: Facilitate and steward the overarching AI and agentic experience strategy for field personas, ensuring consistency and cohesion across the entire field lifecycle.
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Future-State Visioning & Concept Development: Lead the ideation and conceptualization of AI-first field experience models, working collaboratively on AI behavior concepts and partnering on prototyping and testing.
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Experimentation Design & Analysis: Design and facilitate AI experience experiments for field contexts, defining hypotheses, structuring tests, and analyzing outcomes to build organizational evidence for effective AI models.
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Workflow Analysis & Optimization: Document current-state workflows and AI touchpoints, partnering with Experience Design and Field leadership to define future-state AI-enabled workflows and integrate AI vision into broader journey strategy.
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AI Experience Artifact & Tooling Innovation: Pioneer new strategy and experience artifact types (e.g., AI behavior maps, agentic task flow diagrams) and leverage AI-powered tools to accelerate strategy work and simulate field experience scenarios.
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Financial Services Domain Application: Apply deep knowledge of life insurance, financial planning, and wealth management practices to identify leverage points and risks for AI integration, considering the end-to-end field lifecycle.
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Compliance & Regulatory Integration: Collaborate with compliance and legal teams to translate regulatory requirements into actionable guidance for AI experience development, ensuring adherence to industry standards.
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AI Experience Pattern Curation: Develop and maintain a library of reusable AI and agentic UX patterns to promote consistency and accelerate intentional design across field experiences.
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Strategic Facilitation & Framework Development: Design and facilitate workshops to drive alignment from diverse stakeholders, translating outputs into structured frameworks, decision models, and strategic recommendations.
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Governance & Stakeholder Alignment: Contribute to AI experience governance frameworks, working with cross-functional partners to embed accountability and ensure alignment with compliance, legal, and business requirements.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic foresight (visioning, strategy development) and practical execution (concept development, experimentation, artifact creation). The role requires a strong ability to translate complex AI capabilities into tangible field experiences that align with business objectives and regulatory constraints within the financial services sector.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelorβs degree in Business, Finance, Product Management, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.
Experience:
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10+ years in product strategy, experience strategy, management consulting, or strategic facilitation within complex, matrixed organizations.
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Demonstrated expertise in life insurance, financial planning, retirement, or wealth management practice, gained through practitioner roles, strategy positions, or relevant consulting.
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Proven track record of developing and operationalizing strategic frameworks and facilitating cross-functional workshops.
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Direct experience engaging with AI or data teams on product feasibility, capability tradeoffs, and responsible AI considerations.
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Track record of hands-on AI experience concept development, experimentation, or prototyping in partnership with design and technology teams.
Required Skills:
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Deep financial services domain knowledge (life insurance, financial planning, wealth management), including advisor practice dynamics and regulatory context.
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Working fluency in AI and agentic technology domains (generative AI, LLMs, agentic systems, predictive models, RAG) for credible partnership and capability evaluation.
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Hands-on fluency with AI tools and platforms for concept development, AI behavior evaluation, and strategy artifact creation.
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Exceptional strategic facilitation, framework development, and workshop design skills to structure ambiguous problems and drive conclusions.
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Ability to envision and articulate future-state AI experience models beyond current-state optimization.
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Strong communication skills, adept at tailoring messages for executive, business, and working-level audiences.
Preferred Skills:
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Experience developing novel strategy artifacts or practice methodologies for emerging technology domains.
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Knowledge of AI adoption trends across financial services and insurance carriers.
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Exposure to omnichannel experience strategy (digital self-service, contact center AI, agent-assisted models, field distribution technology).
π Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a unique blend of deep financial services industry knowledge, hands-on AI/UX strategy, and strong facilitation/consulting skills. The "working fluency" in AI suggests a need for practical understanding rather than deep technical development, focusing on application and strategic integration.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
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Strategic Frameworks: Showcase examples of strategic frameworks developed to guide complex initiatives, particularly in technology adoption or market strategy.
