VP Corporate Strategy

Career Guide

A VP of Corporate Strategy sets the company’s long-term direction and helps leadership make high-impact decisions on growth, competition, investments, and major initiatives. The role blends market insight, business planning, and cross-functional leadership to turn strategy into measurable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Lead company-wide strategic planning and align priorities with leadership
Assess market trends, customer needs, and competitor moves
Build business cases for growth initiatives, new products, and new markets
Support decisions on mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and divestments
Define and track key strategic goals and performance indicators
Run executive-level reviews and drive follow-through on decisions
Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver strategic programs
Advise on pricing, packaging, and go-to-market direction
Manage strategy team hiring, development, and performance

Top Skills for Success

Strategic Planning

Market Research

Competitive Analysis

Financial Modeling

Business Case Development

Executive Communication

Stakeholder Management

Influence Without Authority

Program Leadership

Mergers And Acquisitions

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Chief Strategy Officer

Chief Operating Officer

General Manager

President

Chief Executive Officer

Head Of Corporate Development

Transition Opportunities

VP Business Operations

VP Product Strategy

VP Growth

VP Corporate Development

VP Strategic Partnerships

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Profit And Loss OwnershipOperational ExecutionChange ManagementTalent DevelopmentBoard CommunicationInternational Expansion

Development SuggestionsSeek scope that includes owning outcomes, not only analysis. Lead a cross-functional program with clear targets, build comfort with trade-offs, and practice concise executive updates tied to measurable results. If possible, rotate into a business unit role to build operating depth.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 180,000 to 240,000

Mid LevelUSD 240,000 to 330,000

Senior LevelUSD 330,000 to 500,000 plus

Growth Trend

Stable to growing demand, strongest in technology, healthcare, financial services, and companies going through transformation, rapid growth, or consolidation.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

AmazonGoogleMicrosoftAppleMetaSalesforceOracleJPMorgan ChaseGoldman SachsUnitedHealth GroupPfizerWalmart

Industry Sectors

TechnologyFinancial ServicesHealthcareConsumer GoodsRetailManufacturingTelecommunicationsEnergy

Recommended Next Steps

Build a portfolio of 3 to 5 strategic initiatives with clear impact metrics

Strengthen financial modeling and decision support through repeatable templates

Practice executive storytelling with short memos and structured updates

Develop a view on the market with a clear point of view and supporting evidence

Partner closely with finance, product, sales, and operations to drive execution

Gain exposure to deal work through partnerships or acquisition evaluations

Coach and develop team members to scale strategy capacity