Senior Lead, Strategy & Operating Efficiency

Zip is seeking a proven strategic thinker and executor with business operations and/or strategic consulting experience to join our Strategy & Operations team. This role will drive operational excellence across the organization, combining traditional strategy consulting work with business operations. You’ll lead initiatives to streamline operations, eliminate waste, and enhance productivity through both traditional process improvement methodologies, process automation and the application of emerging AI solutions.

As our operational efficiency expert, you’ll identify opportunities for improvement, design and implement solutions, and measure impact. You’ll be our in-house process & operating efficiency expert to drive operational improvements, while also becoming an expert on our business and the broader BNPL industry. This will be a high-impact, highly cross-functional role with an opportunity to both shape Zip’s strategic direction and lead the charge on transformation initiatives, particularly those leveraging AI.

Interesting problems you’ll get to solve:

Lead Operational Transformation

• Identify and assess opportunities to improve workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and enhance efficiency across the organization.
• Partner with business stakeholders to map processes, uncover friction points, and implement AI-driven solutions to optimize performance.
• Pilot and scale innovative tools and practices that redefine how teams work.
• Build a framework to evaluate and prioritize initiatives based on their impact, and manage a roadmap to drive operational excellence.
• Lead complex strategic initiatives from problem definition through implementation.

Shape AI-Driven Innovation

• Stay at the forefront of emerging AI technologies and applications to continuously enhance our operations.
• Lead the adoption of AI-enabled solutions that automate processes, boost productivity, and support Zip’s growth.

Drive Strategic Initiatives

• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to inform decision-making and identify growth opportunities.
• Build financial models and perform quantitative analyses to evaluate operational changes and their business impact.
• Develop executive-level presentations to communicate key insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Stay up-to-date on trends in payments and the broader fintech industry, translating them into actionable insights.

What you’ll bring to the team

• 5 or more years of experience in strategy consulting, business operations, or process improvement, ideally in high-growth or tech-focused environments.
• A passion for AI experience implementing data-driven solutions in operational contexts.
• Proven analytical skills, including experience with financial modeling and quantitative analysis.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills, with a track record of successfully influencing and collaborating with diverse teams.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to distill complex ideas into actionable insights and present them to executive stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s required, advanced degree preferred

Our Values in your DNA

• Customer First – Always putting the customer at the heart of decision-making
• Own It – Taking accountability and driving impactful outcomes
• Stronger Together – Collaborating to build a world-class team and company
• Change the Game – pioneering innovative solutions and challenging the status quo

What you’ll get in return

Zip is a place where you’ll get out what you put in. The newness of our sector means we need to move at pace and embrace change, and our promise to you when you join the team is that you’ll feel empowered and trusted to make big things happen quickly.

We want you to feel welcome and as though you have the support to be yourself, and care for yourself at work. Because it’s important to us that you make the most of the opportunities you’ll get to grow your skills and your career, and be surrounded by smart, friendly people and leaders that have your back.

We think these are just some of the best things about being a Zipster.

We will also offer you:

• Flexible working culture
• Incentive programs
• 20 days PTO every year
• Generous paid parental leave
• Leading family support policies
• 100% employer covered insurance
• Beautiful Midtown office with a casual dress code
• Learning and wellness subscription stipend
• Company-sponsored 401k match

Zip is committed to a straightforward and transparent pay structure. The actual base salary will be determined by various individualized factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, experience, location, internal equity, as well as other objective business considerations.

The annual base Pay Range for this position is $128,000 – $160,000 USD. This range reflects our *Premium Location band (US2). Different bands may apply based on our tiered premium strategy if residence is outside of the New York Metro – Tri-State area.

Subject to those same considera