Strategy & Operations Lead — Reality Labs Research

Meta; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 176,000 - 247,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Meta's Reality Labs Research in Redmond seeks a Strategy & Operations Lead to partner with the VP of Research to shape organizational strategy and annual operating plans, and to run the operating cadence across a globally distributed team.

You will drive headcount and budget planning, coordinate cross-functional initiatives, and build systems that measure progress, risk, and resource health while guiding senior leaders through complex decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• 8+ years in strategy, operations, or program management.
• Experience supporting senior leaders and running an operating cadence.

Responsibilities

• Partner with VP of Research to shape organizational strategy and annual plan.
• Own operating cadence: planning, goal setting, reviews, follow-through.
• Lead cross-organizational initiatives and manage risk.

Skills

Strategy development

Operating cadence

Headcount planning

Budget planning

Cross-functional leadership

Influence senior stakeholders

Analytical problem-solving

AI tools integration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Master's or equivalent graduate degree

Tools

AI tools

Data analysis tools

Job description

At Meta's Reality Labs Research (RLR), we are inventing the future of virtual and augmented reality. As the Strategy & Operations Lead, you will partner closely with the VP of Research to run how our organization plans, resources, and operates. You will support strategy development alongside research leadership, own and run the operating cadence of a large, globally distributed research organization, and lead complex, high-stakes cross-organizational initiatives. You will work across research pillars and with Product, Finance, HR, Legal, Comms, Operations, and Facilities to build the relationships and mechanisms that let ambitious, long-horizon research succeed.The ideal candidate exercises independent judgment informed by organizational context, stakeholder input, and data, is comfortable holding both strategic framing and operational details, and is energized by ambiguous problems in a research environment. This is a full-time individual contributor role with organization-wide scope.Strategy & Operations Lead — Reality Labs Research Responsibilities:Partner with the VP of Research to shape and articulate organizational strategy, and translate it into an annual operating plan with clear goals and success measuresOwn the organization's operating cadence end to end: planning cycles, goal-setting and tracking, quarterly business reviews, leadership staff forums, and decision follow-throughDrive headcount and budget planning for the organization — annual HC planning, cross-sub-org allocation, forecast accuracy, and utilization rigor — in partnership with Finance and RL leadershipRepresent the VP of Research in cross-functional and leadership forums, carrying out decisions and escalations on their behalfIdentify, structure, and lead high-impact cross-organizational initiatives, including organizational changes, new team or site stand-ups, and external partnership structuresDefine and instrument the metrics and mechanisms through which leadership understands research progress, resourcing health, and operational riskproactively surfacing and resolving riskBuild and improve the systems of record and the information architecture that the organization runs onMinimum Qualifications:Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience8+ years of experience in strategy, business operations, or program management, including experience in supporting or partnering with senior leadersDemonstrated experience running an operating cadence — planning, goal setting, business reviews, and decision follow-through — for a large, multi-team organizationExperience with headcount and budget planning at scale, including cross-team allocation trade-offs, forecasting, and driving utilization rigor with finance partnersTrack record of independently leading ambiguous cross-functional initiatives to completion, including change managementDemonstrated the ability to influence and align senior stakeholders without direct authorityExperience coordinating operations teams, program managers, or vendor/contract worker teams without direct reporting linesWritten and verbal communication, including authoring leadership review materialsExperience applying analytical and structured problem-solving approaches to operational challenges, including determining when to investigate in depth versus when to delegatePreferred Qualifications:Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologiesMaster's or equivalent graduate degreeExperience with external partnerships, academic collaborations, or consortium structuresExperience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologiesExperience in a research, R&D, or advanced technology organization with long-term, uncertain deliverablesExperience supporting a VP-level leader as a strategy and operations partnerDemonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)Experience across globally distributed teams and multiple physical sites, including lab or hardware environmentsAbout Meta:Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].$176,000/year to $247,000/year + bonus + equity + benefitsIndividual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.