Senior Manager, Strategy and Business Operations

About The Role

Our client is looking to hire a Senior Manager of Strategy and Business Operations to its Product team. As a foundational member of the Strategy and Business Operations team, reporting to the VP of Strategy & Business Operations, this role will partner closely with executive leadership across Product, GTM, and Finance. This position will help define the organization’s long-term strategy, drive execution on cross-functional initiatives, and uncover opportunities that accelerate growth. The ideal candidate is endlessly curious, customer-centered, and thrives in navigating ambiguity — someone who can toggle between the big picture and the details, and who gets energy from solving hard, high-impact problems. This is an ideal role for someone with a background in strategy, product, analytics, or business operations who’s looking to drive impact across the full business.

Why join the Product team?

Our client believes the best product experiences come from empowered product development teams that develop expertise in their domain and empathize with customer challenges. What’s unique about the product organization is that it consists of cross-functional teams referred to as “squads,” inclusive of product managers, designers, data scientists, and engineers.

There are no middle layers, and team members create, iterate, and ship the product together as one, autonomous team. As a part of one of these teams, individuals will own their roadmap and help make an industry-leading product that delivers on their vision for customers. If research, great UX design, fast execution, constant shipping, and a true customer-centric approach are valued, this Product organization just might be the place to accelerate a career.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide prioritization and tradeoff discussions across Product, GTM, and Finance to ensure focus on the highest-impact opportunities
• Lead and support the organization’s most strategic, high-priority initiatives — from ambiguous problem space to structured, actionable plan
• Partner with cross-functional leaders across Product, GTM, Finance, and Executive teams to identify opportunities, solve business-critical challenges, and drive alignment
• Develop business cases, operating models, and long-range strategic frameworks that guide company decision-making and inform resource allocation and investment decisions
• Conduct deep analyses of market trends, customer segments, competitive positioning, and product performance to guide positioning and growth roadmap
• Define, track, and operationalize KPIs that align cross-functional stakeholders and ensure accountability
• Translate insights into clear recommendations and narratives for senior leadership and Board discussions
• Help establish the Strategy & Business Operations function, including team norms, rituals, and future hiring practices
• Take a hands-on approach to problem-solving — conducting analyses and diving into details while building out the broader team

Required Qualifications

Our client is looking for a structured thinker and strategic operator who can thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment — someone who loves solving problems, connecting dots, and driving clarity from chaos.

The minimum qualifications for this role include:

• 7 years of experience in management consulting, business operations, product strategy, analytics, or related roles
• Strong analytical skills and comfort diving deep into data to drive insights and recommendations (advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets is required)
• Proven ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives from start to finish
• Experience working in or closely with product, engineering, GTM, or finance teams
• Experience in a high-growth SaaS environment or similarly fast-paced business

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal — able to craft compelling narratives for senior leaders
• Comfort working through ambiguity and independently structuring solutions to complex problems
• Deep curiosity and a customer-first mindset when approaching problem-solving
• MBA or equivalent graduate degree preferred but not required

How you’ll grow

Within 1 month, individuals will plant their roots, including:

• Completing the organization’s onboarding program and developing a foundational understanding of its products and customers
• Building strong cross-functional relationships across R&D, GTM, Finance, and Leadership
• Partnering with the VP of Strategy & Business Operations to define the role’s goals, onboarding plan, and initial focus areas

Within 3 months, individuals will start hitting their stride by:

• Taking ownership of one or more high-priority strategic initiatives
• Delivering insights and recommendations through structured analysis, stakeholder interviews, and business modeling
• Helping shape the team’s operating cadence, rituals, and reporting frameworks

Within 6 months, individuals will be making a clear impact through:

• Leading large-scale, cross-functional efforts that guide product direction or GTM strategy
• Driving alignment on key metrics and decision-making frameworks across teams
• Helping define the roadmap for future SBO hires

Within 12 months, individuals will make this role their own by:

• Becoming a go-to strategic thought partner for leaders across the organization
• Refining and scaling operating models for decision-making, planning, and accountability
• Playing a key role in shaping the long-term strategy of the business and product portfolio

Benefits Program

Our Client is proud to regularly be recognized for its team, product, and culture. The benefits program includes:

• Insurance and benefit options that are built for both individuals and families
• Progressive policies to support work/life balance, like flexible paid time off and parental leave programs
• High-quality and well-maintained equipment—the computer will never prevent an individual from doing their best
• Wellness initiatives to ensure both health and mental well-being of the team
• Ongoing education and development opportunities via the Grow@Sprout program and employee-led diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
• Growing corporate social responsibility program that is driven by the involvement and passion of team members
• Beautiful, convenient, and state-of-the-art offices in Chicago’s Loop and downtown Seattle, for those who prefer an office setting

Salary Range

Individual base pay is based on various factors, including work location, relevant experience and skills, the responsibility of the role, and job duties/requirements. In the United States, there are two geographic pay zones. For this role, the current base pay ranges for new hires are:

• Zone 1 (New York, California, Washington): $167,200.00 (min), $209,000.00 (mid), $250,800 (max) USD annually
• Zone 2 (All other US states): $152,000.00 (min), $190,000.00 (mid), $228,000.00 (max) USD annually

Note:

“We are not the EOR (Employer of Record) for this position. Our role in this specific opportunity is to connect outstanding candidates with a top-tier employer. Swooped helps candidates around the world to discover and stay focused on the jobs they want until they can complete a full application in the hiring company career page/ATS.”