Director, Strategy & Operations

Navan•Palo Alto, CA

About The Position

About the Role We are looking for a Director of Strategy, Payments & Expense to lead the strategic direction of our Payments and Expense business. This role will own end-to-end strategic analysis, executive-level storytelling, and data-driven recommendations that directly inform decisions by the CEO and senior leadership team. This is a highly visible role that sits at the intersection of strategy, finance, and executive communication. You will work closely with Sales, Account Management, Product, Finance, FP&A, Revenue Operations, and Business leaders to deeply understand business performance, identify opportunities and risks, and clearly articulate the "so what" for leadership. The ideal candidate comes from a top-tier management consulting or investment banking background and brings strong financial acumen, structured problem-solving skills, and exceptional ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to senior executives. What You’ll Do Strategic Leadership & Executive Advisory Own the strategy for the Payments and Expense business, including growth priorities, investment tradeoffs, and long-term value creation. Act as a trusted thought partner to the executive leadership by framing strategic questions, analyzing options, and making clear, actionable recommendations. Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations for executive reviews, board materials, and senior leadership forums. Financial & Business Analysis Develop a deep understanding of the business’s financials, including revenue drivers, costs, margins, unit economics, and key performance indicators. Partner closely with Finance, FP&A, and Rev Ops to analyze performance, forecast outcomes, and evaluate strategic initiatives. Build and maintain analytical models to assess scenarios, investments, pricing changes, and new opportunities. Storytelling & Decision Support Translate complex data into clear narratives that highlight insights, implications, and recommended actions. Determine the most effective way to present information to senior leadership, balancing detail with clarity and executive-level focus. Ensure leadership has a consistent, accurate, and forward-looking view of the Payments and Expense business. Cross-Functional Influence Work cross-functionally with Product, Operations, Sales, and Customer teams to understand constraints, opportunities, and execution realities. Align stakeholders around strategic priorities and ensure recommendations are grounded in both data and operational feasibility. Drive clarity and alignment across teams on strategic direction and success metrics.

Requirements

8-10 years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, or a similar highly analytical, executive-facing role.
Experience working with senior executives and presenting directly to CEOs, CFOs, or Boards.
Strong understanding of financial statements, business drivers, and performance metrics; fintech, payments, or expense management experience is a plus but not required.
Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize large amounts of data into clear insights.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, especially in executive presentations and strategic narratives.
Strong business judgment and comfort making recommendations in ambiguous or high-stakes situations.
Ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Highly structured thinker with a strong bias toward clarity and impact.
Comfortable operating at both the 30,000-foot strategic level and in the details when needed.
Trusted, discreet, and confident partner to senior leadership.

Nice To Haves

fintech, payments, or expense management experience is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

Own the strategy for the Payments and Expense business, including growth priorities, investment tradeoffs, and long-term value creation.
Act as a trusted thought partner to the executive leadership by framing strategic questions, analyzing options, and making clear, actionable recommendations.
Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations for executive reviews, board materials, and senior leadership forums.
Develop a deep understanding of the business’s financials, including revenue drivers, costs, margins, unit economics, and key performance indicators.
Partner closely with Finance, FP&A, and Rev Ops to analyze performance, forecast outcomes, and evaluate strategic initiatives.
Build and maintain analytical models to assess scenarios, investments, pricing changes, and new opportunities.
Translate complex data into clear narratives that highlight insights, implications, and recommended actions.
Determine the most effective way to present information to senior leadership, balancing detail with clarity and executive-level focus.
Ensure leadership has a consistent, accurate, and forward-looking view of the Payments and Expense business.
Work cross-functionally with Product, Operations, Sales, and Customer teams to understand constraints, opportunities, and execution realities.
Align stakeholders around strategic priorities and ensure recommendations are grounded in both data and operational feasibility.
Drive clarity and alignment across teams on strategic direction and success metrics.