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AI Concept Development: Present case studies or examples of AI experience concepts developed, detailing the problem, proposed AI solution, and intended user impact within a relevant industry.
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Workshop Facilitation Outcomes: Provide evidence of outcomes from facilitated workshops, demonstrating how complex inputs were synthesized into actionable strategies or decision frameworks.
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Process & Workflow Mapping: Include examples of current-state and future-state process maps, particularly those that incorporate technology or AI interventions to drive efficiency or new capabilities.
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ROI & Impact Measurement: Demonstrate how initiatives were measured for success, showcasing metrics related to adoption, efficiency gains, productivity improvements, or user satisfaction, particularly for AI-driven solutions.
Process Documentation:
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Strategy Articulation: Examples of how complex AI strategies were documented and communicated to diverse stakeholder groups, ensuring clarity and alignment.
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AI Experience Playbooks: If available, documentation related to establishing reusable AI UX patterns, guidelines, or best practices for human-AI interaction.
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Experimentation Design: Documentation outlining hypotheses, experimental designs, and outcome analysis for AI-related initiatives, demonstrating a structured approach to learning and validation.
π Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio should emphasize strategic thinking, the ability to translate complex concepts into actionable plans, and demonstrable experience in driving change through collaboration and structured methodologies, particularly concerning AI and technology integration within a regulated industry.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $119,000 - $200,000 USD per year.
Benefits:
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Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Details typically include medical, dental, and vision insurance.
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Retirement Savings: Likely includes a 401(k) plan with company match.
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Financial Security: Life insurance, disability insurance.
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Work-Life Balance: Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, holidays), potential for flexible work arrangements.
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Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, training, and career advancement.
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Unique Offerings: Specific programs like leave programs, adoption assistance, and student loan repayment programs are highlighted.
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Performance-Based Incentives:
- Annual Discretionary Bonus
Working Hours:
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Typically 40 hours per week, with an Exempt status, meaning standard overtime pay does not apply.
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Hybrid work arrangement requires 3 days per week in the New York City office.
π Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Director-level strategic role in New York City, especially within a Fortune 100 company. The explicit mention of "Leave Programs, Adoption Assistance, and Student Loan Repayment Programs" suggests a modern and employee-centric benefits package. The hybrid requirement of 3 days in office is a key detail for candidates.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Financial Services (Insurance, Financial Planning, Wealth Management). New York Life is a Fortune 100 company and the largest mutual life insurer in the United States, indicating a stable, established, and reputable industry leader undergoing significant digital and AI transformation.
Company Size: Large enterprise (implied by Fortune 100 status and historical legacy). This suggests a hierarchical structure with established processes, but also the potential for significant impact due to scale.
Founded: 1845. The company's long history emphasizes stability, trust, and a deep understanding of its customer base and market.
Team Structure:
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Department: Experience and Digital Marketing. This indicates a focus on customer and field professional engagement through digital channels and enhanced experiences.
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Reporting: The role reports into a Director level within this department, suggesting a senior individual contributor or lead role with significant autonomy.
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Collaboration: Operates within a broad, matrixed set of stakeholders including product managers, designers, business operators, compliance partners, technology, AI, data, and field-facing business units. This necessitates strong cross-functional collaboration and influence skills.
Methodology:
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Strategic Facilitation: The role is described as a "strategic facilitator," emphasizing collaborative framework development and alignment across diverse teams.
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Concept Development & Experimentation: A hands-on approach to AI experience concept development, prototyping, and experimentation is expected, moving beyond pure advisory work.
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Data-Driven Insights: Implicit in AI and experience strategy, requiring analysis of field practitioner input, workflow data, and experiment outcomes to inform decisions.
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Human-AI Collaboration: Focus on defining appropriate human-AI collaboration models, balancing AI capabilities with human judgment and the company's service model.
