Program Manager, Global Partner Engineering & Operations (PE&O) - Operational Excellence

Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies - from the world’s largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups - use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Our mission is to increase the GDP of the internet, and we have a staggering amount of work ahead. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to put the global economy within everyone's reach while doing the most important work of your career.

The Global Partner Engineering and Operations (PE&O) team is a vital part of Stripe’s Global Partnerships organization, playing a key role in our overall success. We manage the technical and operational dimensions of new and existing strategic product partnerships and programs. Positioned at the nexus of product development, engineering, and partnerships, we facilitate seamless collaboration essential for supporting Stripe’s rapid growth.

Our team is a diverse mix of technical and business professionals dedicated to executing operations with financial ecosystem partners. We ensure efficient technical onboarding and implementation, while also overseeing ongoing KTLO (Keep-The-Lights-On) activities and achieving strict quality and performance benchmarks. Additionally, the PE&O team initiates partner-agnostic programs and solutions to tackle broad ecosystem challenges, developing tools that enhance operational efficiency and scalability.

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Operations Program Manager to join our Global Partner Engineering & Operations (PE&O) team at Stripe. This role will focus on driving excellent partner programs – managing initiatives that service a broad set of partners and their diverse requirements.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for: 

• Overseeing multiple projects that enhance partner integrations and operational efficiency, with a specific focus on driving the maturity and sophistication of programs over time. 
• Driving the execution of special programs defined with clear exit criteria and strategic or regulatory impact, which may or may not include external or internal software releases.
• Ensuring effective integration of partners through structured and systematic program management.
• Managing stakeholder communications consistently, including progress updates, presentations, and/or publications.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to align on goals and deliver outcomes that meet partner needs and organizational objectives.

A strong background in program management, excellent organizational abilities, and a commitment to driving partner success are essential for this role. The ideal candidate will possess a unique combination of analytical skills, operational excellence, and collaborative problem-solving abilities.

• Program Accountability: Take ownership of the program portfolio, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and objectives. Monitor and measure program performance against defined success criteria, resulting in actionable insights and continuous improvements.
• Program Scope Definition: Define program and initiative scope, requirements, and exit criteria in collaboration with stakeholders, ensuring clarity and alignment with organizational objectives and partner needs.
• OKR Alignment: Align program initiatives with organizational OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), ensuring that each program contributes to overarching business goals and effectively tracks progress.
• Project Management: Develop, manage, and execute end-to-end project plans for new partner implementations and enhancements, working closely with partnerships, engineering, product, and external stakeholders to ensure timely delivery.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Facilitate alignment, coordination, and execution between internal teams (Engineering, Product, Partner Development, etc.) and external partners on critical operational activities.
• Performance Standards: Define and manage the intake of new program commitments, and drive efforts to implement, track, and report on commitments.
• Quantitative Framework Development: Create and implement appropriate quantitative frameworks that provide insights into partner performance, operational processes and facilitate quick and impactful decision-making. 
• Complex Problem Solving: Identify, analyze, and solve complex problems related to partner performance and reliability. Collaborate closely with partners and internal teams to develop and implement innovative solutions.
• Operational Efficiency: Identify inefficiencies within the operating model and drive new solutions, including defining technical and operational requirements to enhance partner experience.
• Execution Assurance: Oversee the execution of all programs within the portfolio, ensuring that milestones are met and that risks are identified and mitigated promptly.
• Documentation Management: Develop and maintain comprehensive program documentation, including project charters, risk management plans, and change management processes.
• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare and present regular status reports for senior management, outlining program status, challenges, and successes. Ensure consistent and regular communication of program and initiative progress through emails and presentations. 

We're looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role. If you meet these requirements, you are encouraged to apply. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

• 7+ years of program management experience, particularly with external partnerships and technical project management.
• Proven ability to successfully drive medium-to-large-sized projects with cross-functional internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Proven proficiency in driving the maturity and sophistication of programs, including process efficiency.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written), with the ability to influence and engage diverse teams.
• Proficient in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall) and tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, JIRA, Trello)..

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• Strong analytical skills with experience developing quantitative frameworks and reporting tools.
• Strong design and visualization skills for regular presentations, updates, data reports, and communications
• Intermediate proficiency in data analysis and visualization/reporting is preferred.
• Ability to thrive in an unstructured, fast-moving environment.
• Experience in banking, e-commerce, or payments; with knowledge of payment technologies and ecosystems is preferred.