Product Strategy & Operations Manager - Global & Local Payments at Stripe

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Strategy & Operations Manager - Global & Local Payments

Company: Stripe

Location: Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Strategy & Operations (adjacent to Product Design oversight)

Date Posted: 2025-06-09

Experience Level: 7+ years

Remote Status: On-site (Dublin)

🎨 Role Summary

Shape global product strategies and operational models within the payments landscape, directly influencing the design and user experience of Stripe's payment products.
Drive strategic planning for global and local payment methods (LPMs), integrating user insights and competitive intelligence to inform the product roadmap and design priorities.
Incubate high-impact, 0→1 initiatives, requiring a strong understanding of product development cycles and the ability to define user needs and translate them into design requirements.
Advise leadership on resource deployment, implicitly impacting investment in design research, prototyping, and user testing initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is not a direct design position, its focus on product strategy, operations, user insights, and roadmap development means it significantly influences the direction and priorities of the Product Design team for Global and Local Payments. A designer in this role would bring a unique perspective on user-centered strategy.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Work on cross-cutting company strategy projects, collaborating with teams including Product Design to implement changes that enhance the user experience of payment flows.
Partner with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, including Design, to accelerate progress on strategic initiatives and scale operational models, ensuring design considerations are integrated early.
Drive analysis of competitive intelligence, user insights, and data to inform product strategy and roadmap decisions, directly influencing the types of payment methods and user interfaces designed.
Help shape the product roadmap for Global & LPM Product business by synthesizing user feedback and market trends into actionable insights for the design and engineering teams.
Advise Product, Engineering, and GTM leadership on where resources should be deployed, advocating for investment in design research, user testing, and iterative design processes.
Maintain a pulse on the financial health of the Global business, highlighting key metrics and trends that can inform design optimization and user conversion strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Responsibilities are inferred to have a significant, albeit indirect, impact on the design function. A successful candidate will need to understand how strategic decisions translate into design requirements and user experience outcomes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field such as Business, Economics, Computer Science, or a design-related discipline with a strong analytical focus is typically preferred for roles of this seniority and strategic nature.

Experience: Minimum 7+ years of experience in strategy & operations, product strategy, product management, or similar roles at technology companies. Experience in a role that spans strategy, product, analysis, and operations is essential. Experience working with design teams or having a background that includes design thinking would be highly beneficial.

Required Skills:

Strong critical thinking and first-principles thinking, enabling the ability to question existing workflows and propose innovative approaches that may impact design processes.
Passion for digging deep into data and problem-solving, including analyzing user behavior data to inform design improvements and strategic direction.
Strong program management skills with experience managing end-to-end execution of projects, potentially including projects with significant design components.
Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to speak to leaders across different teams, including articulating the value and impact of design initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to thrive in influence without authority environments, collaborating effectively with design and engineering teams without direct reporting lines.
Good balance of business and technical acumen, understanding both the strategic business goals and the technical constraints and possibilities for product design.
An ability to execute with minimal guidance and in contexts with a high degree of ambiguity, navigating complex problem spaces that may require iterative design exploration.

Preferred Skills:

Experience working in a fintech or payments-focused technology company, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities in designing for financial services.
Experience working internationally, providing insights into global user behaviors and cultural nuances that influence payment method design and user experience.
Experience collaborating directly with Product Design teams on strategic initiatives.
Familiarity with design thinking methodologies and user-centered design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not a traditional design role, the required skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration are highly relevant to senior design roles focused on strategy and impact. Preferred qualifications lean towards industry-specific experience which would provide valuable context for influencing design in the payments space.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials: While a traditional design portfolio showcasing visual design or interaction design skills is not required, candidates should be prepared to present case studies or examples of their strategic work. This could include:

Case studies demonstrating how strategic analysis led to product roadmap decisions that impacted user experience or design priorities.
Examples of frameworks or methodologies used to gather user insights and translate them into actionable strategies.
Presentations or documents outlining strategic recommendations and their potential impact on product development, including design considerations.
Examples of how you've influenced cross-functional teams, including design, to adopt new approaches or prioritize specific initiatives.

Process Documentation:

Documentation of the strategic research and discovery phase, including market analysis, competitive benchmarking, and user needs identification.
Documentation of the ideation and strategy development process, including frameworks used for evaluating opportunities and prioritizing initiatives.
Documentation of the validation and testing approaches for strategic hypotheses, potentially including how user testing or design validation contributed to the outcome.

