Sr Associate, Corporate Strategy

PayPal; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 95,500 - 141,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work environment

Employee stock options

Health and life insurance

Job summary

A global payment solutions provider is seeking a Senior Associate, Corporate Strategy in Chicago, Illinois. In this critical role, you will drive strategic initiatives that influence how the company navigates the rapidly changing payments landscape. Responsibilities include market analysis, developing business cases, and collaborating across departments to launch new initiatives. Candidates should have a solid background in strategy consulting or analytical environments, with at least 3 years of experience. A base salary range of $95,500 - $141,900 is offered, depending on experience.

Qualifications

• 3+ years relevant experience in a similar analytical environment.
• Strong analytical instincts and the ability to persuade.
• Creative thinker challenging conventional frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Analyze market opportunities and develop strategic recommendations.
• Create business cases and competitive assessments.
• Collaborate with product and finance teams to execute strategies.

Skills

Strategic analysis

Market sizing

Competitive positioning

Partnership opportunities

Growth strategy

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Overview

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy.

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal provides proprietary payment solutions that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers. We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, including bank accounts, PayPal or Venmo balances, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, credit cards, debit cards, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards. Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade.

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day. We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Description Summary

PayPal moves money for millions of small businesses around the world — and our strategy team is at the center of figuring out what comes next. As a Senior Associate, Corporate Strategy, you''ll work on the questions that matter most: Where should PayPal place its bets in a rapidly shifting payments landscape (and where shouldn’t it)? How do we win on platforms where the competitive dynamics are changing fast? What does the SMB ecosystem look like in a world where AI is rewriting how commerce works? This is a critical role. You''ll own meaningful workstreams, build the analytical foundation that shapes leadership decisions, and be in the room when those decisions get made. And when a new idea has enough momentum, you won''t just hand it off — you''ll help bring it to life. If you''re someone who gets energized by hard problems, moves fast, and wants your work to have real impact — this is the role.

Responsibilities

• Dig into the strategic questions PayPal''s senior leadership cares about most - market sizing, competitive positioning, partnership opportunities, growth strategy - and develop the analysis and recommendations that drive decisions
• Build original strategic content: business cases, competitive assessments, investment frameworks, and executive narratives that are sharp, well-reasoned, and built to persuade
• Incubate new product and business concepts from the ground up - pressure-testing ideas, developing go-to-market hypotheses, and building the early-stage business cases that determine whether an opportunity is worth pursuing
• Collaborate across Product, Finance, Sales, and Partnerships to take strategic initiatives from early framing all the way through to execution - including, at times, standing up net-new initiatives that didn''t exist before
• Thrive in ambiguity - structure problems that don''t have an obvious shape yet, and find the right path forward even when there''s no established playbook
• Help raise the bar for how the team works by bringing strong analytical instincts and a habit of sharing frameworks and approaches that make everyone sharper

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities and Preferred Qualifications

• Strategy consulting, corporate strategy, investment banking, or a similarly rigorous analytical environment
• Creative, non-linear thinker who challenges conventional frameworks and finds angles others miss — especially in early-stage, zero-to-one problem spaces
• Fluent in AI tools and actively integrating them into how you work, not just aware they exist
• Energized by fast-moving environments where priorities shift, information is incomplete, and the expectation is that you figure it out
• Background in payments, fintech, or ecommerce; familiarity with the SMB merchant world is a plus
• Some exposure to product development, venture, or early-stage incubation — the instinct to build, not just analyze, is something we value

The base pay for this role will depend on where you work and the relevant experience and expertise you bring. The expected range of pay for this role by location is:

Salary by Location

Primary Location : Pay Range

New York City, New York : ($109,000.00 - $156,200.00 Annually)

San Jose, California : ($109,000.00 - $156,200.00 Annually)

Chicago, Illinois : ($95,500.00 - $141,900.00 Annually)

Additional compensation for this role may include an annual performance bonus, equity, or other incentive compensation, as applicable.

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit the address provided.

For the majority of employees, PayPal''s balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits

PayPal is committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. We offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life, including financial, physical, and mental health support, and resources to care for the whole you. We have benefits including a flexible work environment, employee stock options, health and life insurance, and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit the pay location benefits page.

Who We Are

To learn more about our culture and community visit the PayPal information page.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us.

Belonging at PayPal

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.

Notice to Applicants and Employees who reside within New York City. To view the notice, please refer to the official notice page.

REQ ID R0135150