Strategic Portfolio & Business Operations Manager, Research

ASML•San Diego, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Strategic Portfolio and Business Operations Manager – Research drives the maturity, effectiveness, and strategic execution of the Research organization by integrating portfolio management, operational governance, resource planning, financial coordination, process development, and stakeholder reporting. This role supports Source Research strategy deployment while ensuring that local and cross-site operational processes, decision-making forums, performance indicators, and communication channels are structured, aligned, and continuously supported and improved.

Requirements

10+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree, 8+ years with a Master’s degree, or 4+ years with a PhD, in an research‑enabled environment is highly desirable.
Academic working level obtained through education and professional experience; university degree, MSc, or equivalent in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
Significant experience in portfolio management, program or project management, business operations, operational excellence, change management, or organizational improvement.
Experience supporting complex Research, R&D, innovation, or technical organizations with cross-functional and cross-site stakeholders.
Strong capability in budget planning, latest-estimate coordination, CAPEX/OPEX tracking, headcount management, workload analysis, long-term capacity planning, and performance reporting.
Expert knowledge of project management methods, data analysis, reporting tools, and supportive systems such as Microsoft Excel, Access, Project, SharePoint, Office applications, and electronic communication tools.
Ability to translate data into written, graphical, and executive-ready reporting formats that support decision-making and stakeholder alignment.
Sufficient technical understanding to communicate effectively with scientific, engineering, program, finance, HR, facilities, and leadership stakeholders, and to review plans and progress critically.
Strategic thinking, analytical reasoning, and problem solving.
Decision quality, including the ability to build sound business cases, structure decision-making processes, and drive timely conclusions.
Strong organizational sensitivity, stakeholder management, influencing skills, and ability to work across executive, managerial, technical, and operational levels.
Excellent written, verbal, graphical, and executive communication skills.
Strong interpersonal, teamwork, customer-service, mentoring, and leadership capabilities.
Ability to convert abstract ideas into defined objectives, measurable outcomes, implementation plans, and sustained operational practices, including simplification of complex topics into tactically-sound messaging.
Excellent planning, organizational, reasoning, prioritization, and motivational skills.
Able to stand-in and provide input and guidance in place of Source Research leadership.

Nice To Haves

PMI certification or equivalent, such as CAPM, PMP, or IPMA, is desirable.

Responsibilities

Analyze, optimize, and maintain a balanced Research project and program portfolio aligned with strategic priorities, stakeholder needs requirements, available resources, and agreed business objectives.
Prepare portfolio, strategy, budget, capacity, and performance updates for Research leadership, BL/CTO reviews, site leadership forums, program meetings, and other key decision-making bodies.
Coordinate the development, implementation, and realization of Research strategy, including cross-sector alignment, annual goal setting, operational KPI tracking, and progress reporting.
Design, document, implement, and sustain effective Source Research ways of working, processes, procedures, and governance structures for Research operations, including finance, CAPEX/OPEX, headcount, capacity, reporting, meeting cadence, and action tracking.
Lead resource-management deliverables, including budget-setting support, latest-estimate coordination, long-term financial planning, headcount tracking, capacity assumptions, workload analysis, and alignment with program roadmaps.
Develop operational tools such as reporting views, data analyses, dashboards, and decision-making materials that enable clear, concise, timely, and actionable communication to stakeholders.
Partner with Research leadership, program managers, finance, HR, PMO, facilities, corporate real estate, function managers, and cross-site business counterparts to align plans, resolve mismatches, validate process changes, and secure effective execution.
Identify operational risks, timing constraints, improvement opportunities, and strategic challenges through regular feedback loops with function managers, program leads, and site stakeholders.
Coordinate and support key Research meetings content, including staff meetings, technology review meetings, roadmap discussions, financial carousel meetings, program forums, project deep dives, and leadership preparation sessions.
Own and maintain action trackers, meeting follow-ups, distribution lists, SharePoint program organization, and related knowledge-transfer mechanisms to ensure continuity and accountability.
Orchestrate internal and cross-sector communications, including global communication plans, annual reporting inputs, stakeholder updates, and critical information related to Research operations, site planning, space planning, and organizational changes.
Operates across global Research strategy and local site execution, requiring alignment between long-term innovation priorities, short-term operational deliverables, and changing business needs.
Balances portfolio, budget, headcount, capacity, governance, and communication priorities while maintaining clarity for leadership, program teams, and functional stakeholders.
Translates abstract strategic challenges and operational data into actionable decisions, structured processes, measurable objectives, and sustainable ways of working.
Ensures improvement initiatives mature from initial setup to sustained execution while preserving organizational readiness, stakeholder engagement, and accountability.
Contributes to a cohesive, motivated, and result-driven Research organization by enabling transparent prioritization, reliable reporting, effective meeting practices, and clear ownership of follow-ups.
Perform other duties as assigned or required.