Principal, R&D Strategy & Operations

US · USD 171,120-213,900 · 10+ years experience · Remote · Posted Oct 1, 2026

At a glance

The Principal, R&D Strategy & Operations drives strategic initiatives across R&D and leads executive communications for Product and Engineering.
This role is responsible for translating complex technical work into clear executive narratives for business reviews and board updates.
The position serves as the connective tissue between Product and Engineering and the rest of the company while designing lean processes.

Own the narrative for R&D across monthly and quarterly business reviews, board updates, and executive communications.
Lead strategic projects for the CPTO and executive team.
Partner on annual and quarterly planning cycles and mid-year retrospectives.
Track team progress against plans through Release Council and surface risks.
Support the R&D/GTM interlock to inform GTM planning cycles.
Define and drive adoption of lean R&D processes to reduce manual overhead.
Partner with Finance and Data teams to automate product and business metrics reporting.

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
10+ years of experience across product, engineering, and process/program management.
Experience in a leadership capacity, whether leading teams directly or through influence.
Experience leading programs or product operations for B2B SaaS, PaaS, or equivalent.
Track record of delivering high-impact, highly cross-functional programs end to end.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills for executive narratives.
Ability to build trust and exchange ideas across organizational boundaries.
Excellent problem-solving, negotiation, and organizational skills.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving, ambiguous environment.

Remote-first company.
Approximately 5-10% travel anticipated for team gatherings, off-sites, or customer meetings.