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Director Strategic Operations Jobs in California

BAE Systems

Dir I- Strategic Ops

San Diego, CA · On-site

$153K - $260K/yr

BAE Systems is hiring a Director - Strategic Operations to support our Ship Repair business in San Diego, CA. The Director leads Ships Managers and Production Craft Managers to achieve company goals ...

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Director Strategic Operations information

See California salary details

$20.7K

$132.8K

$256.6K

How much do director strategic operations jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for director strategic operations in California is $132,791.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $86,800.00 and $181,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director strategic operations?

To thrive as a Director Strategic Operations, you need expertise in strategic planning, operational management, and business analytics, typically supported by a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, operations management, or a related field. Familiarity with project management software (such as Asana or MS Project), ERP systems, and certifications like PMP or Six Sigma are often required. Exceptional leadership, cross-functional communication, and problem-solving abilities are key soft skills that differentiate top performers in this position. These competencies are crucial for effectively driving organizational initiatives, optimizing processes, and achieving long-term business objectives.

What does a director strategic operations do?

A Director of Strategic Operations is responsible for overseeing long-term business planning, optimizing operational processes, and ensuring alignment with company goals. They analyze data, improve efficiency, and collaborate with different departments to drive strategic initiatives. Their role often includes identifying growth opportunities, streamlining workflows, and enhancing overall organizational performance. By balancing strategy with execution, they help ensure the company remains competitive and scalable.

What are typical challenges a director strategic operations faces, and how do they address them?

Directors of Strategic Operations often encounter challenges such as aligning diverse teams to a unified strategy, balancing immediate operational needs with long-term goals, and managing complex change initiatives across departments. To address these issues, they rely on strong analytical skills, clear communication, and collaborative leadership to foster buy-in and drive consensus among stakeholders. Strategic Operations Directors also frequently utilize data-driven decision-making and performance metrics to monitor progress and quickly adapt to shifting business priorities. This dynamic role requires both a big-picture mindset and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring organizations remain agile and competitive.

What are the most commonly searched types of Strategic Operations jobs in California? The most popular types of Strategic Operations jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Director Strategic Operations jobs in California? For Director Strategic Operations jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Director Strategic Operations jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Director Strategic Operations jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Director Strategic Operations jobs? Cities in California with the most Director Strategic Operations job openings:
Director Strategic Operations jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Strategic Operations job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 74% Full Time, 21% Part Time, 3% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,791 per year, or $63.8 per hour.

Executive Director, Strategic Operations

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

Pasadena, CA • On-site

Part-time

Re-posted 3 days ago

Job description

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq ARWR) is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead's RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.
Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.
Arrowhead's corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need.
The Position
The Executive Director, Strategic Operations is essential for steering Arrowhead's strategic planning and operational excellence to ensure the seamless execution of our Global Operations and Product Delivery. As the Strategy and Operations Leader, you will play a vital role in facilitating the alignment and governance of Arrowhead's technical portfolio, so we can achieve business agility. You will be responsible for the refinement and prioritization of our portfolio, developing our functional operating rhythm, and ensuring cross-functional alignment.
This role is based in Pasadena, California, with an expectation to be in office 5 days a week. This position is posted at the Executive Director level; however, depending on the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, the role may be filled at the Senior Director level.
Responsibilities
  • Portfolio Management Facilitate the refinement and prioritization of the technical portfolio backlog, ensuring strategic alignment and optimal resource allocation. This role ensures our product and work package teams are in a constant state of readiness to anticipate and act on external changes.
  • Operational Management Develop and manage functional operating rhythm to enhance organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Lead operational reviews and ensure execution against strategic plans.
  • Long Range Planning Lead strategic planning for lifecycle management (LCM) across the Global Operations and Product Delivery portfolio with focus on maximizing the long-term value of our assets
  • Trade Operations Oversee the global trade policy and strategy direction, drive proactive regulatory engagement, and partner with senior and executive leadership across Supply Chain, Commercial, Legal, Finance, Tax, Regulatory, and Quality to align trade compliance strategies with business growth.
  • Functional Alignment Foster alignment and integration across teams ensuring proactive collaboration and cohesion in achieving strategic goals.
  • Risk Management and Network Strategy Develop critical manufacturing strategies and plans identifying operational factors that impact capacity and network limits. Recommend strategies supporting business case development and investments
  • Governance Process Play an integral role in the governance process for the technical portfolio, including partnerships and licensees requiring Arrowhead CMC or Supply services, ensuring that decisions are made transparently and effectively. The Governance team will understand the financial, technical, and business contexts & hold strategy and investment funding responsibilities.
  • Evaluation and Assessment Support and/or lead strategic evaluations and initiatives that inform PT and assessments; what are competitive levers now & future; what are current gaps in technology and portfolio mix; identification of emerging areas of unmet needs, etc.
  • Transformation & Change Management Champion organizational change management initiatives, particularly those related to the integration of advanced technologies, fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability.
  • Budget and Metrics Own the budget and develop organizational metrics that track and measure the success of strategic initiatives.
  • Supplier / Partnerships Support and/or lead the process by which the Global Operations organization manages suppliers and partnerships to ensure favorable terms and performance in line with company objectives.
  • Talent Initiatives Advocate for key talent initiatives, nurturing an environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Promote talent development opportunities, internship programs, and other initiatives that support workforce excellence
  • Internal Communications Collaborate with corporate affairs to ensure clear and consistent communication across the organization.

Requirements
  • Doctorate degree & 6 years of strategic planning and operational experience OR Master's degree & 10 years of strategic planning and operational experience OR Bachelor's degree & 12 years of strategic planning and operational experience
  • 6 years of managerial experience directly managing people and/or leadership experience leading teams, projects, programs or directing the allocation of resources
  • Strong leadership and communication skills; effective vendor management
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a matrixed, team-based environment, with strong organizational and time management capabilities.
  • You may be required to travel for up to 20% of your time.

Preferred
  • 12+ years of experience in strategic planning and operations in both the biotechnology or healthcare field and a Lean or Agile environment
  • Proven experience in managing healthcare technology portfolios and leading cross-functional teams
  • Understanding of change management principles and proven results in leading cultural transformations within an enterprise
  • Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and develop relevant business metrics.
  • Experience with supplier contract management and negotiation.
  • Commitment to talent development, diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.
  • Executive communication skills, with a proven ability to work effectively with all levels of an organization
  • MBA or master's degree in business administration, Management, or a related field

California pay range
$260,000-$290,000 USD
Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.
Candidates must have current, valid authorization to work in the country where this role is located.
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