Principal, Strategy & Operations

Why This Role Matters 

This role exists to raise the quality of strategic thinking and communication at the highest levels of the company. It is designed for a leader who thrives in ambiguity, values precision over volume, and understands that the right narrative, grounded in strong strategy, can materially shape outcomes. 

Role Overview

We are seeking a Principal, Strategy & Operations leader to operate as a senior individual contributor and trusted advisor to the VP of Strategy & Operations and the CTO. This role is responsible for shaping, articulating, and advancing the technology organization’s strategic priorities, from internal alignment to CEO and Board engagement to external thought leadership. 

This individual will work deeply embedded with the VP of Strategy & Operations, acting as a strategic extension of the role, while partnering day-to-day with the CTO and CTO staff. They will collaborate closely with the corporate strategy team to ensure technology strategy is tightly aligned with enterprise priorities and long-range plans. 

Success in this role requires the ability to think several moves ahead, synthesize ambiguity into clear strategic narratives, and communicate with precision and credibility at the highest levels of the company and externally. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategy Leadership & Ownership 

• Serve as a principal thought partner to the VP of Strategy & Operations, jointly driving strategy definition, prioritization, and alignment across the technology organization. 
• Partner with the CTO and CTO staff to frame strategic problems, evaluate tradeoffs, and define multi-year technology priorities. 
• Develop structured strategy artifacts (narratives, decision memos, frameworks) that enable executive decision-making. 
• Work closely with the corporate strategy team to align technology strategy with enterprise strategy, annual planning, and long-range roadmaps. 
• Identify gaps, risks, and opportunities across the technology portfolio and proactively surface recommendations. 

CEO Staff & Board-Level Materials 

• Own the creation of executive-ready and Board-grade strategy materials, including: 
• Multi-year technology strategy narratives 
• CEO staff presentations and decision read-aheads 
• Board decks, deep dives, and written narratives 
• Ensure materials are concise, data-informed, and written to executive and Board standards. 
• Anticipate questions from senior leadership and proactively incorporate insights into materials. 

Executive Communications 

• Act as a strategic communications advisor to the CTO, in close coordination with the VP of Strategy & Operations. 
• Translate complex technical and organizational concepts into clear, compelling narratives for senior leaders. 
• Develop executive-level presentations, keynotes, talking points, and written communications. 
• Prepare senior leaders for high-stakes engagements, including CEO reviews, Board meetings, and external forums. 

External Narrative & Thought Leadership 

• Create content and narratives for major external events, industry conferences, and public forums. 
• Partner with PR, marketing, and corporate communications to ensure consistent and credible external messaging. 
• Help position the CTO and technology leadership as trusted voices on technology, innovation, and strategy. 

Influence & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Influence senior stakeholders across engineering, product, finance, and corporate functions without direct authority. 
• Drive alignment through clarity of thinking, quality of writing, and strength of narrative. 
• Lead strategy working sessions, offsites, and executive reviews as needed. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• 10+ years of experience in corporate strategy, management consulting, executive communications, or strategy roles within large, complex technology organizations. 
• Demonstrated experience working directly with C-suite executives (CTO, CEO, or equivalent) and senior leadership teams. 
• Proven ability to create Board-level and CEO-level strategy materials that drive decisions. 
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of simplifying complex topics. 
• Strong business and technical acumen; able to engage credibly with senior technical leaders. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in Principal-level or equivalent roles at companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta, or other scaled SaaS technology organizations. 
• Background in top-tier management consulting combined with in-house strategy or executive roles. 
• Experience supporting external speaking engagements, keynotes, or industry events. 
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree.