Director, Strategic Operations

Job description

About GameChanger: We believe in the life-changing impact youth sports have on and off the field because they encourage leadership, teamwork, responsibility, and confidence—important life lessons that have the power to propel our youth toward meaningful futures. We recognize that without coaches, parents, and volunteers, organized youth sports could not exist. By building the first and best place to experience the youth sports moments important to our community, we are helping families elevate the next generation through youth sports. So if you love sports and their community-building potential, or building cool products is your sport, GameChanger is the team for you. We are a remote-first, dynamic tech company based in New York City, and we are solving some of the biggest challenges in youth sports today. The Position: GameChanger is looking for a Director, Strategic Operations to translate company strategy into disciplined execution at scale. You will own our enterprise planning systems, drive cross-functional alignment, and ensure measurable progress against our highest-priority initiatives. Sitting at the center of the organization, you will partner with multiple stakeholders. These stakeholders include Product, Engineering, Marketing, Finance, Customer Experience, and DICK'S Sporting Goods. The goal of this partnership is to reinforce a “one company, one plan” operating model. You will report to the VP, Strategy, Operations and Impact. What You'll Do: Own Enterprise Planning & Performance Systems - Own enterprise planning and performance systems, including annual planning, long-range strategy, and company-wide frameworks (OKRs, KPIs, business reviews). - Lead company-level strategic initiatives, defining ownership, timelines, success metrics, and ensuring execution from concept through delivery. - Partner with the Executive Leadership Team on prioritization and decision-making, providing structured inputs and supporting tradeoff discussions. - Develop presentations and collaborate with the Communications team to roll out plans across the organization. - Drive cross-functional alignment and operating discipline across Product, Engineering, Marketing, Finance, Customer Experience, and DICK’S partners. - Build and improve reporting and insights, partnering with Data & Analytics team to deliver dashboards and monitor execution. - Manage GameChanger's engagement in DICK'S Sporting Goods' enterprise planning processes, ensuring alignment across timelines and visibility into progress. Drive Strategic Implementation & Execution Rigor - Drive successful execution of high-priority, cross-functional strategic initiatives — serving both as lead on select initiatives and as central integrator across initiative owners. - Establish clear governance, ownership models, timelines, and success metrics for major initiatives. - Ensure alignment across teams, proactively identifying and resolving dependencies, tradeoffs, or blockers. - Track progress rigorously, measure outcomes, and reinforce accountability at all levels. - Champion disciplined, data-driven prioritization while preserving space for experimentation and emerging opportunities. Reinforce Organizational Alignment & Operating Discipline - Serve as our subject matter expert on strategic and annual planning. - Lead with a highly collaborative, low-ego approach while partnering closely with the Executive Leadership Team and department leaders to advance company-wide priorities. - Drive organizational alignment and execution rigor, reinforcing a “one company, one plan” mindset. - Build strong rapport with team members at DICK'S and ensure clear alignment and visibility across organizations. - Identify and leverage AI and emerging technologies to enhance planning rigor and operational efficiency. Who You Are: - 10+ years of experience in strategy, operations, consulting, or general management roles. - Proven experience leading enterprise planning cycles and cross-functional initiatives with measurable impact. - Experience in high-growth technology, SaaS, marketplace, or consumer businesses. - Strong understanding of performance management systems (OKRs, KPIs, dashboards). - Demonstrated ability to drive alignment across senior stakeholders and influence without authority. - Structured, analytical thinker with strong executive communication skills. - High ownership mindset and comfort operating in ambiguity. Preferred Qualifications: - Experience operating within or alongside a larger enterprise parent organization. - Familiarity with planning tools, analytics platforms, or data visualization systems. - We strongly prefer candidates who are local to the New York area, as this role requires frequent onsite collaboration in the office with executive leadership. Perks: - Work from our well-furnished, modern office in Manhattan, NY. - Unlimited vacation policy. - Paid volunteer opportunities. - Technology stipend - $4,000 every 2 years after your start to make sure you have the latest and greatest technology. - WFH stipend - $500 annually to make your WFH situation comfortable. - Monthly physical, mental, wellness & learning stipend offered through Holisticly. - Monthly lifestyle stipend offered through Fringe. - Full health benefits - medical, dental, vision, prescription, FSA, HRA, HSA, and coverage for family/dependents. - Retirement savings - Traditional and Roth 401K plans are offered through Vanguard, with an immediate company match. - Life insurance - basic life, supplemental life, and dependent life. - Disability leave - short-term disability and long-term disability. - Company paid parental leave - up to 20 weeks for birthing parents and up to 12 weeks for non-birthing parents. - Family building benefits offered through Progyny. - DICK'S Sporting Goods and their family of brands teammate discount. The target salary range for this position is between $200,000 and $220,000. This is part of a total compensation package that includes incentive, equity, and benefits for eligible roles. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by several factors including experience, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. We constantly review all teammate pay to ensure a great compensation package that is fair and equal across the board. * DICK'S Sporting Goods has company-wide practices to monitor and protect the company from significant compliance and monetary implications as it pertains to employer state tax liabilities. Due to said guidelines put in place, we are unable to hire in AK, DE, HI, IA, LA, MS, MT, OK, and SC. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our Interview Process & AI We recognize that AI has become a common part of everyday life and professional work, and its use continues to evolve rapidly. Our perspective on AI in the hiring process will evolve as well. At this time, we ask that candidates please refrain from using AI tools during interviews and assessments, as we want to see your authentic self. We will clearly indicate if and when AI use is acceptable in the process. If you have any questions or need accommodations, we're here to help. Thanks for helping us keep the process fair and secure for everyone! IMPORTANT NOTICE: All official recruitment communications from GameChanger will come from an email address ending in @gc.com http://gc.com or no-reply@ashby.hq.com. If you receive communication from any other domain, please be cautious, as it is likely fraudulent.