Strategy & Operations Director

Career Guide
Leads company-wide planning and execution by turning strategy into operating plans, metrics, and cross-functional initiatives. Owns annual planning, OKRs, business reviews, and process improvement to drive growth, efficiency, and accountability.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead annual and quarterly planning, budgeting, and OKR setting
  • Develop business cases and financial models for strategic initiatives
  • Build KPI dashboards and run cadence of business reviews
  • Drive cross-functional programs from scoping through execution
  • Identify and improve core processes and operating model
  • Partner with executives on portfolio prioritization and resourcing
  • Manage and mentor strategy & operations team members

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Senior Director/VP, Strategy & Operations
Head of Business Operations (BizOps)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Transition Opportunities
Program Management Office (PMO) Director
Corporate Strategy Director
Revenue Operations Leader
General Manager / Business Unit Director

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
Financial modeling and forecastingKPI/OKR design and performance managementSQL and BI tools for analytics (Tableau/Power BI)Enterprise change management
Development SuggestionsComplete a financial modeling course (e.g., CFI) and build a 3‑statement model; take an intermediate SQL + Tableau course and publish a KPI dashboard; pilot an OKR rollout for a team and document change plan using ADKAR.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry Level$130,000–$170,000
Mid Level$160,000–$210,000
Senior Level$200,000–$260,000
Growth Trend
stable

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
GoogleAmazonSalesforce
Industry Sectors
TechnologyHealthcareFinancial ServicesConsumer & RetailProfessional Services (Consulting)

Recommended Next Steps

1
Build a portfolio: one strategic memo with business case, one KPI dashboard, and an OKR rollout plan based on a real or volunteer project.
2
Earn a recognized credential aligned to gaps: CFI FMVA (finance) or Prosci Change Management; optionally Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.
3
Network with BizOps/Strategy leaders; request reverse‑shadowing during quarterly planning and volunteer to run a cross‑functional program to gain end‑to‑end execution experience.