Strategy & Operations Manager
Picogrid · D.C. | San Francisco | El Segundo · $130k–$190k
Posted by Picogrid on their careers site · View the original posting
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Open 109 days
Hiring? Uncertain · Open 109 days.
The posting, as Picogrid wrote it
Who we are
Picogrid is a leading venture-backed defense technology company founded to bridge the decades-long gap between modern technology and the critical demands of national security. Today, we're building the essential infrastructure to unify sensors, autonomy, and operators with our technology deployed in active operations around the world. Our mission is to deliver an operational advantage to secure the United States and its allies.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Picogrid is building fast — new programs, new geographies, new teams — and the pace only increases from here. The Strategy & Operations Manager helps set the cadence of that building. You'll create the strategic scaffolding the company relies on to move in one direction at speed: the frameworks, operating rhythms, and analysis that turn ambition into a plan people can actually execute against.
This is one of the highest-exposure roles at the company for someone early in their career. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with Picogrid's senior leaders — across Engineering, Finance, Operations, and People — translating the company's biggest priorities into structured, executable work, then driving that work to an outcome. One week you're building the model behind an expansion decision; the next you're standing up the operating cadence that keeps a new program on track, or running the analysis that settles a question the leadership team has been circling for a month.
The scope is deliberately broad because the company needs it to be. You won't be handed a narrow lane — you'll be trusted to find where the leverage is, structure the problem, and make it move. If you want a front-row seat to how a defense-tech company is built, and the responsibility that comes with it, this is that seat.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Help set Picogrid's building cadence — establish the operating rhythms, planning cycles, and tracking mechanisms that keep a fast-scaling company aligned and moving in one direction
- Build the strategic scaffolding behind major decisions — the frameworks, models, and analysis that inform where Picogrid expands, how we structure partnerships, and what we prioritize next
- Partner directly with senior leaders across Engineering, Finance, Operations, and People to translate top strategic priorities into clear, executable plans — and drive them to completion
- Own high-priority cross-functional initiatives end-to-end, from problem definition through implementation, driving decisions that wouldn't otherwise happen cleanly
- Evaluate, select, and implement the tools and systems the company runs on (CRM, project management, BI, compliance platforms), right-sized for our stage
- Surface the right information at the right time — building dashboards, leadership reporting, and the analysis that lets the company see itself clearly
- Identify operational bottlenecks and compliance gaps across functions, design better workflows, and see them through to adoption
WHO YOU ARE
- You
[…]
rategic load informally. We have growing programs, a scaling team, and a steady stream of decisions that need structured analysis and clear owners. Without someone setting the cadence and building the scaffolding, speed turns into chaos — good people spend energy on problems that should have been solved once and systematized.
This is where the Strategy & Operations Manager comes in: a builder who is equally capable of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, working directly with the people steering the company. The right person will shape how Picogrid operates as it scales — and grow their own scope as quickly as they can prove they can carry it.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
- Base salary range: $130k–$190k per year. Base salary is just one part of your total compensation package at Picogrid.
- Significant stock options with high potential upside as an early-stage company
- 401(k) with employer matching
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
- Relocation assistance provided (if applicable)
- Unlimited PTO (two-week minimum) and 11 paid holidays per year
- Paid parental leave for both parents
- Lunch provided when working in-office and a fully stocked kitchenette
- Free EV charging at the HQ
- Unique office in El Segundo, CA stocked with quality coffee, snacks, and craft beer
EXPORT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
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Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Picogrid is committed to providing a professional work environment free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. We are an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.