Director, Product & Technology Operations

Socket.dev; Reno (NV); Hybrid; USD 194,000 - 267,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited vacation

Educational reimbursements

0-cost employee insurance

Company stock plan

Job summary

Ridgeline is seeking a foundational leader to build and head the Product & Technology Operational Excellence function, uniting Product Operations, Engineering and QA Operations, and Project Management into a cohesive operating model.

You will partner with senior leaders to translate priorities into execution plans, strengthen quality and discipline, and create visibility for faster, better decisions, with AI tools to boost efficiency.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in cross-functional leadership roles in product, engineering, operations, or related fields.
• 8+ years of people leadership building high-performing teams.
• Proven ability to translate priorities into operating plans and measurable outcomes.
• Experience implementing operating models and governance in complex tech organizations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with PM, Eng, QA, GTM and leaders to clarify priorities and improve decisions.
• Lead a multidisciplinary Product & Technology Operational Excellence organization.
• Build an operating model aligning Product, Engineering and Quality priorities and surface risks early.
• Establish standards that increase consistency, accountability, and execution discipline.
• Create dashboards, scorecards, and reviews for visibility into priorities, progress, risks, and opportunities for intervention.
• Clarify roles, handoffs, decision rights, and operating forums across Product, Engineering, QA, GTM, and partner teams to reduce friction.
• Oversee a portfolio of key technology initiatives with milestones, dependencies, and risk management.
• Develop leaders and teams across Product Operations, Engineering and QA Operations, and Project Management.
• Apply AI and automation to strengthen operating efficiency, decision support, knowledge sharing, and execution quality.

Skills

Operations leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

Strategic thinking

AI tools awareness

Tools

Jira

Productboard

Job description

In this foundational leadership role, you will build and lead Ridgeline’s Product & Technology Operational Excellence function, bringing together Product Operations, Engineering and QA Operations, and Project Management into a cohesive operating model. You will partner with business and functional leaders to translate company priorities into execution plans, frame tradeoffs, strengthen quality and operating discipline, and create the visibility needed for faster, better decisions. You’ll work with cutting‑edge technologies and AI tools including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Glean to improve operational efficiency, decision support, knowledge sharing, and execution quality across Product and Technology.

At Ridgeline, how we work matters as much as what we build. Ridgeliners act like owners, choose growth over comfort, and communicate with transparency. We assume positive intent, bias toward action, and bring solutions—not just problems. We celebrate wins, learn from setbacks, and thrive in a resilient, collaborative, high‑performing culture. If this excites you, we’d love to meet you!

You must be work authorized in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.

This is a hybrid in‑office position that requires a minimum of 3 days per week onsite in one of the following offices: San Ramon, CA, Reno, NV or New York, NY.

The impact you will have:

• Partner with Product, Engineering, Quality, GTM, and company leaders to clarify priorities, frame tradeoffs, and improve decisions against Ridgeline’s most important business outcomes
• Lead a multidisciplinary Product & Technology Operational Excellence organization spanning Product Operations, Engineering and QA Operations, and Project Management
• Build and evolve an operating model that enables Product, Engineering, and Quality leaders to align priorities, surface risks early, make effective tradeoffs, and follow through on commitments
• Establish and mature quality, product management, and engineering operating standards that increase consistency, accountability, and execution discipline
• Create dashboards, scorecards, and operating reviews that give leaders clear visibility into priorities, progress, risks, dependencies, and opportunities for intervention
• Clarify roles, handoffs, decision rights, and operating forums across Product, Engineering, QA, GTM, and partner teams to reduce friction and accelerate execution
• Oversee a portfolio of key technology initiatives with clear ownership, milestone discipline, dependency management, risk escalation, and cross‑functional alignment
• Develop leaders and team members across Product Operations, Engineering and QA Operations, and Project Management while building a high‑performing, collaborative organization
• Apply AI and automation to strengthen operating efficiency, decision support, knowledge sharing, and execution quality across Product and Technology
• Model ownership, transparency, sound judgment, and a growth mindset while helping teams continuously improve how they work

What we look for:

• 10+ years of experience in operations, program leadership, product operations, engineering operations, business operations, or a similarly cross‑functional leadership role
• 8+ years of people leadership experience with a track record of building, developing, and retaining high‑performing teams
• Proven success partnering with senior leaders to translate business priorities into operating plans, tradeoff decisions, and measurable execution outcomes
• Demonstrated experience building operating models, governance structures, standards, and management systems within complex product and technology organizations
• Strong experience improving cross‑functional execution across Product, Engineering, QA, GTM, and partner teams
• Track record of leading through influence at the executive level and aligning multiple teams around shared priorities, standards, and outcomes
• Experience establishing or improving quality, program management, product operations, and engineering operating standards in a scaling technology organization
• Strong familiarity with systems such as Jira and Productboard and the judgment to help teams govern and scale those tools effectivelyStrong judgment about where standardization creates leverage and where teams need flexibility
• Experience building metrics, dashboards, and review mechanisms that improve visibility, accountability, and decision quality
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to simplify complexity and create clarity across technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Strong problem‑solving skills, high agency, and consistent follow‑through in ambiguous environments
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on execution when the work requires it
• Fluency with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Glean and an understanding of how AI can improve operational efficiency, innovation, and productivity
• A learning mindset and willingness to deepen expertise in cutting‑edge technologies and the investment management domain

Bonus:

• Experience in a high‑growth technology environment
• Experience in fintech, investment management, or another complex, regulated domain
• Experience leading a center of excellence or shared operations function across multiple technical teams
• Experience managing leaders across Product Operations, Engineering Operations, Quality Operations, or Program Management

About Ridgeline

Ridgeline is the first front‑to‑back system of record for investment managers. Founded by visionary entrepreneur Dave Duffield (co‑founder of both PeopleSoft and Workday), the company was created to modernize an industry held back by outdated, disconnected technology. Powered by a single, real‑time data set and embedded AI, Ridgeline helps firms automate complexity, accelerate collaboration, and deliver tailored client experiences at scale, without added headcount or risk. Ridgeline is headquartered in Lake Tahoe, with offices in New York, Reno, the Bay Area, and Dublin, Ireland. Ridgeline is recognized by Fast Company as a “Best Workplace for Innovators,” by Frost & Sullivan as a “Technology Innovation Leader,” and by The Software Report as a “Top 100 Software Company.”

Ridgeline is proud to be a community‑minded, discrimination‑free equal opportunity workplace.

Ridgeline processes the information you submit in connection with your application in accordance with the Ridgeline Applicant Privacy Statement. Please review the Ridgeline Applicant Privacy Statement in full to understand our privacy practices and contact us with any questions.

Compensation and Benefits

The typical starting salary range for this role is: $194,000 - $267,000.

Final compensation amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amount listed above.

As an employee at Ridgeline, you’ll have many opportunities for advancement in your career and can make a true impact on the product.

In addition to the base salary, Ridgeline employees can participate in our Company Stock Plan subject to the applicable Stock Option Agreement.

• unlimited vacation
• educational and wellness reimbursements
• $0 cost employee insurance plans

We also offer rich benefits that reflect the kind of organization we want to be: one in which our employees feel valued and are inspired to bring their best selves to work.

Please check out our Careers page for a more comprehensive overview of our perks and benefits.