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Strategic Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Principal Strategic Manager

San Jose, CA

$110K - $136K/yr

This isn't a community management role. It's a strategic operator role for someone who can take an ambiguous brief or direction and figure out what the right program is, build it, measure it, and ...

Principal Strategic Manager

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$111K - $136K/yr

This isn't a community management role. It's a strategic operator role for someone who can take an ambiguous brief or direction and figure out what the right program is, build it, measure it, and ...

Principal Strategic Manager

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$111K - $136K/yr

This isn't a community management role. It's a strategic operator role for someone who can take an ambiguous brief or direction and figure out what the right program is, build it, measure it, and ...

As a Strategic Account Manager , you will be responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients, as assigned, to ensure program success. These relationships are multi ...

As a Strategic Account Manager , you will be responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients, as assigned, to ensure program success. These relationships are multi ...

As a Strategic Account Manager , you will be responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients, as assigned, to ensure program success. These relationships are multi ...

Strategic Planning Finance Manager

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

$111K - $153K/yr

Required Qualifications: * 7+ years experience across strategic finance, business operations, strategy/management consulting. * 2+ years Financial modeling experience & analytical skills with a focus ...

Strategic Planning & Partnerships: Contribute to business development efforts, structure ... Ability to manage multiple workstreams and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and executive ...

Strategy Manager

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$140K - $185K/yr

Strategic Planning & Partnerships: Contribute to business development efforts, structure ... Ability to manage multiple workstreams and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and executive ...

Sales Strategy Manager

San Leandro, CA · On-site

$131K - $171K/yr

Present strategic direction and business building programs to the sales organization and internal management including: * Owns development of Distribution growth plan by identifying opportunities for ...

Sales Strategy Manager

San Leandro, CA · On-site

$131K - $171K/yr

Present strategic direction and business building programs to the sales organization and internal management including: * Owns development of Distribution growth plan by identifying opportunities for ...

Strategy, Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$140K - $210K/yr

This role will drive strategic initiatives that shape our strategy, innovation roadmap, influence ... managers, engineering teams, leadership, and other functions to operationalize and lead the ...

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Showing results 1-20

Strategic Manager information

See California salary details

$60.2K

$103.7K

$122.9K

How much do strategic manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for strategic manager in California is $103,663.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,300.00 and $114,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a strategic manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Strategic Manager, you need strong analytical abilities, business acumen, and a background in management or a related field, often supported by a bachelor's or master's degree. Familiarity with strategic planning tools, data analysis software (such as Excel or Tableau), and project management systems is typically required. Exceptional communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills help Strategic Managers collaborate effectively and drive organizational change. These skills and qualities are essential for developing, implementing, and overseeing strategies that ensure long-term business success.

What is a strategic manager?

Strategic Managers are professionals responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing an organization’s long-term goals and strategies. They analyze internal and external environments to identify opportunities, set objectives, and ensure resources are allocated effectively to achieve business growth. Strategic Managers work closely with executives and department leaders to align business operations with the company’s vision and mission. Their role is crucial for ensuring the organization remains competitive and adapts to market changes.

How does a strategic manager typically collaborate with other departments to drive company objectives?

Strategic Managers play a crucial role in cross-functional collaboration by working closely with departments like marketing, finance, operations, and HR. They facilitate alignment on long-term goals, coordinate the execution of strategic initiatives, and ensure that all teams are moving in the same direction. Regular meetings, project updates, and joint planning sessions are common, allowing Strategic Managers to gather insights, address challenges, and foster a culture of teamwork. This collaborative approach is key to effectively implementing company-wide strategies and achieving organizational success.

What is the difference between Strategic Manager vs Business Analyst?

AspectStrategic ManagerBusiness Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in Business, Management, or related field; often an MBABachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related field; certifications like CBAP or PMI-PBA are common
Work EnvironmentSenior leadership teams, strategic planning departmentsProject teams, operational departments, consulting firms
Employer & Industry UsageCorporate, large organizations, consulting firmsVaried industries including finance, tech, healthcare, consulting

While both roles involve strategic thinking, a Strategic Manager focuses on high-level planning and long-term goals, whereas a Business Analyst concentrates on analyzing business processes and supporting strategic initiatives through data and process improvements.

What are the most commonly searched types of Strategic jobs in California? The most popular types of Strategic jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Strategic Manager jobs in California? For Strategic Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in California are hiring for Strategic Manager jobs? Cities in California with the most Strategic Manager job openings:
Infographic showing various Strategic Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 67% In-person, and 33% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $103,663 per year, or $49.8 per hour.

