JobsMercury Marine

Vice-President, Strategy

Mercury Marine · Mettawa, IL

Posted Jun 3, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a time you built a strategic growth plan that went beyond a company's existing business lines. What was the opportunity, and how did you validate it before bringing it forward?

whether the candidate has actually led new-market strategy work versus just analyzing existing markets

Tell me about a time you had to choose between build, partner, and acquire for entering a new market. How did you structure that decision and who did you need to convince?

depth of experience evaluating market-entry options and structuring a defensible recommendation

Tell me about a time you presented directly to a board on strategy. What did you learn about what a board actually wants to hear versus what management teams want to say?

direct board-level experience and judgment about framing sensitive strategic issues

Give me an example where your strategic recommendation was unpopular with a senior leader or business unit head. How did you handle the disagreement and what happened to the recommendation?

willingness to hold a position under pressure from senior stakeholders, and how they manage conflict

Tell me about a partnership or joint venture you helped identify and develop. What made it work, or what made it fall apart?

real experience structuring alliances rather than just analyzing them on paper

Tell me about a time your strategic view of the market turned out to be wrong. How did you find out, and what did you do next?

intellectual honesty and ability to update a thesis rather than defend it

Technical

Describe the enterprise strategy process at a company you've worked in, or one you'd design here. How do you make sure divisional strategies actually roll up into something coherent instead of a stapled-together deck?

understanding of how to run a real strategic planning cycle across a matrixed organization

How do you build and maintain a current view of a consumer market like boating or another lifestyle category? Walk me through the sources and signals you'd actually trust.

whether they have a real methodology for tracking consumer trends versus relying on generic frameworks

How would you evaluate a potential acquisition target in the marine or outdoor lifestyle space? What are the two or three things you'd look at first?

financial and strategic rigor in evaluating inorganic growth opportunities

Situational

Say you're six months in and you've identified three promising growth areas adjacent to boating, but the division leaders each want their own priority pushed to the board. How do you handle that?

ability to synthesize competing divisional agendas into one enterprise narrative without losing political capital

Imagine a divisional president tells you their business doesn't need to participate in the enterprise strategy process this year because they're already ahead of plan. What do you say and do?

influence skills without formal authority over division leaders

You're asked to lead a specific initiative that cuts across three divisions, none of whom report to you. How do you get it moving in the first thirty days?

practical operating style in a matrixed environment with no direct authority

How do you keep a strategy team credible with operating leaders who think strategy people don't understand the day-to-day business?

self-awareness about the classic tension between strategy functions and operators, and a practical plan to bridge it

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The full job description

As published by Mercury Marine.

