Strategy & Operations, FDE

Ladders; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 270,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work policy

Visa sponsorship

Job summary

Unknown is seeking a Strategy & Operations, FDE role in San Francisco to shape planning, reporting, and operating rhythms for a specialized delivery function. You will partner with senior technical and commercial leaders to build scalable processes and support growth planning in a hands-on capacity.

This role requires 5–7 years in strategy and operations with a strong grasp of services business economics, staffing models, and AI tooling. Hybrid/onsite, visa sponsorship otherwise not guaranteed.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years in strategy and operations, business operations, or consulting within professional services.
• Strong understanding of services business economics, including utilization, staffing, rates, and customer outcomes.
• Proficient in building capacity or staffing models; SQL skills required.
• Experience running planning cycles and business reviews independently.
• Ability to derive recommendations from ambiguous questions and create sustainable processes.
• Proven trust and influence with senior technical and commercial leaders.
• Comfortable working with fast-paced, evolving data and processes.
• Experience using AI tools in a professional capacity.
• Passionate about building safe and beneficial AI systems.

Responsibilities

• Own annual and quarterly planning, including headcount and engagement type planning.
• Build demand and staffing models with scenario analysis for leadership.
• Lead monthly and quarterly business reviews and define KPIs.
• Create streamlined reporting by integrating engagement data into systems.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to shape the commercial model for engagements.
• Develop strategies for scaling work through partners in delivery.
• Collaborate with leadership on team organization and new role design.
• Lead cross-functional project initiatives across various departments.
• Automate reporting processes using AI tools and technical workflows.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Ambiguity management

Leadership & influence

Analytical rigor

Tools

SQL

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Strategy & Operations, FDE to join the team of a leader in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech space.

This role will shape planning, reporting, and operating rhythms for a specialized delivery function within a fast-growing organization. The person in this position will partner closely with senior technical and commercial leaders to build scalable processes, improve decision-making, and support effective growth planning. It is a hands‑on operations role with exposure to finance, delivery, and cross‑functional teams, where analytical rigor and strong judgment will help translate complex data into clear recommendations.

Location: San Francisco, CA - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $270,000 – $310,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Own annual and quarterly planning, including headcount and engagement type planning
• Build demand and staffing models with scenario analysis for leadership
• Lead monthly and quarterly business reviews and define KPIs
• Create streamlined reporting by integrating engagement data into systems
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to shape the commercial model for engagements
• Develop strategies for scaling work through partners in delivery
• Collaborate with leadership on team organization and new role design
• Lead cross‑functional project initiatives across various departments
• Automate reporting processes using AI tools and technical workflows

Qualifications

• 5–7 years in strategy and operations, business operations, or consulting within professional services
• Strong understanding of services business economics, including utilization, staffing, rates, and customer outcomes
• Proficient in building capacity or staffing models; SQL skills required
• Experience running planning cycles and business reviews independently
• Ability to derive recommendations from ambiguous questions and create sustainable processes
• Proven trust and influence with senior technical and commercial leaders
• Comfortable working with fast‑paced, evolving data and processes
• Experience using AI tools in a professional capacity
• Passionate about building safe and beneficial AI systems

Benefits

• Opportunity to work closely with senior leadership in a rapidly growing team
• Access to collaborate with diverse departments, including Finance and Applied AI
• Hands‑on role focused on innovative automation and technical tools
• Hybrid work policy with flexibility in location requirements
• Support for visa sponsorship to accommodate international candidates
• Chance to be part of a mission‑driven organization focused on safe AI development

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.