Senior Executive Strategic Operations Analyst

Job description

This role is four days onsite at our Seneca One Buffalo, NY location, with the flexibility to work from home one day per week Overview: M&T Bank is seeking a highly analytical, collaborative Strategic Operations professional to help leaders plan, track, and deliver a portfolio of high-priority work across multiple businesses and functions. Day to day, this role turns “what we need to do” into a clear plan and a set of decision-ready updates—building simple but durable project artifacts (combining scope, milestones, risks, dependency & stakeholder maps) - translating quantitative & qualitative data and business updates into concise insights, and creating executive-ready materials (briefing decks, status readouts, options/recommendations). The ideal candidate can bring structure to evolving priorities, run an effective operating cadence with partners, and communicate clearly with stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership. Primary Responsibilities: Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from planning through execution, including defining scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder roles. Bring structure to ambiguous business problems by clarifying priorities, organizing workstreams, identifying key decisions, and establishing a practical path forward. Analyze data, updates, and business context to identify trends, risks, gaps, and non-obvious insights that inform decision-making. Develop executive-ready materials including presentations, briefings, project updates, recommendations, and decision support for senior leaders. Partner with stakeholders across business lines and functions to gather requirements, align priorities, manage expectations, and drive initiatives forward. Monitor project performance and execution risk including scope, schedule, budget, dependencies, issues, change controls, and corrective actions. Exercise sound judgment and influence by determining when to escalate, when to independently resolve issues, and when to respectfully challenge assumptions or direction. Support strategic transformation and operational improvement through process enhancement, change management, reporting, and execution support. Maintain adherence to risk, regulatory, audit, compliance, and internal control standards in accordance with M&T Bank requirements. Promote an environment that supports belonging and reflects M&T Bank brand. Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable. Complete other related duties as assigned. Core Competencies: Operating in ambiguity Structured thinking and problem solving Strategic analysis and data-driven storytelling Executive communication and presentation development Stakeholder management and influence Judgment, prioritization, and escalation discipline Cross-functional project and initiative management Education and Experience Required: Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 4 years’ proven project management experience, or in lieu of a degree, a combined minimum of 8 years’ higher education and/or work experience, including a minimum of 4 years’ project management experience. Strong analytical, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. Experience managing complex projects, initiatives, or workstreams involving multiple stakeholders or functional areas. Experience translating complex information into clear insights, recommendations, presentations, or executive-level updates. Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage ambiguity, influence stakeholders, and bring structure to evolving priorities. Preferred Qualifications: Experience in financial services, technology, operations, or another highly regulated industry. Experience supporting strategic transformation, organizational change, process improvement, or enterprise-wide initiatives. Familiarity with data visualization or reporting tools such as Power BI or Tableau. Experience working with senior leaders, cross-functional teams, or matrixed organizations. M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $89,600.00 - $149,300.00 (USD). The successful candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation. Location Buffalo, New York, United States of America