Strategy & Operations Lead

Vinci • Palo Alto, CA

1d • $200,000 - $240,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Vinci is building an intelligence layer for hardware engineering using a foundation model for physics to provide solver-grade simulation on native design and manufacturing geometry. Its platform is used on production engineering programs at leading semiconductor companies, with pilots converting into commercial engagements.

The Strategy & Operations Lead role connects Product, Engineering, Partnerships, and Go-to-Market, translating high-priority initiatives into launches, proven customer outcomes, and repeatable adoption. The role owns strategic initiatives from scoping and planning through building, validation, launch, and adoption, establishing objectives, milestones, owners, and evidence of success. It works with semiconductor companies, ecosystem partners, and technical teams to define success criteria and demonstrate measurable value, while building operating mechanisms to help Vinci execute consistently as it scales.

This is a hybrid role requiring three days per week in Vinci’s Palo Alto office. Travel is minimal.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of experience in product management, program management, strategy consulting, business operations, or a related field.
• Deep semiconductor experience in one or more of chip design, EDA, manufacturing, packaging, equipment, materials, thermal or mechanical engineering, semiconductor software, or the semiconductor supply chain.
• Demonstrated success owning complex initiatives with technical, customer, partner, and commercial dependencies, supported by strong project-management fundamentals.
• Ability to quickly understand technical concepts and translate them for engineers, executives, customers, and partners.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, including concise status reviews, executive updates, and decision materials.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive accountability without direct authority.
• Hands-on approach and comfort working in an ambiguous, high-velocity environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as an Engagement Manager or equivalent at a top-tier strategy consulting firm.
• Experience working directly with semiconductor executives, hyperscalers, OEMs, foundries, design houses, or EDA companies.
• Experience taking products, platforms, integrations, or technical partnerships from concept through launch and adoption, ideally in a startup or high-growth environment.
• A technical degree in electrical, computer, or mechanical engineering, computer science, materials science, or a related field; MBA or equivalent business training is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own strategic initiatives end to end, translating company priorities into integrated plans with scope, milestones, decision points, risks, dependencies, and owners from strategy through launch and adoption.
• Run the cross-functional operating cadence for Product, Engineering, Partnerships, and Go-to-Market, maintaining a shared plan and source of truth, surfacing risks, and escalating issues before dates slip.
• Partner with Product and Engineering to define problems, sequence work, resolve trade-offs, and maintain delivery progress.
• Coordinate partner programs, including technical integrations, joint roadmaps, customer-sponsored work, and OEM or channel opportunities across the semiconductor ecosystem.
• Drive go-to-market readiness, including positioning, pricing, enablement, customer communications, and launch plans.
• Define and track value evidence by setting baselines and success criteria and measuring technical, customer, and commercial impact.
• Prepare executive-ready updates and decision materials.
• Build operating mechanisms such as trackers, decision logs, and review processes to make successful pilots repeatable.

Benefits

• Opportunity to help define the future of AI in hardware design.
• Broad exposure to technical, customer, partner, and commercial decisions across the semiconductor ecosystem.
• Opportunity to shape Vinci’s operating practices as it scales.
• Collaboration with engineers and researchers in a fast-moving startup environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed