Business Operations Manager, Supply Chain

Zipline•South San Francisco, CA

5d•$147,800 - $285,200•Onsite

About The Position

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, aiming to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine, and essential goods anytime, anywhere. They design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, making millions of deliveries globally. The company is seeking practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth, motivated by building systems with a meaningful impact and scaling the future of logistics. This role is for someone who can bridge deep data-driven insights with high-level strategic execution to accelerate Zipline’s supply chain scaling for a first-of-its-kind autonomous robotic aircraft system. The individual will be able to seamlessly shift between diving into complex datasets and crafting executive-level narratives, and will own both analytical rigor and strategic project leadership in a high-visibility, mission-critical role. This is an in-person role based out of their HQ in South San Francisco requiring 5-15% travel.

Requirements

1-10+ years of experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment in roles such as Managerial Consulting, Data Analytics, Business Information Systems Manager, Technical Program Manager, or supply chain, engineering, or consulting-oriented positions within finance, operations, or manufacturing.
Highly proficient in data querying and manipulation (SQL), scripting/analysis (Python), and visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) with a proven track record of building scalable dashboards and deriving insights from complex datasets.
Strong strategic thinking and executive communication skills, with experience creating and presenting high-quality decks, recommendations, and narratives to senior leaders.
Successfully led or contributed to strategic projects/initiatives such as system implementations (e.g., supplier portals, EDI, ERP enhancements), process transformations, or cross-functional programs with executive visibility.
Excel at structured problem-solving, scenario modeling, and translating data into strategic recommendations that drive business outcomes in dynamic, resource-constrained settings.
Hands-on experience with supply chain/ERP systems and data environments, applying analytics to improve forecast accuracy, inventory health, supplier performance, or operational efficiency.
Thrive in ambiguous, high-stakes environments, balancing deep analytical work with program leadership and executive stakeholder management.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Supply Chain, Business Analytics, Data Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related field, with experience in high-tech, aerospace, robotics, or scaling manufacturing environments.
Demonstrated first-principles thinking and consulting-style rigor (e.g., hypothesis-driven analysis, MECE frameworks, executive storytelling) with measurable impact from past strategic projects.
Experience in regulated/high-reliability industries with gated processes or complex stakeholder ecosystems.
Proficiency in additional tools like advanced Excel, ERP engines, or data orchestration platforms; familiarity with supplier collaboration tools or APIs.
Strong leadership presence with a history of influencing without authority and delivering results in growth-stage companies.

Responsibilities

Serve as a central force for turning raw data into compelling insights while simultaneously driving leadership-level projects that shape Zipline’s supply chain strategy, tools, and operations.
Collaborate closely with Engineering, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Industrialization, Material Planning, Manufacturing Operations, Finance, and executive leadership to enable rapid, reliable scaling of Zipline’s manufacturing footprint through robust business analytics and strategy.
Design, build, and maintain interactive visual dashboards, reporting tools, and analytical models using SQL, Python, Tableau, Power BI, and other business intelligence platforms to deliver real-time visibility into key supply chain metrics, trends, risks, and opportunities.
Perform deep data extraction, transformation, and analysis across ERP, MRP, supplier, inventory, and production systems to generate actionable business insights, forecast accuracy improvements, cost drivers, and performance diagnostics.
Lead strategic business projects and initiatives at the executive level, including developing high-impact presentations, executive decks, and recommendation frameworks that influence senior decision-making.
Own and drive key supply chain transformation programs such as Supplier Portal implementation, EDI onboarding and integration, process digitization, and other strategic enhancements to improve supplier collaboration, data flow, and operational efficiency.
Conduct structured problem-solving and strategic analysis on complex supply chain challenges—identifying root causes, modeling scenarios, evaluating trade-offs, and recommending prioritized actions to optimize cost, service, resilience, and scalability.
Partner with cross-functional teams to translate business needs into analytical requirements and strategic roadmaps; facilitate alignment across stakeholders and ensure initiatives deliver measurable impact.
Monitor and synthesize supply chain performance through custom KPIs, variance analysis, and trend tracking; proactively surface insights that inform executive reviews, planning cycles, and continuous improvement efforts.
Drive process improvements and automation opportunities by leveraging data analytics to identify bottlenecks, recommend solutions, and support implementation with clear business cases and executive communication.
Collaborate with leadership to shape supply chain strategy, prepare materials for board/executive updates, and contribute to high-stakes decision support in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.