Principal Strategic Manager

Adobe

San Jose, CA

$110K - $136K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted yesterday


Adobe rating

8.9

Company rating: 8.9 out of 10

Based on 10 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

40th of 242 rated software companies


Job description

The Opportunity

Adobe is passionate about creativity. Our mission is to champion and empower the global creative community, enabling anyone with a story to tell or vision to share.
Adobe's Community Advocacy & Insights team sits at the intersection of the company's most important creative audiences and its biggest product and policy priorities. We translate what matters to Adobe into programs that matter to the community who use our tools to make a living and make meaning.
The role calls for a Principal Strategist to own that translation work. This isn't a community management role. It's a strategic operator role for someone who can take an ambiguous brief or direction and figure out what the right program is, build it, measure it, and deliver it at a high standard.
The work is high-visibility, the problems are genuinely interesting, and you'll have real influence over how Adobe shows up for some of the most inspiring creative communities in the world.

What You'll Do
  • Develop & Lead Strategy: Use insights and trends to drive and implement community strategies that bridge Adobe priorities with the needs of creative professionals. Balance long-term vision with tactical impact, ensuring actions support strategic launches and landmark moments.
  • Build Key Leader Programs by developing and leading pilot strategic programs from start to finish. Help scale and achieve results with community leaders to grow advocacy and insights. Build relationships with key leaders in support of program success.
  • Market Messaging and Communications: Craft and implement clear, transparent, and trusted communication between Adobe and artists, designers, and creators. Ensure people understand not just what Adobe is doing but why. This builds trust, advocacy, and stronger sentiment.
  • Internal Advocacy: Serve as a visible advocate for the creative community, deeply understanding the community's perspective and representing that internally to shape policies, products, and strategy.
  • Strategic Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Product Marketing, Community Marketing, Product, Social, Communications, Brand, Evangelism, Events, Partnerships, and other key teams to ensure actions are strategically aligned with product launches and key business objectives.
  • Measure & Optimize Impact: Establish clear KPIs to track the impact of programs, using data to continuously refine and improve engagement strategies.

What We're Looking For
  • 7-10 years in strategy, consulting, product marketing, product management, brand strategy, partnerships, operations, or innovation - with a track record of turning complex insights into action
  • Strategic vision over execution. Proven experience transforming ambiguity into clear strategic roadmaps, then designing and launching complex programs end-to-end, not just executing against someone else's plan.
  • Strong written communications skills. You've produced external-facing content that demonstrates real marketing craft.
  • Experience navigating large, matrixed organizations and moving work forward without direct authority.
  • AI fluency and taste. A sophisticated understanding of the AI and gen AI stack and its transformative impact on creative workflows. A developed POV on what distinguishes technical novelty from real creative innovation, and the skill to design strategies that focus on the latter.
  • Exceptional critical thinking. You can assess a situation, identify the right approach, and build a strategy others will buy into. Ability to proactively identify long-term structural opportunities, ensuring Adobe's strategic position stays ahead of the curve.
  • Comfort with ambiguity and balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
  • Data-driven, with strong experience managing budgets and reporting against KPIs.
  • Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, design, communications, or related field; MBA or equivalent strategic experience a huge plus.

About Adobe

Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe's industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity.

Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We're on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours.


Let's Adobe together

At Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture, focus on people, purpose and community, Adobe for All, comprehensive benefits programs, the stories we tell, the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create.

Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more.

Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email accommodations@adobe.com or call +1 408-536-3015.

AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:
Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process.

At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI - and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it's restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience.

Expected Pay Range:

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this positionis $140,100 -- $261,150 annually. Paywithin this range varies by work locationand may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills,and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. In California, the pay range for this position is $180,300 - $261,150

At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).

In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.

State-Specific Notices:

California:

Fair Chance Ordinances

Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.

Colorado:

Application Window Notice

If this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.

Massachusetts:

Massachusetts Legal Notice

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.


What Adobe employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Adobe logo

About Adobe

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Adobe for All is our vision to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across our company and in our communities. We’re focused on creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce; unleashing the full potential of every employee; and driving meaningful impact for Adobe, our industry, and society at large. Creativity has the power to unite us and inspire us to change the world. Through a vision we call Creativity for All, we’re empowering millions of people of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves, reach their full potential, and share their diverse perspectives with the world. We’re committed to advancing the responsible use of technology and driving a positive environmental impact through sustainability and climate action. Our innovations are making a significant impact across AI ethics, security, privacy, trust and safety, accessibility, and sustainability.

Industry

Computer and computer peripheral equipment and software wholesalers

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

San Jose, CA, US

Year founded

1982