📝 Enhancement Note: The concept of a "portfolio" for this role is interpreted as a collection of strategic work examples and case studies, rather than traditional design artifacts. The focus is on demonstrating the candidate's strategic thinking process and impact on product outcomes, which may include influencing the design direction.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on typical Product Strategy & Operations Manager roles at a company of Stripe's size and stage in Dublin, Ireland, with 7+ years of experience, the estimated salary range is €80,000 - €120,000 annually. This estimate is based on publicly available salary data for similar roles in the Dublin technology sector, factoring in the seniority and specialized nature of the position within the fintech industry. Actual compensation may vary based on experience, skills, and negotiation.

Benefits:

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
Retirement savings plans (e.g., pension contributions).
Generous paid time off and holidays.
Potential for equity or stock options, aligning employee success with company growth.
Professional development opportunities, including access to training and conferences relevant to product strategy and the payments industry.
Wellness programs and resources.
Potential for relocation assistance for candidates moving to Dublin.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically 40 hours per week. Given the global nature of the role, some flexibility may be required for collaboration with teams in different time zones, which is common in strategic roles influencing global products. This could impact collaboration times with design teams located internationally.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is estimated based on regional data for Dublin, Ireland, for comparable roles in the technology sector at a company of Stripe's profile and the specified experience level. Benefits listed are typical for a large tech company like Stripe in this region and are presented with a focus on their relevance to a professional in a strategic role.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Technology, Information and Internet, specifically Financial Infrastructure (Fintech). Stripe's focus on financial infrastructure means design challenges often involve complex systems, security, trust, and clear communication of financial concepts to diverse user groups.

Company Size: 5,001-10,000 employees globally. A company of this size typically has established design teams and processes, but also faces challenges in maintaining consistency and scaling design impact across numerous product areas.

Founded: 2010. Stripe has a history of rapid growth and innovation, suggesting a dynamic and fast-paced environment where strategic and operational roles play a key part in shaping the future of the business and, consequently, the evolution of its product design.

Team Structure:

The Global Product Strategy & Operations team is described as "small, high impact," suggesting a lean team working closely with senior leadership.
The team works cross-functionally within the Global and LPM product team and across Stripe, indicating significant interaction with Product Management, Engineering, and likely Product Design teams focused on payments.
Reporting structure is not explicitly mentioned but is likely to a senior leader within the Product or Strategy organization, given the role's focus on advising leadership.

Methodology:

Stripe likely employs a mix of agile and potentially some waterfall methodologies depending on the project scale. Strategic roles often involve a more iterative approach to problem definition and solution incubation.
Emphasis on data analysis and user insights suggests a data-informed approach to product development and strategy, which aligns well with user-centered design practices.
The focus on "0→1 initiatives" implies a comfort with ambiguity and a need for methodologies that support exploration and rapid iteration, potentially including design sprints or similar frameworks.

Company Website: https://stripe.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Company information is derived from the provided data and general knowledge of Stripe as a company. The insights on design culture and methodology are inferred based on the nature of the role (product strategy, operations, user insights) and the company's industry and size, highlighting areas where this role would intersect with the design function.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role is positioned within Product Strategy & Operations, not a direct design track. However, for a designer transitioning into this space or a product strategist with design sensibilities, it represents a senior-level position with significant influence. The 7+ years of experience requirement places it at a Manager level, likely an L5 or L6 equivalent within a typical tech company leveling structure.

Reporting Structure: Reporting is likely to a Director or VP within the Product or Strategy organization. This position is expected to work directly with senior leaders across Product, Engineering, and Go-to-Market teams, including design leadership when discussing product direction and user experience priorities.

Design Impact: While not a creator of design artifacts, this role has a high potential for indirect design impact by shaping the strategic priorities and operational frameworks that guide the Product Design team's work. By defining which payment methods are prioritized, which user problems are addressed, and how resources are allocated, this role directly influences the design challenges and opportunities. A candidate with a strong understanding of design thinking can further amplify this impact by advocating for user-centered approaches at the strategic level.