Are you ready for what’s next?   Come explore opportunities within Brunswick, a global marine leader committed to challenging conventions and innovating next-generation technologies that transform experiences on the water and beyond.  Brunswick believes “Next Never Rests™,” and we offer a variety of exciting careers and growth opportunities within united teams defining the future of marine recreation.  Location:   Mettawa, IL Workplace Category: Onsite Pay Range:   $200,200 - $296,000 Visa Sponsorship:  Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.   This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.    Innovation is the heart of Brunswick.  See how your contributions will help transform vision into reality:   Position Overview :    The Vice-President, Strategy will be responsible for developing an ongoing and contemporary view of Brunswick’s operating landscape and identifying strategic options for near-term success and to sustain long-term growth and competitive advantage. In addition to being a thought leader, this role will lead strategic planning and work collaboratively with business sector and functional leaders to inform strategic direction and deployment of capital for long-term success.  This role operates at the enterprise level, with responsibility for shaping and driving Brunswick’s full-enterprise strategy, ensuring alignment across divisions and function and clarity on how all strategic elements fit together to advance enterprise priorities.   In addition to identifying and evaluating potential growth drivers, this individual will help the organization define the approach and build the capability to unlock opportunities.  The organizational appetite for creativity in this regard is high – and could include incubating new business models, identifying acquisitions, and creative partnerships/joint-ventures. Leveraging active, collaborative and strong influencing skills, this person will work across the organization pulling together and driving plans for executive and leadership decisions.  The VP, Strategy will also have regular interactions with the Brunswick Board, supporting the development of enterprise-wide board materials and perspectives in partnership with divisional leaders.  At Brunswick, we have passion for our work and a distinct ability to deliver.     The VP, Strategy has several distinct responsibilities and priorities: •      Lead Brunswick’s new market and growth opportunities, beyond the existing business lines, in order to expand and solidify the company’s reach and influence in the marine lifestyle space  •      Recommend, develop and drive options for market entry considering all alternatives including build, partner and acquire and present thorough and thoughtful strategic analysis to senior management. •      Maintain a deep understanding and constantly evolving view of marine consumers and Brunswick customers, including threats and opportunities in the market. •      With creativity and a holistic approach, analyze and understand the boating lifestyle to identify potential growth areas •      Add personal insight, galvanizing discussion and debate across the organization on key strategic issues, generating ideas and creative frameworks; and using a combination of facts, judgment and personal impact to build credibility and influence outcomes. •      Lead and run the enterprise-wide annual strategy process, ensuring integration across divisions and functions and alignment to overall enterprise priorities •      Partner with business leads and business strategy teams to identify, develop and drive longer-term strategies and initiatives beyond the core business that will result in profitable growth. This includes elevating divisional strategies into a unified enterprise perspective   •      Partner with divisional and functional leaders to develop cohesive, enterprise-wide strategy narratives and materials for each Board meeting •      Serve as a key point of contact for the Brunswick Board on enterprise strategy topics, supporting clear, integrated, and forward-looking strategic discussions •      Establish strategic context to prioritize initiatives, based on analytics, insights and commercialization impact and guide teams based on these priorities.   •      Lead critical specific initiatives across the business  Foster a network with industry, academic and philanthropy contacts: ensure Brunswick understands the competitive landscape and maintains competitive advantage.     Diversity of thought and experiences is fundamental when imagining the unimaginable. Certain skillsets/experiences are necessary; however, others can be developed along the way.    The ideal candidate is an experienced strategist who brings strong strategy experience, which may include time in top-tier strategy consulting and/or leading or contributing to a corporate strategy function within a blue-chip consumer-centric company. They are an analytical and decisive thought leader with a strategic mind and an ability to think broadly and influence decision makers across an organization, both at the C-Suite and Board level. This leader is comfortable operation at the enterprise level, synthesizing inputs across divisions, and engaging regularly with the Board on strategic direction. The ideal leader possesses strategic brilliance, creativity, financial acuity, and a broad global perspective, coupled with outstanding interpersonal skills and a very practical mindset. The ability to work effectively with others to deliver results, to “get things done” is essential.  This person is highly motivated with the expectation to stretch into broader leadership roles within the organization. Required Qualifications: • Best in class strategy experience, which may include management consulting and/or corporate strategy roles • Track record developing, implementing and delivering successful consumer-centric commercial strategies • Experience working in matrixed environments requiring navigation of complex stakeholder management • Consumer-oriented and highly engineered product business • Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Economics, or related field • Degree combined with demonstrated experience in strategic planning, business transformation, or management consulting environments is expected Preferred Qualifications: • Corporate strategy experience • Track record of identifying and developing partnership alliances • Experience with lifestyle brands • MBA or post-graduate degree, strongly preferred The hiring range for this position is $200,200 - $296,000 annually. The actual base pay offered will vary based on multiple factors including job-related knowledge/skills, relevant experience, business needs, and geographic location. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the specifics of the candidate’s qualifications and the business context.    In addition to base pay, this position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus and an award target as part of Brunswick’s long-term incentive program. This position is eligible to participate in Brunswick's comprehensive and high-quality benefits offerings, including medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, 401k (up to 4% match), Health Savings Account (with company contribution), well-being program, product purchase discounts and much more. Details about our benefits can be found  here .  Next is Now!   We value growth and development, recognizing that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Brunswick is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to innovation and inspiration and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.  If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hrsharedservices@brunswick.com  for support.  For more information about EEO laws, - click here Brunswick Corporation participates in E-Verify as part of our commitment to a lawful and transparent hiring process. For additional information click here: https://www.brunswick.com/e-verify . Brunswick and Workday Privacy Policies Brunswick does not accept applications, inquiries or solicitations from unapproved staffing agencies or vendors. For help, please contact our support team at: hrsharedservices@brunswick.com or 866-278-6942. All job offers will come to you via the candidate portal you create when applying through a posted position through https:///www.brunswick.com/careers .  If you are ever unsure about what is being required of you during the application process or its source, please contact HR Shared Services at 866-278-6942 or HRSharedServices@brunswick.com . #Brunswick Corporation

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