Head of Strategic Initiatives and Business Operations

At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That's what we do.

We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you'll get flexibility that's real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters-and so do you.

As we embark on our next phase of transformational growth and market leadership, UKG is seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Strategic Initiatives and Business Operations reporting directly to our Chief Strategy Officer. This senior leader will play a pivotal role in driving transformational operational change across the organization. This will include driving operational excellence initiatives, improving and scaling processes, as well as measuring performance, and ensuring the organization's efficiency and effectiveness. This leader will work closely with executive leadership to identify cross functional strategic initiatives, optimize operations, monitor and measure performance, and ensure successful execution. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in scaling a software company, optimizing operational workflows, and building high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Translate strategy into actionable operational plans, monitor corporate performance, and drive operational excellence that supports business growth. Work closely with the Chief Strategy Officer and the broader executive team to align operations with organizational goals.

• Transformation Leadership: Lead and manage large-scale, complex, multinational transformation initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency. This could for example include pricing model transformation, global cost structure optimization, or IPO preparation. Assess and prioritize initiatives to ensure alignment with strategic goals and drive to outcomes in partnership with business leaders.
• Operational Excellence: Develop and implement cross-functional processes in support of strategic priorities. Implement operational metrics, scorecards, and dashboards to measure corporate performance and initiatives. Implement and drive business reviews across functions to monitor performance against objectives. Monitor performance against business cases through tracking and establishing corrective measures as needed and prepare related reports. Develop and maintain outside-in perspective on best-in-class benchmarks to inform goal setting.
• Program Management: Establish a high-performing Program Management Office (PMO) to drive prioritization, resource management, and risk mitigation across cross-functional initiatives. Develop standardized methodologies and metrics for success, supporting both innovation and operational goals. Provide visibility into project performance, working with leaders to resolve barriers, optimize resources, and ensure outcomes align with enterprise objectives. Establish best practice approaches and methodologies for program management across UKG.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with senior leaders globally across go-to-market (GTM), Product, Engineering, Finance, Strategy, and IT to analyze existing operations, implement new and efficient processes, and drive alignment on corporate goals and initiatives. Partner with business units to ensure seamless execution of operational processes and address any operational challenges.
• Operate as One Team: Ensure effective communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to align organizational strategies with their expectations and needs. This involves listening to feedback, negotiating priorities, and maintaining transparent information flow to build trust and garner support for strategic initiatives.
• Leadership & Team Development: Lead and mentor a diverse, small but mighty team of business analysts, strategic planners, and program managers cultivating a high-performance culture that values collaboration and accountability. Drive alignment and foster communication across teams and functions to ensure buy-in and clear visibility on key initiatives. Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team on strategic planning, prioritization, and the project execution roadmap.

• 15+ years of experience in operations with at least 10+ years of experience in an enterprise business transformation or operations strategy leadership role in a technology or high-growth environment, particularly with exposure to SaaS or digital transformation initiatives.
• Prior consulting firm experience highly preferred, demonstrating strong strategic problem-solving and ability to translate strategic vision into actionable plans.
• Track record of delivering business outcomes and high-quality experiences for internal or external customers
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and driving transformational organizational change
• Strong analytical and project management skills, with experience in framing insights, developing metrics, and implementing data-driven decision-making processes.
• Demonstrated success in building and leading a PMO, ensuring project standardization, consistency, and accountability across the organization.
• Exceptional communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills, with a focus on driving organizational alignment and execution
• Demonstrated experience in scaling operational processes, managing large teams and driving growth in a dynamic environment
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Management, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Management, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in operations, with at least 10 years in a senior leadership role of a SaaS or technology company.