Product Strategy & Operations Lead, Ad Performance

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Strategy & Operations Lead, Ad Performance

Company: Roku

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Strategy & Operations (Ad Tech)

Date Posted: 2026-08-21

Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic development and operationalization of Roku's performance advertising portfolio, driving revenue growth through data-driven insights and market analysis.

• Bridge the critical gap between product development and business enablement, ensuring seamless go-to-market execution for new ad products and solutions.

• Drive cross-functional alignment across Product Management, Ad Sales, Legal, and Operations to unblock revenue opportunities and scale ad product adoption.

• Utilize AI and advanced analytical techniques to enhance productivity in research, financial analysis, and strategic briefing document creation.

• Act as a key strategic partner, identifying and resolving systemic roadblocks, workflow inefficiencies, and operational gaps within the ad tech ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a strategic lead within Ad Product Strategy & Operations, focusing specifically on performance advertising. The emphasis on "bridging the gap between product development and business enablement" and "operationalizing product strategy" clearly places it within the realm of Revenue Operations or Sales Operations, with a strong Product Operations component. The expectation of driving revenue growth and ensuring launch readiness for ad products indicates a critical GTM function.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and refine the product strategy for Roku's performance advertising portfolio, ensuring alignment with market dynamics, buyer needs, and overarching business objectives.

• Analyze complex ad delivery, bidding, targeting, forecasting, and measurement systems and workflows to identify operational gaps and propose scalable, efficient solutions.

• Partner closely with Product Management, Ad Sales, Operations, and Legal teams to identify and remove barriers to revenue growth and enhance team readiness for selling and supporting performance buying products.

• Establish and scale frameworks for performance advertising GTM initiatives across Roku's direct channels, including Home Screen and native surfaces, as well as in-stream video ads.

• Serve as the Directly Responsible Individual (DRI) for performance advertising GTM initiatives, ensuring cross-functional teams are aligned, accountable, and delivering measurable business outcomes.

• Own the operational readiness and successful launch execution for new performance buying products, ensuring Ad Sales teams are fully equipped to support advertisers from day one.

• Conduct in-depth market analysis and competitive intelligence to inform product roadmap prioritization and strategic decision-making for the performance ad portfolio.

• Utilize AI-driven productivity tools for enhanced research, presentation development, financial analysis, and briefing document creation to streamline operational tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic planning (product strategy, roadmap prioritization) and operational execution (GTM readiness, launch execution, workflow analysis). The focus on "unblocking revenue opportunities," "scaling team readiness," and "measurable outcomes" points to a role with direct impact on revenue generation and operational efficiency within the ad tech domain. The specific mention of AI for productivity is a key differentiator.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Computer Science, or a related field; Master's degree or MBA preferred.

Experience: 4+ years of experience in strategy and operations, growth marketing, performance marketing, or equivalent practical experience, preferably within the digital advertising technology (AdTech) sector. Proven track record of growth and progression in prior roles, demonstrating strong performance and increasing responsibility.

Required Skills:

• Product Strategy Development: Ability to shape and articulate product strategy informed by market dynamics, buyer needs, and business objectives.

• Performance Advertising Expertise: Deep understanding of outcome-based buying systems, including cost-per-action bidding, conversion optimization, audience targeting, measurement, and attribution.

• Market Analysis & Competitive Intelligence: Proficiency in conducting thorough market research and analyzing competitive landscapes to inform strategic decisions.

• Systems Thinking & Operational Scalability: Demonstrated ability to analyze complex systems and workflows, identify inefficiencies, and design scalable operational processes that deliver measurable business outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence: Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and influence skills to effectively partner with and align diverse teams (Product, Sales, Legal, Operations).

• Analytical & Detail-Oriented: Strong analytical capabilities with meticulous attention to detail in data analysis, process design, and project execution.

• AI for Productivity: Proven experience leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity in research, presentation development, financial analysis, and briefing document creation.

