Sr. Manager, Strategy Operations

BarkleyOKRP; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance options

Flexible PTO

Life insurance

401K

Job summary

BarkleyOKRP is seeking a Sr. Manager of Strategy Operations to sit at the center of the agency’s strategy, intelligence and client delivery. You will partner with Strategy, Finance, Legal and PM to scope projects, manage vendors, and protect margins while driving revenue.

The role emphasizes AI adoption, process optimization and cross-functional alignment across multiple clients and campaigns. Senior candidates with 5+ years and exceptional communication will excel as you mentor teams, own

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of related experience and/or training.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to lead projects and work across teams.
• Strong organizational and analytical abilities.
• Service-minded attitude with a collaborative approach.

Responsibilities

• Support scoping and staffing plan development for project-based work and AOR clients.
• Manage relationships for Strategy subscriptions and project vendors.
• Track and report expenses for Strategy & Intelligence tools to Finance.
• Identify and vet potential new vendor partners to fill unmet needs.
• Coordinate with sample providers to source bids and manage incentives.
• Assist leads on scheduling IDIs, processing invoices, and contracts.
• Act as the point of contact for research participants regarding scheduling and incentives.
• Track, manage, and drive project deliverables across multiple projects.
• Own and report on project plans, status, and hot lists.
• Monitor decisions impacting budget, scope, and timelines.
• Provide transparency to mitigate risk to budget and timelines.
• Ensure objectives and deliverables meet client needs.
• Assist onboarding of new partners to provide access to tools.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Communication skills

Multi-project management

Autonomy

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Our Strategy & Intelligence department lives at the center of consumer insights, business realities and a brand’s biggest possible future. We assess how our clients across diverse industries can best optimize their market strategies to drive brand equity and business performance.

As the Sr. Manager of Strategy Operations, you are at the center of the agency’s strategy teams work across existing clients and new business opportunities. This role will primarily partner with key stakeholders across the organization including Strategy, Intelligence, Comms Planning Brand Leadership, Finance, Legal and Project Management, as well as outside research vendors and partners. For this role, you should be organized, detail oriented, and have the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization.

When you join BarkleyOKRP, you join an agency committed to investing in your professional development. As a Strategy Operations lead you will receive ongoing coaching and mentorship to refine your ability to:

• Build the business acumen to anticipate scope changes, drive and protect agency revenue and margins, and navigate complex organizational tradeoffs.
• Be a forward-thinking operational lead by championing AI integration, evaluating next-generation research methodologies, and driving agency-wide tech adoption.
• Elevate your influence by serving as the central hub between Strategy, Finance, Legal, and Client Experience—learning to navigate day-to-day operations, new business, and align cross-functional leads toward shared business goals.
• Build a strong foundation in agency financial modeling, staffing efficiency, vendor partner negotiation, and AOR scoping—the core operational competencies required to run a profit center or agency department.
• Hone your personal leadership style by mentoring cross-functional team members, leading high-stakes vendor relationships, and cultivating a collaborative, service-minded team culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Support scoping and staffing plan development for project-based work and AOR clients
• Manage relationships for all Strategy subscriptions and project-based vendors (Mintel, Waldo, Vytal, among others).
• Track & report expenses for Strategy & Intelligence tools to Finance for client bill-back
• Identify and vet potential new vendor partners to fill unmet needs within the dept.
• Engage with sample providers to source bids, manage recruiting and incentive fulfillment.
• Support Intelligence and Strategy leads on projects with scheduling IDI’s, processing invoices, and finalizing contracts.
• Act as the POC for research participants regarding scheduling, participation, and incentives.
• Track, manage and drive project deliverables across multiple projects, simultaneously.
• Own, maintain and report on project plans, status, and hot lists for key projects.
• Track decisions and prioritization that impact project budget, cadence, scope, and/or timelines
• Provide transparency with key stakeholders to mitigate risk to budget, scope and timelines.
• Ensure all project objectives and deliverables are clearly documented, approved, and delivered to meet clients’ needs and expectations.
• Assist with onboarding new partners, providing access to tools and Intelligence resources.
• Champion the use of AI within the Strategy department, includes identifying, vetting and onboarding new vendors and tools
• Schedule trainings of existing and new Strategy and Intelligence based tools
  

Qualifications & Skills

• Minimum 5 or more years of related experience and/or training
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
• Desire to work autonomously, lead projects and work on a team collaboratively
• Impeccable attention to detail and stellar organizational skills
• Creative problem solver with strong critical thinking skills to manage the unknown and plan ahead
• Have outstanding interpersonal skills and a friendly, “whatever it takes” service-minded attitude, along with a strong work ethic

The annual gross base salary range is $80,000- $105,000 USD. This range represents the anticipated target salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and are based on factors such as a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and geographic location. Salary is one component of BarkleyOKRP's total compensation package, which includes multiple health insurance options, flexible PTO, life insurance, and 401K.

BarkleyOKRP’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging

• At BarkleyOKRP, DEI+B drives work that matters. We believe people and creativity are made of the same substance, and when every perspective is valued, the impact is stronger. We build belonging as a business strategy, power inclusive creativity that delivers measurable results, and hold ourselves accountable as a B Corp committed to progress over performative intent. When people are valued, the work carries greater impact.