Fast Facts

Seeking a Strategic Operations Manager with strong leadership and analytical skills to manage cross-functional teams and drive product development at Strategic Education, Inc. This role involves leading operational execution, solving complex problems, and improving product lifecycle processes.

Responsibilities: Lead operational execution through the Concept-to-Launch process, collaborate with various teams on product offerings, and manage scholarship and pricing initiatives.

Skills: Strong leadership, analytical thinking, project management, excellent communication, and experience with product life cycle management.

Qualifications: 3+ years of relevant experience preferred; a Bachelor's degree is also preferred.

Location: The position is located in the United States of America, with occasional travel required.

Compensation: $66000 - $99000 / Annually

The Strategic Operations Manager (SOM) is an operational expert within the USHE Portfolio Strategy department. This individual must demonstrate strong business leadership and analytical thinking. They are focused on anticipating issues, solving problems and driving process improvement. In their role, they collaborate and lead multiple cross-functional teams driving new product development through the Concept-to-Launch (C2L) process. This person is a team player with an entrepreneurial mindset, able to persist through setbacks until goals are achieved.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the operational execution of product portfolio decisions (new products, revised products, retirements, accreditation-related updates, and non-degree offerings) through the C2L process, including building and maintaining timelines/project plans, planning and facilitating meetings, holding cross-functional partners accountable, and risk identification and mitigation strategies across academic, operational, and strategy teams. 
• Collaborate closely with many teams across the organization including Portfolio 
• Strategy, Academics, Operations, Admissions, Advising, Marketing, Legal, Licensure, and the Registrar to ensure business, academic, and operational impacts and best practices are factored into all new and restaged product offerings.
• Lead efforts in coming up with creative approaches to problem solving and developing quality deliverables to support business needs.
• Work closely with the leader of Portfolio Operations and other Strategic Operations Managers to recommend and implement ongoing improvements to the product development process for USHE.
• Support the creation of tools and processes to support school decisions relating to content in academic programs to promote learning, affordability and business goals.
• Serve as the operational lead on scholarships and pricing for Strayer University, including routing scholarship and pricing changes for leadership approval, overseeing pricing and scholarship implementation in necessary systems, and managing communication regarding pricing and scholarship updates to internal teams.

Required Skills:

• Candidate must be willing to take initiative and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, team environment where cross-functional leadership is a key to solving complex problems.
• Solid ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. 
• Skilled at dealing with complex business issues where multiple challenges may exist.
• Adapts project plans and priorities to address business and operational challenges.
• Influences or provides input to forecasting and planning activities.
• Demonstrated ability to think both strategically and tactically.
• Experience with product life cycle management.
• Proven communication skills and ability to influence colleagues.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills. 
• Strong analytical skills; access, analyze, and take action using data. 
• Ability to think operationally and collaboratively to overcome obstacles in order to achieve results or Structured thinker who helps advance the strategy and execution of the Product Operations team.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Self-directed and self-motivated with proven ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize deliverables, and meet deadlines.
• Experience with Lean, startup, agile or other innovation methodologies a plus.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio) and Project Software/tools (SharePoint, MS Project, etc.)

Required Education and Experience:

• 3+ years of product experience or strategic operations experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Additional related experience, formal education, and Strayer University knowledge may be substituted for the education and/or experience requirement.

Other:

• Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%). 
• Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.
• If offsite or hybrid role, must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• Faculty and Federal Work Study roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer, privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.
• Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.
• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered. 
• Able to access information using a computer.
• Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

SEI offers a comprehensive package of benefits to employees scheduled 30 hours or more per week. In addition to medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans, SEI employees may take advantage of well-being incentives, parental leave, paid time off, certain paid holidays, tax saving accounts (FSA, HSA), 401(k) retirement benefit, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, tuition assistance as well as entertainment and retail discounts. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay, if applicable.

Careers - Our Benefits, Strategic Education, Inc

SEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture where individuals can grow their careers and contribute fully. We strive to attract talent with broad experiences, skills and perspectives. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.

$66,000.00 - $99,000.00 - Salary

If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at [email protected].