Growth Opportunities:

Progression within the Product Strategy & Operations track to more senior leadership roles, potentially overseeing larger teams or broader strategic areas.
Transition into a senior Product Management role, leveraging the strategic and operational experience gained.
Specialization in payment industry strategy, becoming a key expert within Stripe on global and local payment ecosystems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Role analysis focuses on how a design professional might view this opportunity, emphasizing its influence on design despite not being a direct design role. Growth opportunities are outlined based on typical career paths for strategic roles in tech, considering potential transitions.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: On-site in Dublin. Stripe has a significant office presence in Dublin, serving as a key hub. The office environment is likely a modern tech office designed to facilitate collaboration and focused work, though specific details about the design workspace are not provided.

Office Location(s): 1 Grand Canal Street Lower, Dublin, County Dublin, IE.

Design Workspace Context:

While this role is not explicitly within a design studio, the on-site nature in Dublin means proximity to local design teams, facilitating face-to-face collaboration on strategic initiatives and product planning.
The office environment likely includes meeting rooms and collaborative spaces conducive to cross-functional workshops and discussions, which are essential for a role interacting with multiple teams.
Access to the local Stripe community in Dublin provides opportunities for informal interactions and knowledge sharing with design professionals and other product teams.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site. The on-site requirement implies a standard office-based schedule, though some flexibility may be expected to accommodate collaboration with international teams, particularly in the US and Asia-Pacific regions, given the global nature of the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Work environment details are based on the specified location and general assumptions about large tech company offices. The context for design is added by considering how the on-site nature and location might influence interactions with design teams and the overall collaborative environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process: While this is not a traditional design role, the interview process will likely assess strategic thinking, problem-solving, analytical skills, and ability to influence. It may include:

Initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and fit.
Case study interviews focusing on strategic problem-solving within the payments or fintech space, potentially involving analysis of market data or user behavior (prepare to discuss how user insights influenced your strategic recommendations).
Interviews with team members and cross-functional partners (including potentially design leadership) to assess collaboration style and ability to work across disciplines.
Interviews with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and alignment with company goals.

Portfolio Review Tips: Instead of a design portfolio, prepare case studies or presentations that highlight your experience in:

Defining and executing product strategies, particularly those with a global or payments focus. Structure case studies to clearly articulate the problem, your approach (including data analysis and user insights gathered), your recommendations, and the resulting impact (quantifiable where possible).
Managing complex programs and initiatives, demonstrating your ability to drive execution and collaborate with diverse teams.
Analyzing data and market trends to inform strategic decisions.
Influencing stakeholders at various levels without direct authority.

Challenge Preparation: Be prepared for potential case studies or take-home assignments that require you to:

Analyze a specific challenge or opportunity in the global payments landscape and propose a strategic approach.
Evaluate a new payment method or market and recommend whether Stripe should invest, outlining the rationale and potential operational considerations.
Assess a current Stripe product or process and identify areas for strategic improvement, including how changes might impact user experience.

ATS Keywords: Strategy & Operations, Product Strategy, Global Payments, Local Payment Methods, Fintech, Payments Industry, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Program Management, Data Analysis, User Insights, Competitive Intelligence, Financial Planning, Business Acumen, Technical Acumen, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Influence, Ambiguity, Execution, Strategic Planning, Product Roadmap, Go-to-Market, Leadership, Payments Ecosystem, Market Analysis, User Behavior, Operational Efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: Application process advice is tailored to a strategic role, emphasizing case studies and demonstrations of analytical and influencing skills rather than traditional design artifacts. The ATS keywords list is comprehensive for this specific type of role within the fintech domain.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools: While not directly using design tools, this role will likely interact with outputs from tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite when reviewing product designs or providing feedback. Understanding of these tools' capabilities and limitations can be beneficial for effective collaboration with design teams.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, or Google Meet for communication and virtual meetings.
Project management tools such as JIRA, Asana, or similar platforms for tracking strategic initiatives and coordinating with product and engineering teams.
Documentation tools like Confluence or internal wikis for sharing strategic documents, research findings, and operational plans.

