Strategy & Operations Lead — Reality Labs Research

At Meta's Reality Labs Research (RLR), we are inventing the future of virtual and augmented reality. As the Strategy & Operations Lead, you will partner closely with the VP of Research to run how our organization plans, resources, and operates. You will support strategy development alongside research leadership, own and run the operating cadence of a large, globally distributed research organization, and lead complex, high-stakes cross-organizational initiatives. You will work across research pillars and with Product, Finance, HR, Legal, Comms, Operations, and Facilities to build the relationships and mechanisms that let ambitious, long-horizon research succeed.
The ideal candidate exercises independent judgment informed by organizational context, stakeholder input, and data, is comfortable holding both strategic framing and operational details, and is energized by ambiguous problems in a research environment. This is a full-time individual contributor role with organization-wide scope.
Strategy & Operations Lead — Reality Labs Research Responsibilities
Partner with the VP of Research to shape and articulate organizational strategy, and translate it into an annual operating plan with clear goals and success measures
Own the organization's operating cadence end to end: planning cycles, goal-setting and tracking, quarterly business reviews, leadership staff forums, and decision follow-through
Drive headcount and budget planning for the organization — annual HC planning, cross-sub-org allocation, forecast accuracy, and utilization rigor — in partnership with Finance and RL leadership
Represent the VP of Research in cross-functional and leadership forums, carrying out decisions and escalations on their behalf
Identify, structure, and lead high-impact cross-organizational initiatives, including organizational changes, new team or site stand-ups, and external partnership structures
Define and instrument the metrics and mechanisms through which leadership understands research progress, resourcing health, and operational risk; proactively surfacing and resolving risk
Build and improve the systems of record and the information architecture that the organization runs on

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
8+ years of experience in strategy, business operations, or program management, including experience in supporting or partnering with senior leaders
Demonstrated experience running an operating cadence — planning, goal setting, business reviews, and decision follow-through — for a large, multi-team organization
Experience with headcount and budget planning at scale, including cross-team allocation trade-offs, forecasting, and driving utilization rigor with finance partners
Track record of independently leading ambiguous cross-functional initiatives to completion, including change management
Demonstrated the ability to influence and align senior stakeholders without direct authority
Experience coordinating operations teams, program managers, or vendor/contract worker teams without direct reporting lines
Written and verbal communication, including authoring leadership review materials
Experience applying analytical and structured problem-solving approaches to operational challenges, including determining when to investigate in depth versus when to delegate

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
Master's or equivalent graduate degree
Experience with external partnerships, academic collaborations, or consortium structures
Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
Experience in a research, R&D, or advanced technology organization with long-term, uncertain deliverables
Experience supporting a VP-level leader as a strategy and operations partner
Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
Experience across globally distributed teams and multiple physical sites, including lab or hardware environments

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and Whats App further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
For those who live in or expect to work from California if hired for this position, please click here for additional information.
United States of America: $176,000/year to $247,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. You may view our Equal Employment Opportunity notice here.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, fill out the Accommodations request form.
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