• Financial Acumen: Experience managing performance budgets and understanding optimization strategies for budget allocation and campaign performance.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific AdTech platforms and their operational intricacies.

• Familiarity with Roku's specific advertising products and ecosystem.

• Experience in GTM planning and execution for new product launches in a fast-paced tech environment.

• Knowledge of forecasting models and their application in ad performance.

• Familiarity with data visualization tools for reporting and stakeholder communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of strategic thinking, deep ad tech domain knowledge, and strong operational execution capabilities. The explicit mention of AI for productivity suggests a forward-thinking approach to operational roles and a need for candidates comfortable with emerging technologies. The progression requirement signals a need for candidates with demonstrated career growth.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies on Performance Marketing Strategy: Examples demonstrating the development and execution of performance marketing strategies that led to measurable revenue growth and improved key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Workflow Optimization Projects: Documentation of initiatives where you analyzed existing operational workflows (e.g., ad campaign setup, reporting, attribution) and implemented improvements for efficiency, scalability, and accuracy.

• Go-to-Market (GTM) Launch Plans: Examples of GTM strategies for new products or features, showcasing cross-functional alignment, launch readiness assessments, and post-launch performance analysis.

• Data Analysis & Insights Reports: Portfolios showcasing your ability to analyze complex datasets related to ad performance, identify actionable insights, and present findings clearly to stakeholders.

• AI-Enhanced Productivity Examples: Demonstrations of how AI tools were used to streamline research, develop strategic documents, or perform financial analyses, quantifying the efficiency gains.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of how you've documented and optimized workflows related to ad delivery, bidding, targeting, measurement, and reporting.

• System Implementation & Integration: Showcase experience in operationalizing new systems or features, ensuring seamless integration with existing tech stacks and processes.

• Performance Measurement & Analysis: Demonstrate your approach to defining, tracking, and analyzing key performance metrics for ad products and operational processes, including ROI calculations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the strategic and operational nature of this role, a portfolio demonstrating tangible results in strategy development, process improvement, and GTM execution for performance advertising products is crucial. The inclusion of AI-driven projects highlights a modern approach to operations and strategy.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The estimated annual salary for this position in New York is between $130,000 - $170,000.

Benefits:

• Global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources.

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision).

• Equity awards.

• Life insurance.

• Disability benefits.

• Parental leave.

• Wellness benefits.

• Paid time off.

• Commuter benefits.

• Retirement options (e.g., 401(k)/pension).

Working Hours: This role is expected to involve approximately 40 hours per week. The work arrangement is hybrid, with teams generally working in the office Monday through Thursday, and Fridays offering flexibility for remote work. Certain roles or office locations may require five days a week attendance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided for New York. The benefits list is extensive and covers health, financial, and personal well-being, aligned with typical offerings for mid-senior roles in major tech companies. The hybrid work model details are specific and actionable for candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Streaming Media & Digital Advertising Technology. Roku is a leader in the Connected TV (CTV) streaming platform space, impacting how millions consume content and how advertisers reach audiences.

Company Size: Large Public Company (Roku is a significant player in the tech industry). This size implies structured processes, established teams, and opportunities for impact across a broad organization, but also requires navigating larger corporate environments.

Founded: 2002. Roku has a long history of innovation in the streaming space, evolving from a hardware provider to a comprehensive platform, indicating a culture that values adaptation and long-term vision.

Team Structure:

• Ad Product Strategy & Operations (PS&O): A hybrid strategy and execution team embedded within Roku's Ad Product organization. This team acts as a central hub, connecting product development with business enablement.

• Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a "Lead" role suggests a position of significant responsibility, likely reporting into a Director or VP within the Ad Product or Revenue Operations functions.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role necessitates deep collaboration with Product Management, Ad Sales, Legal, and other Operations teams, emphasizing a matrixed and highly collaborative work environment.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on analyzing market dynamics, buyer needs, and performance metrics to inform product strategy and operational improvements.