Research & Testing:

Data analysis tools (e.g., SQL, Python, R, Tableau, internal analytics platforms) for analyzing payment data, user behavior, and market trends.
Market research platforms and competitive intelligence tools for gathering insights on the payments landscape.
Potentially tools used by design or research teams for user interviews, surveys, or usability testing (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Lookback), which this role might leverage for strategic insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: Tooling is described from the perspective of a strategic and operational role, highlighting tools for analysis, collaboration, and documentation. While not a design tools list, it includes tools that facilitate interaction with design and research outputs.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values: While specific design team values are not detailed, Stripe's overall values and the nature of this role suggest:

A focus on building robust and user-friendly financial infrastructure, implying a value for clarity, reliability, and security in design.
Emphasis on increasing the GDP of the internet, suggesting a drive for innovation and creating products that enable businesses to succeed globally, likely valuing scalable and adaptable design solutions.
A culture of critical thinking and problem-solving, suggesting a design culture that values deep understanding of user needs and iterative approaches to design challenges.
Influence without authority is a key requirement, indicating a collaborative environment where ideas and insights are valued regardless of formal reporting lines, fostering a culture of shared ownership in product outcomes, including design.

Collaboration Style:

Highly cross-functional collaboration is central to this role, requiring effective communication and partnership with Product, Engineering, Design, Go-to-Market, and Finance teams.
A data-informed and analytical approach to decision-making, where strategic recommendations are supported by evidence and insights, including potentially user research findings.
Comfort working in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment, requiring proactive communication and the ability to drive initiatives forward collaboratively.

📝 Enhancement Note: Team culture and values are inferred from the job description's emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and the company's stated mission. These points are framed to highlight aspects relevant to interacting with and influencing a design team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges: While not directly designing, this role will face challenges related to influencing design outcomes, such as:

Translating complex global payment requirements and operational considerations into clear strategic priorities that the design team can effectively act upon.
Balancing strategic imperatives with design constraints and technical feasibility when advocating for specific product directions or features.
Ensuring that strategic decisions are informed by robust user insights and that the impact on user experience is a key consideration in all strategic planning.
Navigating the complexities of designing for diverse global user bases with varying payment preferences and digital literacy levels.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Deepen expertise in the global payments ecosystem, including emerging trends, regulatory landscapes, and regional payment methods.
Develop advanced strategic planning and operational management skills within a complex, fast-growing technology company.
Enhance leadership and influencing skills by working directly with senior leaders and driving cross-functional initiatives.
Opportunities to learn more about product design methodologies and how strategic decisions translate into user experience, potentially through collaboration with design teams or internal training.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed from the perspective of influencing design and user experience within a strategic role. Growth opportunities focus on professional development within strategy and operations, with a nod to potential learning related to the design domain through collaboration.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions: While not a design role, be prepared to discuss your understanding of product development cycles and how strategic decisions influence the design process. Questions might include:

Describe a time your strategic recommendation led to a significant change in product direction. How did you ensure user needs were considered in the new direction? (Prepare case studies that demonstrate this link).
How do you collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, to ensure strategic alignment throughout the product lifecycle? (Provide examples of successful collaboration).
How do you use data and user insights to inform your strategic recommendations, and how would you communicate these insights to a design team? (Highlight your analytical skills and ability to translate data into actionable insights for design).

Company Culture Questions:

What aspects of Stripe's mission and focus on financial infrastructure resonate with you, and how do you see this role contributing to increasing the GDP of the internet? (Connect your experience and aspirations to Stripe's goals).
Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders without direct authority to achieve a strategic outcome. How did you navigate the relationships and potential disagreements? (Showcase your influencing and collaboration skills).
How do you approach working in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, and how do you prioritize initiatives when faced with competing demands? (Demonstrate your adaptability and execution capabilities).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy: Focus on presenting case studies that demonstrate your strategic thinking, analytical abilities, problem-solving skills, and ability to drive impact. Structure your presentation to clearly articulate the strategic challenge, your approach (including how you gathered data and insights, potentially from users), your recommendations, and the quantifiable outcomes. Be prepared to discuss the potential user or design implications of your strategic work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is tailored for a strategic role, focusing on demonstrating analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to influence cross-functional teams, including design. The advice emphasizes using case studies to illustrate strategic impact and understanding of the product development process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link
Customize your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in product strategy, operations, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration, specifically mentioning any experience or interest in the payments industry or working with design teams.
Prepare case studies or examples of your strategic work that demonstrate your ability to analyze complex problems, develop actionable strategies, and drive execution, emphasizing any instances where your work influenced product development or user experience.
Research Stripe's products, particularly in the global and local payments space, and understand the challenges and opportunities in this market to discuss in your interviews.
Be prepared to articulate how your skills and experience align with the requirements of a strategic and operational role within a fast-growing fintech company, and how you can contribute to shaping the future of Stripe's payments products.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and design industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Product Strategy & Operations Manager - Global & Local Payments