Global Operations Lead

Rippling•San Francisco, CA

2d•$81,840 - $122,760

About The Position

Rippling’s Global Payroll Operations team manages payroll processing and services across more than 80 countries. As the company expands globally, the Global Operations Lead will help turn operational complexity into clear priorities, repeatable systems, and measurable execution. This is a chief-of-staff-style role reporting directly to the Director of the team. The lead will improve how the team operates as it grows in size and complexity by translating priorities into operating rhythms, driving major cross-functional initiatives, improving performance and risk tracking, and aligning stakeholders across Product, Engineering, CX, Implementation, Legal, and external partners. The role offers exposure to global product operations and the opportunity to make an immediate impact on the product and customer experience. The role partners closely with teams across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM. The employee should be comfortable occasionally adjusting their schedule for early-morning or evening meetings to collaborate across time zones. Rippling values in-office work for office-based employees who live within a defined radius of an office; under current policy, they are expected to work in the office at least three days a week. The role offers competitive salary and benefits, with US salary ranges determined by location and compensation factors including professional background and experience.

Requirements

At least 5 years of high-impact experience in BizOps, Strategy & Operations, or Program Management at a fast-growing startup, or experience in top-tier consulting or banking with a desire to own operational execution.
A hands-on operator mindset, with grit, bias for action, and willingness to diagnose root causes and build practical solutions.
Tech-forward approach and experience leveraging AI tools and automation to solve bottlenecks and scale work.
Ability to adapt and operate effectively in fast-moving, ambiguous environments with shifting priorities.
Track record of driving complex cross-functional projects to completion without unnecessary bureaucracy.
Ability to analyze dashboards and operational metrics, distinguish critical risk from noise, and make sound judgments.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including synthesizing complex topics for executive decisions and frontline guidance.
Strong collaboration skills and ability to work with diverse stakeholders.
Comfort flexing work hours occasionally for early-morning or evening meetings across time zones.

Responsibilities

Lead high-priority operational programs across global payroll product lines by identifying systemic gaps, standardizing workflows, and developing playbooks, automation, and AI-driven tools.
Drive global operating cadences, executive reviews (WBRs/MBRs), and accountability frameworks.
Translate ambiguous strategic priorities into structured workstreams with clear ownership, milestones, and ROI.
Ensure operational consistency across global sub-teams.
Act as the senior escalation point for high-friction customer issues, drive end-to-end resolution, and lead root-cause analyses with Product, Engineering, and Operations to address systemic gaps and prevent recurrence.
Connect Operations, Product, Engineering, CX, and external third-party partners; document product gaps and operational risks, coordinate stakeholder communications, and support decisions using clear trade-off frameworks.
Partner with operations leadership on team administration and scaling, including global headcount planning, resource allocation, operating budgets, offsites, All-Hands content, and training programs.
Improve the team’s operating rhythm and employee experience.