Company Website: newyorklife.com
π Enhancement Note: The company's culture appears to blend a strong legacy and commitment to its mission with a forward-looking drive towards digital transformation and AI adoption. The emphasis on "purpose and integrity" alongside "bold thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and purpose-driven innovation" suggests an environment that values both stability and progress.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: Director/Corporate VP equivalent within Experience and Digital Marketing. This signifies a senior strategic leadership role focused on defining the future of field professional experiences through AI and advanced UX architecture. It's a strategic advisory and concept development role rather than a direct line management position for a large team.
Reporting Structure: Reports within the Experience and Digital Marketing department. Likely collaborates closely with Product Management, UX Design, Technology, and AI/Data teams. The Director will serve as a key partner to field-facing business units.
Operations Impact: The role's primary impact is on optimizing the productivity, engagement, and effectiveness of New York Life's field force (agents, advisors, recruiters) through AI-driven experiences. This directly influences revenue generation, client acquisition, and retention by enhancing the capabilities and workflows of those who serve customers. It also plays a critical role in shaping the company's digital transformation strategy.
Growth Opportunities:
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Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape critical AI and digital experience strategies for a Fortune 100 company, influencing the direction of field operations and customer engagement.
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Domain Expertise Expansion: Deepen expertise at the intersection of financial services, AI, and UX, becoming a thought leader in this specialized area.
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Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop strong partnerships across various departments, enhancing leadership and influence capabilities within a large organization.
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Innovation Leadership: Drive innovation in AI experience design and implementation, potentially leading to the development of new methodologies and best practices.
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Career Pathing: Potential to move into broader digital transformation leadership roles, head of product strategy for AI, or senior roles within experience design and digital marketing.
π Enhancement Note: This position offers a unique opportunity for a strategic leader to define and architect the future of field professional experiences within a highly respected financial services institution. The growth potential lies in strategic impact, specialized expertise development, and leadership within a transformative initiative.
π Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring 3 days per week in the New York City office. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed for team interaction, workshops, and strategic planning sessions, balanced with the flexibility of remote work.
Office Location(s): New York City (Home office).
Workspace Context:
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Collaborative Spaces: Likely includes meeting rooms, brainstorming areas, and potentially project-specific war rooms to facilitate cross-functional work and workshops.
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Technology & Tools: Access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, with potential for specialized AI development and design tools to support concept development and experimentation.
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Team Interaction: Opportunities for face-to-face interaction with diverse teams (Product, Design, Tech, AI, Field Business) to foster alignment and drive strategic initiatives.
Work Schedule:
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Standard 40-hour work week, classified as Exempt.
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While a standard schedule is expected, the nature of strategic and innovative roles may require flexibility to meet project deadlines and facilitate cross-time zone collaboration.
π Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is central to this role, emphasizing the need for both focused individual work and dynamic in-person collaboration. Candidates should be comfortable with this structure and prepared to build strong working relationships within the New York City office environment.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
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Initial Screening: Likely involves a recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and salary expectations.
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Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the hiring manager focusing on strategic thinking, domain expertise, AI/UX knowledge, and leadership approach.
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Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key partners from Product Management, UX Design, Technology, AI/Data, and Field Business units to assess collaboration style, communication, and ability to influence.
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Case Study/Presentation: Candidates may be asked to present a strategic approach to a given problem related to AI experience strategy for field professionals, or present their portfolio demonstrating relevant experience.
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Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: Final round with senior leadership to evaluate strategic vision, cultural fit, and overall leadership potential.
Portfolio Review Tips:
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Strategic Frameworks: Clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach, the frameworks you utilized, and the tangible outcomes or decisions they enabled.
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AI Experience Concepts: Detail the user problem, the AI solution envisioned, the human-AI interaction model, potential risks, and how you collaborated to develop or test the concept. Showcase novelty and strategic alignment.
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Workshop Facilitation: Describe the objectives, participant profile, methodology, and key outputs or decisions achieved through your facilitation. Highlight your role in driving consensus and action.
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Process Improvement Case Studies: For any process optimization examples, focus on the 'before' and 'after' states, the role of AI or technology, the metrics used to measure impact, and the ROI or business value realized.
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Financial Services Context: Wherever possible, tailor examples to demonstrate understanding of the financial services industry, its unique challenges, and regulatory considerations.
