Senior Manager, Head of Participant Consulting Engagement

About Vanguard Workplace Solutions

Vanguard Workplace Solutions (VWS) supports millions of workers in achieving investment success through employer-sponsored retirement plans. As the leading retirement asset manager in the United States, VWS oversees 23% of defined contribution assets and more than $2 trillion in assets under management. Serving approximately 1,300 employers and 20 million investors nationwide, Vanguard combines scale, investment expertise, and personalized service to deliver strong retirement outcomes.

This role sits in the Participant Financial Success sub-division of Workplace Solutions. A fast-growing organization, critical to Vanguard’s strategic success, designed to drive broad financial wellness across a retirement plan participants lifespan.

The Role

The Head of Participant Consulting Engagement is an executive-level leader who will build, develop, and lead a high-performing financial consulting & education organization responsible for delivering point-in-time advice, consultation, education, and sales support that improves participant outcomes and accelerates growth. This leader sets the engagement strategy, operating model, and performance management framework, while developing talent, ensuring regulatory/compliance alignment, and partnering closely with cross-functional stakeholders. Ultimately driving successful outcomes that resonate at our client institutions.

What you do

• Set the vision, strategy, and operating model for the Consulting Engagement organization, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery across advice, education, and sales-support teams.
• Lead, hire, coach, and develop people leaders and individual contributors; set performance expectations, deliver candid feedback, and make compensation decisions in alignment with Human Resources policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with key partners on engagement planning and governance, including capacity planning, escalation paths, and standards that improve timeliness, quality, and client experience.
• Partner with key stakeholders to develop growth goals, influence pipeline strategy, and ensure smooth handoffs that move clients to the next stage of the sales process.
• Continuously improving the service model by assessing client and participant needs, analyzing feedback and outcomes, and translating insights into practical enhancements.
• Monitor performance through KPIs and leading indicators; identify trends, triage risks, and drive corrective actions to deliver results.
• Resolve the most complex client issues and escalations by implementing systemic solutions, controls, and clear communication loops with internal partners and frontline teams.
• Maintain strong oversight of compliance, risk, and regulatory requirements; ensure the organization operates within established guidelines and completes required licensing/registration activities as needed.
• Assess the impact of market events and enterprise initiatives on training needs; sponsor enablement and readiness programs to keep teams current and effective.
• Lead special projects and represent Consulting Engagement on enterprise initiatives to improve client outcomes and operational excellence.

What it takes

• 10+ years of relevant experience leading consulting, client engagement, sales, or advisory organizations, with strong preference within the retirement recordkeeping space.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of training and experience required.
• Series 7, 63, 24, and 65 or 66. Or the ability to obtain and maintain required regulatory licenses and/or registrations (e.g., FINRA and/or state registrations) as determined by Compliance based on role-specific duties.
• Demonstrated ability to build operating rhythms (KPIs, governance, and continuous improvement) and translate strategy into measurable outcomes.
• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to influence across Sales, Product, Operations, and Risk/Compliance.
• Strong judgment and comfort managing ambiguity, escalations, and change in a fast-paced, regulated environment.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.