Senior Strategic Operations & Technology Portfolio Manager
About The Position
The Senior Strategic Operations & Technology Portfolio Manager serves as a strategic partner and trusted operational leader for the AO technology organization, integrating portfolio governance, leadership planning, and executive decision support into a high-visibility function. The role translates business and technology priorities into clear execution, ensures leadership forums produce aligned action, and helps a scaling organization move faster with rigor and follow-through. The position serves as Chief of Staff to the BTD, maintaining leadership operating rhythms and supporting the Advanced Optics development portfolio. It provides decision support, portfolio visibility, risk and dependency management, cross-functional alignment, and support for selected internal and cross-functional engagements.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, Technology, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience is considered.
- 10+ years of experience in technology portfolio management, program management, strategic planning, Chief of Staff support, or engineering/business operations in a complex organization.
- Demonstrated experience managing or materially supporting a technology, engineering, R&D, or product-development portfolio, including governance, milestone tracking, and cross-functional coordination.
- Demonstrated experience supporting a senior leader or leadership team in a Chief of Staff, strategic advisor, or executive operations capacity, including decision preparation, stakeholder coordination, and follow-through.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive outcomes in a matrixed organization without direct authority.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced technical degree, Master of Business Administration (MBA), or equivalent advanced business or technical experience.
- Experience in high-tech, engineering, manufacturing, research, or technology-driven environments, particularly optics, photonics, specialty materials, or adjacent sectors.
- Experience with development budget tracking, forecasting, or portfolio investment planning.
- Experience supporting workforce planning, organizational design, or hiring strategy during periods of organizational growth.
- Familiarity with portfolio governance tools, planning systems, dashboards, or digital/AI-enabled workflows.
Responsibilities
- Serve as Chief of Staff to the BTD by establishing and sustaining leadership operating rhythms, including portfolio reviews, planning forums, and decision cycles; prepare briefing materials, capture commitments, and ensure follow-through.
- Own the Advanced Optics development portfolio, maintaining integrated visibility into project prioritization, milestones, risks, dependencies, and resource tradeoffs from intake through execution.
- Translate complex technical and business information into recommendations, decision documents, and executive communications for development leads and senior leadership.
- Identify portfolio risks, dependencies, and resource constraints; advise the BTD on sequencing, tradeoffs, and escalation paths; build and maintain portfolio dashboards and decision-support tools.
- Build and maintain cross-functional working relationships across Engineering, Finance, Human Resources, and Operations to align portfolio priorities, resolve dependencies, and facilitate reviews that produce aligned decisions and clear next steps.
- Represent and support the BTD in selected internal and cross-functional engagements.
Benefits
- Company-wide bonuses and long-term incentives tied to business results.
- Company-paid pension benefit with fixed contributions.
- Matching contributions to a 401(k) savings plan; combined retirement contributions can reach between 7% and 12% of pay, depending on age and years of service.
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
- Paid parental leave and family building support.
- Fitness benefits.
- Company-paid life insurance and disability benefits.
- Disease management programs.
- Paid time off.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- Recognition program to celebrate successes and reward exceptional contributions.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
