Senior Manager, R&D Operations

Key Responsibilities

Own the R&D Operating System

• Define and evolve the operating model, governance mechanisms, standards, and operating rhythms used across Product and Engineering.
• Establish clear decision frameworks, accountability models, and execution standards.
• Drive continuous improvement of how teams plan, collaborate, and operate.

Build Executive Visibility Through Data

• Own the R&D measurement framework and operational health metrics.
• Develop executive dashboards, scorecards, and reporting that provide visibility into organizational effectiveness, delivery health, dependency risk, operational readiness, and adoption of key practices.
• Partner with Data and Systems teams to improve data quality, automation, and AI-enabled insights.

Drive Operational Excellence and Adoption

• Lead initiatives that improve planning discipline, operating consistency, and execution effectiveness across Product and Engineering.
• Establish mechanisms to measure compliance, adoption, and business impact of operating model changes.
• Identify operational friction and implement scalable solutions that improve organizational performance.
• Define governance and operating standards for R&D systems and workflows.
• Evaluate opportunities to leverage AI and automation to improve productivity and visibility.

Influence Through Leadership and Partnership

• Build trusted relationships with Product and Engineering leaders.
• Facilitate alignment on operating principles, governance decisions, and organizational priorities.
• Surface risks proactively and drive resolution through data, influence, and structured decision making.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in Engineering, Product and Technology Operations, or a similar function.
• 3+ years leading teams or operating functions.
• Proven experience designing and scaling operating models, governance frameworks, and organizational processes.
• Strong analytical skills with experience building metrics, dashboards, and executive reporting.
• Experience driving organizational change and process adoption across large cross-functional organizations.
• Familiarity with modern Product and Engineering tooling, data platforms, AI-enabled workflows, and operational analytics.
• Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills.

Success Measures

• Improved adoption of R&D operating standards and governance practices.
• Increased executive visibility into organizational health and effectiveness.
• Higher quality operational data and reporting.
• Reduced operational friction and dependency-related delays.
• Improved consistency, accountability, and execution across Product and Engineering.
• Measurable business impact from operating model and process improvements.