Strategist Lead, Forward Deployed

Job Description

Sits within a newly acquired startup division building an AI-enabled, autonomous banking platform for Tier-1 financial institutions. The Forward Deployed Engagement Manager brings together pre-sales, delivery, and customer success — owning the bank engagement end to end from discovery through delivery, adoption, and expansion. Pairing directly with Forward Deployed Engineers, this role translates ambiguous mandates into scoped delivery, orchestrates priorities, and builds executive trust to deliver successful deployments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Client Relationship & Discovery:

• Own the large financial institution relationship: Primary point of contact — equal parts deployment strategist, technical program manager, and trusted advisor. Build long-term relationships with bank engineering, architecture, and business leadership.

• Problem solving: Embed with bank teams to understand current-state pain points and modernization priorities. Identify workloads where the Platform creates the most value.

• Pair with FDEs: Work hand in hand with Forward Deployed Engineers to translate ambiguous mandates into clearly scoped technical work.

Program Delivery & Expansion:

• Program and delivery management: Own end-to-end delivery from proof of value to go-live — scope, milestones, dependencies, risks, and resourcing. Run steering committees with executive sponsors.

• Drive adoption: Ensure bank engineers are trained and adoption grows across product lines and business units.

Commercial Support:

• Presales: Support sales with demos, business case development, and platform education for prospective clients.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & CAPABILITIES
Skills & Knowledge:

• Program and delivery management: Proven track record managing complex, multi-workstream technical programs with hard deadlines, regulatory constraints, and multiple stakeholder groups.

• Technical fluency: Can hold their own in technical conversations including understand technology architectures and data flow diagrams.

• Change management: Has driven adoption and ensured technology changes stick inside large organizations.

• AI fluency: Utilizes AI in day-to-day workflow and can articulate the benefits of AI

Experience:

• 6+ years in a customer-facing, delivery-oriented role (e.g., Deployment Strategist, Technical Program Manager, or Management Consultant)

• Track record driving complex technology programs to production — not just planning them.

• Fintech / banking: Preference for knowledge of financial transaction flows, core banking systems, or banking technology.

Operating Style:

• Strategist who ships: Owns outcomes, not recommendations. Adapts when the plan meets reality.

• High agency: Thrives in ambiguity; operates autonomously in matrixed bank environments.

• Executive communicator: Presents to CxOs with clarity and confidence. Translates technical complexity into business impact.

• Travel: Travel to client sites as needed (expect 25–50% depending on engagement phase).

IMPACT & SCOPE

• Direct impact on core banking platforms used by Tier-1 global institutions.

• High autonomy and accountability within a small, senior team.

• Work shipped directly to production environments at enterprise scale.

FIS is committed to providing its employees with an exciting career opportunity and competitive compensation. The pay range for this full-time position is $116,730.00 - $198,430.00 and reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this position based on the posted role, level, and location. Within the range, actual individual starting pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Any changes in work location will also impact actual individual starting pay. Please consult with your recruiter about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

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EEOC Statement

FIS is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, genetic information, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics. The EEO is the Law poster is available here supplement document available here

For positions located in the US, the following conditions apply. If you are made a conditional offer of employment, you will be required to undergo a drug test. ADA Disclaimer: In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Sourcing Model

Recruitment at FIS works primarily on a direct sourcing model; a relatively small portion of our hiring is through recruitment agencies. FIS does not accept resumes from recruitment agencies which are not on the preferred supplier list and is not responsible for any related fees for resumes submitted to job postings, our employees, or any other part of our company.

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