I have an interview coming up for a Director of Strategic Initiatives position.

Anonymous

October 15,2023 at 12:59PM UTC

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I have an interview coming up for a Director of Strategic Initiatives position. What would be some good questions to ask the employer?

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AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 1:30PM UTC
I think you should Google the industry as well as the "standard" questions.
Try doing some heavy lifting yourself
AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 1:49PM UTC
It doesn't hurt to either be nice or not say anything at all.
AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 2:17PM UTC
I totally agree with this recommendation in doing some heavy lifting yourself! Google the company you’re interviewing with, search recent press releases, read their annual report and check out their LinkedIn page. Find nuggets that are interesting to you and craft questions of your own.
AnonymousOctober 17,2023 at 12:40AM UTC
Thank you for your comments. I researched the org's background and compiled some "standard questions." However, sometimes insight from others is helpful, to give you an idea as to whether or not you are on the right track. BTW the interview was today, and I was successful! I have a second interview scheduled. Thank you all!
AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 1:58PM UTC
Go on glassdoor and type in the company name. If it's a well known company oftentimes they will have interview questions available. Big companies tend to use an interview bank of questions for the same positions in a functional areas or level. So the questions that are asked might be the same for a finance analyst and a finance manager...same thing with Director of Sales to a Director of Finance.
Be prepared with 4 to 5 wins and a tell me about yourself response. There should be some questions on leadership especially if you have directs. Strategy is oftentimes project based and influencing others that may not report to you...so be prepared to talk through examples of where you led a project(s), successfully influenced others, etc.
Good Luck!
AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 3:56PM UTC
Ask for a summary and copy of their most recent Strategic Planning Document. This will tell you where they are headed, and if it has expired, it will tell you how well they complied with previous plans. If they don't have one, ask them why and seriously consider the answers you are given. Have they been "flying by the seat of their pants" and want to move forward more strategically? Is this a new position, or are you replacing someone who quit or was promoted?
AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 4:34PM UTC
asking a potential employer if they fly by the seat of their pants is high risk.
AnonymousOctober 15,2023 at 5:54PM UTC
It wasn't meant to be taken literally. It was how she would interpret the answers to why they don't have a strategic plan.
AnonymousOctober 16,2023 at 7:50PM UTC
I would never turn a strategic planning document over to a candidate. This is proprietary information.
AnonymousOctober 16,2023 at 10:01PM UTC
I left the interview with a copy of the Strategic plan and two years of Annual Reports at the last place I interviewed. It depends on the company and how transparent they are. I work in the non-profit space, which differs from for-profit entities, so I get your point, as the corporate dynamic is significantly different there. This company won awards from Candid for transparency. However, asking for an overview of the strategic plan is not off the table. Since the job is for a Director of Strategic Initiatives, it would be prudent to understand the company's strategic direction fully. I would expect someone applying for that position to ask, regardless of the profit/non-profit status of the company.
Megan LeasherOctober 16,2023 at 10:44AM UTC
What do you envision the first 90 days to look like for the chosen candidate? What are the first three priorities for the role?
Beth DaniellOctober 16,2023 at 12:11PM UTC
I agree with the recommendations below. I also would ask how they recognize burnout and what they do when they see it. You want to understand the culture of the company as well. If they cannot answer or say something like, we never work folks to the point of burnout, it would be a red flag for me.