Senior Business Strategist

Job description

As Senior Business Strategist, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the long-term direction of the Retail Strategy team within the Commercial function. With a broad, cross-functional mandate, you will turn H&M customer experience ambitions, customer insights and business priorities into clear strategic choices, actionable roadmaps and effective decision-making structures. Operating at the intersection of strategy, performance and execution, you will work closely with senior leaders and key stakeholders across Commercial, Global functions and Sales Markets. You will create alignment around the 3–5-year ambition, identify the strategic shifts required and ensure that priorities translate into measurable business impact. WHAT YOU’LL DO As Senior Business Strategist, you will act as a trusted strategic partner to function management. You will lead complex, cross-functional work, challenge and guide senior stakeholders, and provide the structure, insights and communication needed to turn ambition into coordinated execution. Key responsibilities include: Shape the strategic direction for H&M’s retail and customer experience, translating ambitions into clear priorities, strategic frameworks and actionable roadmaps. Lead high-impact, cross-functional strategic initiatives from framing and analysis through recommendation, alignment and execution. Build alignment between the overall strategy and the combined portfolio of strategic initiatives across functions, markets and channels. Prepare high-quality management reporting, decision material and communication that connect strategic direction with performance and progress. Define and secure effective governance, decision-making structures and performance follow-up so priorities are executed with clear ownership and measurable outcomes. Set the agenda for insights and analysis, combining qualitative and quantitative perspectives to identify opportunities, risks and strategic shifts. Lead opportunity sizing, scenario modelling and business case development to support complex investment and prioritisation decisions. Influence and challenge senior stakeholders, creating clarity across competing perspectives and maintaining focus on long-term objectives. Coach and support colleagues, helping elevate analytical, strategic and communication capabilities across the team. WHO YOU ARE We are looking for a senior strategist who combines sharp commercial judgement with strong analytical capability and the confidence to operate in a complex, global organisation. You can move seamlessly between the big picture and the detail, quickly identifying what matters most and translating ambiguity into a clear point of view, prioritised choices and practical action. You are credible with senior stakeholders and skilled at creating alignment across different perspectives, functions and markets. You communicate complex topics with clarity, challenge constructively and are comfortable making recommendations that shape significant business decisions. You take ownership, set direction and drive progress without relying on formal authority. You thrive in an evolving environment and bring both pace and rigour. Just as importantly, you enjoy building capability around you - sharing perspectives, coaching others and raising the quality of strategic thinking across the team. To succeed in this role, you also have: 7+ years of experience in strategy, management consulting, business development or a comparable senior strategic role, with a strong track record of shaping and implementing strategies in a complex organisation. Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and managing multiple senior stakeholders across functions, markets or business units. Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience with performance analysis, opportunity sizing, scenario modelling and business cases. Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to create concise, decision-oriented material for senior management. Strong commercial understanding of fashion retail or another customer-facing, international business; experience from physical and/or digital retail is an advantage. A collaborative leadership style and demonstrated ability to influence, challenge and drive change without formal authority. WHO WE ARE H&M Group is a global company of strong fashion brands and ventures. Our goal is to prove that there is no compromise between exceptional design, affordable prices, and sustainable solutions. We want to liberate fashion for the many, and our customers are at the heart of every decision we make. We are made up of thousands of passionate and talented colleagues united by our shared culture and values. Together, we want to use our power, our scale, and our knowledge to push the fashion industry towards a more inclusive and sustainable future. Read more about us here. JOIN US Our uniqueness comes from a combination of many things – our inclusive and collaborative culture, our strong values, and opportunities for growth. But most of all, it’s our people who make us who we are. Take the next step in your career together with us. The journey starts here. This is a permanent position based in Stockholm, reporting to the Head of Retail Strategy. Please send your CV in English as soon as possible. (For internal candidates, please initiate a dialogue with your manager before applying.) *We are committed to a recruitment process that is fair, equitable, and based on competency. We therefore kindly ask you to not attach a cover letter in your application.