Principal Advisor - Strategic Investments and Governance

At ALSAC you do more than make a living; you make a difference.

We like people who are different…because we’re different, too. As one of the world’s most iconic and respected nonprofits, we know what it’s like to stand out. That’s why we’re looking at you. Your background, perspective, and desire to make an impact set you apart. As we work to help St. Jude cure childhood cancer, we're calling on the game-changers, innovators and visionaries to join our family. Not just for the kids of St. Jude, but also for you. Because at ALSAC, we develop and celebrate our employees. So, bring your whole, authentic self and become part of our shared mission: Finding cures. Saving children.®

Job Description

This role will serve as a key member of the FP&A function, responsible for evaluating business cases, supporting investment decisions, and ensuring capital allocation aligns with operational priorities and strategic objectives. This role provides deep analytical insights, financial leadership, and disciplined governance across the investment approval lifecycle. The position partners closely with Development, Operations, Strategy, and Executive Leadership to guide decision-making and maximize enterprise value.

Essential Job Functions

• Investment Business Case Evaluation
• Lead the review and validation of business cases for development, operational, strategic, and capital investment proposals.
• Develop and assess financial models, including ROI, NPV, IRR, payback, scenario modeling, and sensitivity analysis to determine the financial viability of initiatives.
• Evaluate financial and operational assumptions, including cost structures, to ensure accuracy, completeness, and alignment with expected investment outcomes.
• Provide actionable recommendations grounded in financial analysis and operational feasibility.
• FP&A Partnership & Strategic Alignment
• Ensure proposed investments support strategic plans, long‑range financial targets, and operational priorities.
• Collaborate with FP&A teams to integrate investment impacts into forecasts, budgets, long-range planning, and ongoing financial performance tracking.
• Advise senior leadership on financial implications, trade-offs, and strategic considerations for major investment decisions.
• Translate complex financial analytics into clear, concise insights for non-financial stakeholders.
• Capital Governance & Approval Process Leadership
• Maintain and enforce investment governance policies, approval thresholds, evaluation standards, and business case templates.
• Lead capital review meetings, prepare executive-level summaries, and present recommendations to leadership and investment committees.
• Support continuous improvement of capital planning frameworks, scorecards, and documentation processes.
• Post‑Investment Performance Tracking
• Lead post-investment performance reviews, incorporating lessons learned into future investment decisions
• Track and report performance of approved investments against baseline commitments, KPIs, and expected financial outcomes.
• Partner with divisional management and project sponsors to address variances, identify risks, and recommend corrective actions when needed.
• Build dashboards and reporting tools to monitor investment portfolio performance and enhance transparency for senior leadership.
• Analytical Leadership & Operational Support
• Provide advanced financial and operational analytics to support strategic initiatives, process improvements, ROI maximization, and cost optimization opportunities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Development, Operations and Executive Leadership by evaluating the financial impact of operational changes, business initiatives, or strategic alternatives.
• Support enterprise-wide prioritization by assessing comparative value, cost, and risk across investment opportunities.
  
  

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field; MBA, CPA, CFA, or similar credentials preferred.
• 10 years of experience in FP&A, corporate finance, capital planning, or operational finance roles.
• Strong financial modeling expertise and deep understanding of investment evaluation techniques.
• Proven ability to partner with cross-functional leaders to drive financial decision making.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and executive level storytelling skills.
• Experience improving financial processes, governance, or decision frameworks is a plus.
  
  

Work Location

This position is based at ALSAC’s National Executive Office in Memphis, TN and is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Benefits & Perks

The following Benefits & Perks apply to Full-Time Roles Only.

We’re dedicated to ensuring children and their families have every opportunity to enjoy life’s special moments. We’re also committed to giving our staff excellent benefits so they can do the same.

• Core Medical Coverage: (low cost low deductible Medical, Dental, and Vison Insurance plans)
• 401K Retirement Plan with 7% Employer Contribution
• Exceptional Paid Time Off
• Maternity / Paternity Leave
• Infertility Treatment Program
• Adoption Assistance
• Education Assistance
• Enterprise Learning and Development
• And more
  
  

ALSAC is an equal employment opportunity employer.

ALSAC does not discriminate against any individual with regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or other protected status.

No Search Firms

ALSAC does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All resumes submitted by search firms to any ALSAC employee or ALSAC representative via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without being contacted and approved by our Employee Experience team and without a valid written search agreement in place will result in no fee being paid if a referred candidate is hired by ALSAC.