• Scalable Process Design: Focus on developing and implementing efficient, repeatable processes that can support rapid growth in the performance advertising business.

• AI-Augmented Operations: Integration of AI tools to enhance productivity, streamline research, and improve analytical capabilities.

Company Website: https://www.weareroku.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Roku's position as a leader in CTV and its established history is key. The PS&O team's hybrid nature (strategy and execution) and its central role in connecting product with business enablement are critical insights for understanding the operational context. The emphasis on collaboration and data-driven approaches is typical for successful AdTech operations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Mid-Senior to Lead level, requiring 4+ years of experience. It signifies a transition from individual contributor to a strategic influencer and operational owner. The "Lead" title suggests taking ownership of key initiatives and potentially guiding junior team members or projects.

Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Director or VP within Ad Product or Revenue Operations. This position acts as a crucial liaison between Product Management and commercial/operational teams, demonstrating a pivotal point in the organization's GTM and product lifecycle management.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on revenue generation by optimizing performance advertising products and their go-to-market strategies. By ensuring product readiness, enabling sales teams, and driving operational efficiency, the Lead directly contributes to Roku's ability to monetize its vast user base and attract performance-oriented advertisers. The success of this role is measured by revenue growth, adoption of performance ad products, and operational efficiency.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Potential to grow into senior strategy or operations leadership roles within Roku's Ad Product organization, managing larger teams or broader portfolios.

• Product Specialization: Deepen expertise in performance advertising and AdTech, becoming a subject matter expert for Roku's evolving advertising solutions.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to transition into Product Management, Sales Strategy, or other GTM leadership roles leveraging the broad exposure gained.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning in AI applications for operations, advanced analytics, and evolving AdTech trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title and the scope of responsibilities clearly indicate a role with significant growth potential, moving beyond tactical execution to strategic ownership and influence within a critical revenue-generating function.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, with teams generally working in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are typically flexible for remote work, though some roles or locations may require full-time office presence. This suggests a collaborative office environment with dedicated remote work flexibility.

Office Location(s): New York, New York. This is a major hub for advertising and media industries, offering access to talent, clients, and industry events.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model, with defined in-office days, encourages in-person collaboration, team building, and spontaneous problem-solving crucial for strategy and operations roles.

• AdTech Tools & Technology: Access to Roku's internal systems, analytics platforms, and potentially AI tools for research and productivity. The role requires proficiency in leveraging these technologies to drive insights and efficiency.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The role is designed for continuous interaction with Product Managers, Sales teams, Legal, and other operational functions, fostering a dynamic and interconnected workspace.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is typical, with the hybrid arrangement offering flexibility. However, the demands of a high-impact role in a fast-paced AdTech environment may require occasional extended hours to meet critical deadlines or launch initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model at Roku is clearly defined, emphasizing collaboration during the week with flexibility on Fridays. This structure is designed to balance in-person synergy with individual focus time, which is beneficial for complex analytical and strategic work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your application and resume, looking for alignment with key requirements, especially the 4+ years of experience in strategy/operations/performance marketing within AdTech and demonstrated AI productivity usage.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your experience, strategic thinking, understanding of performance advertising, and how you've driven operational improvements and GTM success. Be prepared to discuss specific examples from your career.

• Cross-functional Interviews: You will likely meet with key stakeholders from Product Management, Ad Sales, and potentially Legal or other Operations teams. These interviews will assess your ability to collaborate, influence, and understand diverse perspectives.

• Case Study or Presentation: A common element for this type of role. You may be asked to analyze a hypothetical performance advertising challenge, develop a GTM strategy, or present a past project from your portfolio. Focus on demonstrating your analytical process, strategic thinking, and communication skills.

• Final Round: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic vision, and overall leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For each project or case study, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, and the measurable business outcomes (e.g., revenue growth, efficiency gains, adoption rates, cost savings). Use specific numbers and KPIs.