Challenge Preparation:
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Strategic Problem Solving: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach developing an AI strategy for a specific field persona (e.g., financial advisor) or address a particular challenge (e.g., integrating AI for compliance checks).
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AI & UX Vision: Articulate your vision for the future of AI in financial services field operations, focusing on AI-native experiences and human-AI collaboration.
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Stakeholder Alignment: Prepare to discuss how you would gain buy-in and align diverse stakeholders (e.g., sales, compliance, tech) on a new AI initiative.
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Risk & Compliance: Demonstrate an understanding of how to balance innovation with regulatory requirements and responsible AI principles in a financial services context.
π Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely rigorous, designed to assess strategic depth, cross-functional influence, and specialized expertise. A well-prepared portfolio that highlights strategic frameworks, AI concept development, and demonstrable impact will be crucial.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
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AI/ML Platforms: Familiarity with platforms used for developing and deploying AI models (e.g., cloud AI services like AWS SageMaker, Google AI Platform, Azure ML; or specialized AI development tools).
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Generative AI & LLM Tools: Experience with prompt engineering, fine-tuning models, and leveraging LLMs for content generation, summarization, or conversational interfaces.
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Prototyping Tools: Tools for rapid prototyping of AI experiences (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, or specialized AI prototyping platforms).
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Workshop & Collaboration Tools: Digital whiteboarding tools (e.g., Miro, Mural) and project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana) for facilitating remote collaboration and tracking initiatives.
Analytics & Reporting:
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Business Intelligence Tools: Experience with BI platforms for data analysis and visualization (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker).
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CRM Data: Understanding of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for field data, pipeline analysis, and customer insights.
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Experimentation Platforms: Tools for designing and analyzing A/B tests or other controlled experiments.
CRM & Automation:
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CRM Systems: Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) used by field agents and advisors for managing client relationships and workflows.
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Workflow Automation Tools: Understanding of how workflow automation can be integrated with AI to enhance field processes.
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Data Integration Tools: Awareness of how data flows between different systems to support AI models and user experiences.
π Enhancement Note: While this role is strategic, a "hands-on familiarity" with AI tools and platforms is mentioned. This implies a need to not just understand AI concepts but also to be able to engage with the tools to develop concepts, evaluate AI behavior, and build strategy artifacts. Proficiency in collaboration and data analysis tools is also key for this cross-functional role.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
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Integrity & Purpose: Aligned with New York Life's foundational values, emphasizing ethical conduct, client-centricity, and a mission-driven approach to financial security.
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Innovation & Bold Thinking: Encouragement to challenge the status quo, explore new technologies like AI, and propose novel solutions for field and customer experiences.
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Collaboration & Partnership: A strong emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams (Product, Tech, Field, Compliance) to achieve shared goals.
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Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data, insights from experimentation, and user feedback to inform strategic decisions and measure impact.
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Pragmatic Progress: A balanced approach that embraces innovation while maintaining a grounded perspective, focusing on actionable steps and healthy skepticism towards hype.
Collaboration Style:
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Matrixed Environment: Requires strong matrixed collaboration skills, influencing without direct authority, and building consensus among diverse stakeholders.
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Cross-Functional Integration: Actively working with Product Design, Technology, AI/Data, Compliance, and Field Business units to ensure cohesive experience development and strategic alignment.
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Facilitative Leadership: Leading workshops and collaborative sessions to gather input, resolve conflicts, and drive alignment towards strategic objectives.
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Open Communication: Clear and consistent communication across all levels, from executive leadership to working teams, ensuring transparency and shared understanding of AI strategy and governance.
π Enhancement Note: The team culture likely reflects New York Life's legacy values combined with the dynamic needs of digital transformation and AI integration. Candidates should exhibit a blend of trustworthiness, strategic foresight, collaborative spirit, and a pragmatic approach to innovation.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
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Navigating Complexity & Ambiguity: Balancing diverse stakeholder needs, evolving AI technology, and strict regulatory requirements within a large, established organization.
