Principal of R&D Operations

Fusable • ,

5d

About The Position

The Principal of R&D Operations manages the processes that turn Fusable’s portfolio strategy into consistent, predictable execution across Product, Engineering, and Data. The role focuses on three areas: SDLC management, Commercial Interlock management, and financial and monthly R&D reporting. Across each, the Principal builds appropriate governance into how work is planned, approved, delivered, and reported, partnering closely with Product, Engineering, Finance, Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success leaders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, engineering, computer science, or a related field.
• 8+ years in R&D, engineering, or product operations, or a PMO, in a software or data business.
• Proven experience managing an SDLC across multiple product and engineering teams.
• Administrator-level experience with Asana, Jira, and the Atlassian suite.
• Working knowledge of R&D budgeting, forecasting, and software capitalization.
• Experience running a go-to-market or commercial readiness process.
• Strong analytical and communication skills; able to influence senior leaders without formal authority.

Nice To Haves

• Scrum and agile delivery experience; CSM, PSM, or SAFe certification a plus.
• SaaS or data business experience, including subscription metrics such as ARR, retention, and renewal.
• Experience introducing process change while work is in flight.
• A pragmatic view of governance: controls that inform decisions, not paperwork.

Responsibilities

• Translate portfolio strategy into an executable R&D operating plan across product lines.
• Establish R&D governance: decision rights, approval gates, and operating cadences.
• Manage the end-to-end SDLC process, from intake through release.
• Operationalize the planning hierarchy (Build Programs, Epics, Features, Stories) and its approval gates.
• Standardize handoffs between Product Management, Product Owners, Design, and Engineering.
• Administer Asana, Jira, and Confluence so they reflect the process and produce reliable delivery data.
• Manage the Commercial Interlock process that aligns Product, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Customer Success from roadmap to revenue.
• Facilitate SKU approval so pricing, packaging, and revenue mapping are agreed before launch.
• Maintain the release calendar and coordinate launch readiness across the owning teams.
• Clarify ownership and decision rights, escalating cross-functional conflicts to leadership.
• Own monthly R&D reporting on spend vs. budget, capacity, delivery, and risk.
• Partner with Finance on R&D budgeting and forecasting.
• Manage R&D capitalization tracking so CapEx/OpEx treatment is documented.
• Link R&D investment to adoption, retention, and revenue outcomes.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal