Job Description
Job Location: Canonsburg PA - Canonsburg, PA 15317
Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: 4 Year Degree
Travel Percentage: Negligible
Job Shift: Day
Job Category: OtherAt Aquatech, we tackle the challenges of critical minerals, water scarcity, and complexity by leveraging technology, expertise, and financing to deliver comprehensive solutions that enable competitive, sustainable infrastructure. As a leading global provider of water and industrial process technology solutions, we help the world's most recognized companies achieve their sustainability and operational goals by implementing innovative approaches for water reuse, desalination, minimal and zero liquid discharge, and critical minerals recovery. Learn more at www.aquatech.com
Aquatech has an immediate need for a full-time Director of Strategic Initiatives to work in our Canonsburg Pa location. The hours are Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Director of Strategic Initiatives will perform the duties described in the job description below and will be considered an Exempt employee.
Job Profile and Success Metrics
Reporting Relationship
- Reports directly to the Executive Chairman and CEO
Position Purpose
- The Director of Strategic Initiatives serves as a trusted advisor, strategic partner, and operational extension of the Executive Chairman & CEO . This role drives alignment, execution, governance, and accountability across the enterprise, ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into measurable results.
The Director of Strategic Initiatives acts as the central orchestrator of the company's Management Operating Rhythm (MOR), Board Operating Review (BOR), strategic initiatives, leadership follow-through, and cross-functional business performance. The role provides leverage to the CEO and President by anticipating issues, coordinating execution, removing obstacles, and ensuring leadership focus remains on the highest-value activities.
Job Description
- Strategic Support and Gatekeeper to Office of Chairman
- Translate strategic direction into actionable priorities and execution plans.
- Drive preparation for executive decision-making and strategic discussions.
- Conduct research, analysis, and scenario planning on critical business issues.
- Support mergers, acquisitions, integration efforts, and strategic growth initiatives when required.
- Ideal state : Serve as a thought partner on enterprise strategy, growth initiatives, organizational priorities, and transformation efforts.
- Management Operating Rhythm (MOR) Leadership
- Own and continuously improve the company-wide operating cadence.
- Design and manage the annual MOR calendar.
- Lead weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual business review processes.
- Coordinate enterprise KPI/Goals reviews and performance reporting.
- Ensure alignment between strategic objectives and operational execution.
- Drive accountability for commitments made during leadership meetings.
- Monitor progress against key initiatives and escalate risks.
- Deliverables
- Executive dashboards
- Quarterly business reviews
- Annual operating plan reviews
- Enterprise KPI/Goals scorecards
- Strategic initiative tracking
- Board Operating Rhythm (BOR)
- Serve as primary coordinator for Board and Committee activities.
- Own the Board governance calendar.
- Coordinate preparation of Board and Committee materials.
- Ensure high-quality presentation content and executive recommendations.
- Track Board actions and management commitments.
- Partner with finance, legal, HR, and business leaders to consolidate Board information.
- Ensure clear communication between Board directives and management execution.
- Deliverables
- Board meeting agendas
- Board presentations
- Executive summaries
- Action-item tracking
- Governance reporting
- Executive Communications & Leadership Alignment
- Ensure consistent communication and alignment across the leadership team.
- Develop executive messaging and communication materials.
- Coordinate leadership meetings and offsites.
- Drive follow-up and accountability from executive discussions.
- Ensure alignment across functional leaders.
- Prepare speeches, presentations, town halls, and leadership communications.
- Enterprise Governance & Business Performance
- Provide visibility into the health of the business.
- Monitor business performance indicators.
- Coordinate monthly performance reviews.
- Surface emerging risks and opportunities.
- Facilitate enterprise prioritization.
- Track strategic objectives and key results.
- Areas of Oversight
- Growth
- Profitability
- Execution
- Talent
- Customer outcomes
- Strategic initiatives
- Decision Rights & Authority
- Coordinate activities across executive leadership.
- Request updates and progress reports from business leaders.
- Escalate execution risks to the Executive Chairman and CEO
- Develop and maintain financial models to support forecasting, budgeting, strategic
- Critical Success Metrics
- Strategic Execution
- Percent of strategic initiatives delivered on plan
- Milestone achievement rate
- Speed of execution on key priorities
- MOR Excellence
- Completion of operating reviews on schedule
- Follow-through on leadership commitments
- Quality of KPI reporting and insights
- BOR Excellence
- Timely delivery of Board materials
- Board action-item closure rate
- Governance effectiveness
Skills
- Enterprise Thinking
- Sees connections across functions, markets, customers, and strategic priorities.
- Strategic Agility
- Balances long-term strategy with short-term execution.
- Relentless Execution
- Drives outcomes with urgency and discipline.
- Influence Without Authority
- Creates alignment across senior leaders and stakeholders.
- Executive Presence
- Builds trust with executives, Board members, investors, and external partners.
- Radical Collaboration
- Breaks down silos and drives one-team behavior.
- Judgment & Confidentiality
- Exercises exceptional discretion while handling highly sensitive information.
QualificationsQualifications
- Required
- 12+ years of progressive leadership experience
- Experience working directly with senior executives and boards
- Strong business acumen across operations, finance, commercial, and organizational effectiveness
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives
- Experience managing complex stakeholder environments
- Preferred
- Background in strategy consulting, business operations, transformation, private equity-backed companies, industrial technology, water, infrastructure, engineering, or manufacturing environments
- Experience supporting Boards and executive committees
- MBA or equivalent advanced degree
- Ability to travel up to 25%