• Highlight Strategy & Operations Blend: Showcase how you connect strategic vision with practical operational execution. Demonstrate your ability to translate product roadmaps into actionable GTM plans and operational processes.

• Emphasize Performance Ad Expertise: Include examples specifically related to performance advertising, such as campaign optimization, bidding strategies, attribution modeling, or conversion tracking.

• Showcase AI Productivity: Include at least one example where you leveraged AI tools to significantly improve productivity in research, analysis, or documentation. Quantify the time saved or output improvement.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically. For presentations, ensure a clear narrative arc: challenge, approach, execution, results, and lessons learned.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Roku's Ad Products: Research Roku's current advertising offerings, particularly its performance advertising solutions. Understand their target audience and value proposition.

• Analyze Industry Trends: Be prepared to discuss current trends in AdTech, CTV advertising, performance marketing, AI in advertising, and the competitive landscape.

• Practice GTM Scenarios: Think through how you would launch a new performance ad product. Consider target audience, messaging, sales enablement, operational readiness, and measurement.

• Develop Process Improvement Frameworks: Be ready to discuss how you would diagnose and solve operational bottlenecks in areas like ad delivery, targeting, or reporting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role will heavily focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, operational execution capabilities, and a deep understanding of performance advertising within the AdTech context. A well-curated portfolio is essential for showcasing these skills, especially the ability to leverage AI for productivity.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CRM: Salesforce (or similar enterprise CRM) for sales pipeline management, account insights, and cross-functional reporting.

• Productivity Suites: Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet) for collaboration, analysis, and presentations. Microsoft Office Suite may also be relevant.

• AI Productivity Tools: Familiarity with AI tools for research, content generation (briefing documents), data analysis, and presentation development is a strong plus.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Tableau, Looker, or similar for creating dashboards, visualizing performance data, and generating reports on ad campaign effectiveness and operational metrics.

• Data Warehousing/Querying: SQL for data extraction and analysis from various data sources. Experience with BigQuery or similar data platforms.

• Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or specialized AdTech analytics platforms for tracking user behavior and campaign performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Ad Platforms: Experience with programmatic advertising platforms, DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms), SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms), and ad servers.

• Automation Tools: Potentially experience with workflow automation tools or scripting for operational tasks, though AI tools are specifically highlighted for productivity.

• Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for tracking project progress, managing tasks, and coordinating cross-functional efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in core business operations tools like CRMs and BI platforms is expected. The explicit mention of AI for productivity suggests that candidates comfortable and experienced with these emerging tools will have a distinct advantage. Strong analytical skills, including SQL, are foundational.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using analytics and market insights to guide strategic and operational choices, ensuring all decisions are backed by evidence.

• Efficiency & Scalability: A core focus on designing and implementing processes that are not only effective but also scalable to support Roku's rapid growth and the evolving AdTech landscape.

• Collaboration & Alignment: Strong belief in cross-functional teamwork, open communication, and ensuring all stakeholders are aligned towards common goals, especially for product launches and GTM initiatives.

• Innovation & Adaptability: A culture that embraces new technologies (like AI) and market shifts, encouraging proactive adaptation and creative problem-solving.

• Customer Focus: Understanding the needs of both advertisers (buyers) and end-users (viewers) to ensure products and operations deliver maximum value.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive Partnership: Actively engaging with Product, Sales, Legal, and other Operations teams to anticipate needs, identify challenges, and co-create solutions.

• Transparent Communication: Maintaining open channels for feedback, sharing progress, and flagging potential roadblocks early in the process.

• Process Improvement Culture: Encouraging a continuous feedback loop for refining workflows, challenging the status quo, and driving ongoing optimization.

• Empirical Approach: Valuing experimentation and data-backed validation in developing and refining strategies and operational processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Roku's culture emphasizes a pragmatic, action-oriented approach, valuing talented individuals who can collaborate effectively. The operations team likely mirrors this, focusing on data, efficiency, and strong cross-functional relationships to drive impactful results in the fast-paced AdTech environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Rapidly Evolving AdTech Landscape: Staying ahead of technological advancements, privacy changes (e.g., cookie deprecation), and market shifts in digital advertising requires continuous learning and strategic agility.