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Bridging Technical & Business Divides: Translating complex AI capabilities into understandable and actionable strategies for non-technical stakeholders, and vice-versa, translating business needs into technical requirements.
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Driving AI Adoption: Overcoming potential resistance to change within the field force and ensuring AI solutions provide tangible value without eroding trust or human connection.
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Maintaining Compliance: Integrating AI ethically and compliantly within the highly regulated financial services industry, ensuring responsible AI practices.
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Defining "Field Journeys": Architecting truly novel AI-first experiences rather than simply augmenting existing processes, requiring a visionary and experimental mindset.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
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AI & Emerging Tech Expertise: Deepen knowledge in cutting-edge AI applications, generative AI, agentic systems, and their strategic implications for financial services.
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Strategic Leadership Development: Hone skills in strategic framework development, stakeholder management, and influencing senior leadership within a Fortune 100 company.
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Industry Insight: Gain comprehensive understanding of the evolving landscape of financial advice, distribution models, and the impact of technology on field productivity.
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Cross-Functional Acumen: Broaden understanding of product development, UX design, data science, and compliance functions within a large enterprise.
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Innovation & Experimentation: Lead and participate in cutting-edge AI experience experiments, contributing to organizational learning and best practices.
π Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant, requiring a leader who can navigate complexity, drive change, and balance innovation with established practices and regulations. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to make a strategic impact in a transformative initiative.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
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"How would you approach developing an AI strategy for a financial advisor's daily workflow, considering both productivity gains and compliance requirements?" (Focus on frameworks, persona understanding, risk assessment, and collaboration.)
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"Describe a time you had to align a diverse group of stakeholders (e.g., sales, tech, legal) on a complex strategic initiative. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Emphasis on facilitation, communication, and consensus-building.)
Company & Culture Questions:
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"What excites you about New York Life's mission and its approach to digital transformation and AI?" (Showcase research into company values, legacy, and future direction.)
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"How do you see the human-led service model of New York Life evolving with AI integration?" (Connect AI strategy to the company's core strengths and customer value proposition.)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
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Strategic Framework Case Study: Present a framework you developed, clearly outlining the problem, your methodology, the key insights derived, and how it led to actionable recommendations or strategic shifts.
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AI Concept Walkthrough: Detail a specific AI experience concept, including the user need, the AI's role, the intended human-AI interaction, and how you collaborated with design/tech to bring it to life (or would). Emphasize novelty and potential impact.
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Workshop Facilitation Showcase: Briefly describe a complex workshop you led, highlighting your role in structuring the session, managing diverse opinions, and achieving clear, actionable outcomes. Use metrics if possible.
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Financial Services Relevance: Frame your examples to demonstrate your understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the insurance and financial services industry, including regulatory considerations.
π Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, deep domain expertise, a practical understanding of AI/UX, and strong collaboration skills. Candidates should be ready to articulate their vision for AI in financial services and how they would navigate the complexities of a large, regulated enterprise.
π Application Steps
To apply for this operations position:
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Submit your application through the provided link on the New York Life careers portal.
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Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature examples of strategic framework development, AI/UX concept ideation, and cross-functional facilitation, specifically highlighting any experience within financial services or regulated industries.
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Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords such as "AI Strategy," "UX Architecture," "Financial Services," "Strategic Facilitation," "Generative AI," "Agentic Systems," "Product Strategy," and "Stakeholder Management." Quantify achievements wherever possible.
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Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your strategic vision for AI in field operations, preparing specific examples from your portfolio that demonstrate your approach to problem-solving, collaboration, and driving innovation.
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Company Research: Thoroughly research New York Life's mission, values, recent digital initiatives, and its position in the financial services market to demonstrate genuine interest and alignment during the interview process.
β οΈ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.
Application Requirements
Requires 10+ years of experience in product strategy or management consulting with deep expertise in life insurance or wealth management. Must possess working fluency in AI technologies and a proven track record of developing strategic frameworks in complex organizations.