Strategy & Operations Lead

Vinci • Palo Alto, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Vinci is building an intelligence layer for hardware engineering using a foundation model for physics. Its platform provides solver-grade physics simulation on native design and manufacturing geometry, supporting semiconductor engineering teams with faster, more accessible simulation. The company is deployed on production engineering programs at leading semiconductor companies, with pilots converting into commercial engagements.

The Strategy & Operations Lead role—described in the posting as Product Lead, Cross-Functional Programs—connects Product, Engineering, Partnerships, and Go-to-Market. The role turns high-priority initiatives into launches, customer results, and repeatable adoption by owning how initiatives are scoped, planned, built, validated, and launched. It works with semiconductor companies, ecosystem partners, and Vinci’s technical teams to define success criteria and demonstrate measurable value, while building operating mechanisms that support the company as it scales.

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

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in product management, program management, strategy consulting, business operations, or a related field.
• Deep semiconductor experience in one or more areas such as chip design, EDA, manufacturing, packaging, equipment, materials, thermal or mechanical engineering, semiconductor software, or the semiconductor supply chain.
• Demonstrated success owning complex initiatives involving technical, customer, partner, and commercial dependencies, with 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.
• 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 clear scope, milestones, decision points, risks, dependencies, and owners.
• Run the cross-functional operating cadence that aligns Product, Engineering, Partnerships, and Go-to-Market around a shared plan and source of truth; surface risks and escalate issues before dates slip.
• Partner with Product and Engineering to define problems, sequence work, resolve trade-offs, and keep delivery moving.
• 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 establishing baselines and success criteria and measuring technical, customer, and commercial impact.
• Prepare concise executive updates and decision materials, and build trackers, decision logs, and review mechanisms that 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 how Vinci executes 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