• Balancing Product Innovation with Operational Scalability: Ensuring that new performance ad products can be effectively launched, supported, and scaled across Roku's diverse platforms and sales channels.

• Driving Alignment Across Diverse Stakeholders: Effectively influencing and aligning Product, Sales, Legal, and Engineering teams with competing priorities and perspectives.

• Quantifying ROI for Performance Products: Demonstrating the direct impact of performance advertising initiatives on revenue and advertiser success in a complex ecosystem.

• Leveraging AI Effectively: Integrating AI tools not just for productivity but to unlock deeper insights and drive more sophisticated operational strategies.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AdTech & CTV: Gaining unparalleled expertise in the rapidly growing Connected TV advertising sector.

• Strategic Product Operations: Developing advanced skills in bridging product development with commercialization and operational readiness.

• AI Application in Business: Becoming a leader in applying AI to enhance business operations, strategy, and productivity within a major tech company.

• Leadership & Influence: Honing skills in stakeholder management, cross-functional leadership, and strategic decision-making at a senior level.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry conferences, engage with leading advertisers, and contribute to the future of digital advertising.

📝 Enhancement Note: The AdTech industry presents constant challenges due to rapid innovation and regulatory changes. This role offers a significant opportunity to navigate these complexities, develop expertise in a high-growth sector, and lead with emerging technologies like AI.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed a product strategy for a performance advertising product. What was your process, what were the key considerations, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on market analysis, buyer needs, and measurable results).

• "How would you operationalize a new bidding feature for performance advertisers? What are the key dependencies and potential roadblocks you'd anticipate?" (Demonstrate systems thinking, GTM planning, and cross-functional coordination).

• "Imagine a scenario where our conversion attribution model is under scrutiny. How would you approach validating and improving its accuracy and reliability for our advertisers?" (Highlight analytical rigor, data interpretation, and communication skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Roku's position in the streaming and advertising market, and how do you see performance advertising evolving on CTV?" (Show research into Roku and industry trends).

• "How do you approach building alignment and driving consensus among product, sales, and legal teams with potentially conflicting priorities?" (Focus on collaboration, influence, and problem-solving).

• "Describe your experience using AI tools to enhance productivity in strategic or analytical tasks. Can you provide a specific example of impact?" (Be ready with concrete examples of AI application and quantified benefits). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each portfolio example, clearly articulate the business challenge, your strategic approach, the operational execution steps, the measurable results (quantified impact), and key lessons learned.

• Highlight the "Why": Explain the strategic rationale behind your decisions and the operational choices you made. Connect your work directly to business objectives like revenue growth or efficiency.

• Showcase AI Integration: If presenting a project where AI was used, clearly explain how it was used, what benefits it provided (e.g., time saved, deeper insights), and why it was a better approach than traditional methods.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about the nuances of your projects, the data you used, the challenges you faced, and how you would adapt your approach in different scenarios.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of performance advertising principles, strategic GTM execution, operational problem-solving, and a forward-thinking approach to leveraging AI for business advantage. Your portfolio is your primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Strategy & Operations Lead position at Roku:

• Submit your application through the official Roku careers portal (linked via the original job posting).

• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight experience in product strategy, performance advertising, ad tech operations, GTM execution, and any demonstrated use of AI for productivity. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your ability to drive strategy, operationalize products, and deliver measurable results in performance advertising. Ensure these examples demonstrate your analytical skills and ideally, your use of AI.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting your portfolio highlights, focusing on quantifying your impact and clearly explaining your strategic and operational contributions. Be ready to discuss your approach to GTM challenges and process optimization.

• Research Roku: Thoroughly understand Roku's business, its advertising products, and its market position. Familiarize yourself with their company culture and values to articulate your fit.

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