Lead Operations Program Manager, Product

About the role

We're hiring a Lead Operations Program Manager, Product to partner closely with product leadership to transform how we plan, build and operate as a product organization - with AI at the center of our work. Reporting to a Senior Director of Product, you'll help us design from first principles how the Product organization plans, prioritizes, and executes as we adopt AI-enabled workflows, evolve our planning approach, and introduce new ways of working. Supporting both PM and Design, you'll lead strategic initiatives, establish scalable operating rhythms, and strengthen collaboration across all functions in product development (Engineering, Product, Analytics, and Design). If you're energized by ambiguity and creating clarity & cohesion via thoughtful systems and processes, this role offers the opportunity to shape how our Product org operates at Thumbtack.

What you’ll do

• Lead annual and ongoing continuous planning for the Product organization, using deep knowledge of company operations and business performance to influence operating rhythms for strategic alignment.
• Design how the Product org operates — leadership forums, decision-making processes, and cross-functional operating rhythms — in ways that scale across teams and shape the function's direction.
• Lead large, strategic programs spanning Product, Engineering, Design, and Analytics, driving alignment across teams and resolving high-level issues with minimal guidance.
• Set the strategy and processes behind key Product operations programs (e.g., onboarding, communications, team rituals), ensuring they scale with the org and reflect how Product wants to operate.
• Lead large-scale change management programs, influencing cross-functional teams to adopt new planning strategies, systems, or processes.
• Drive strategic discussions with senior leaders, proactively navigating stakeholder dynamics and aligning diverse perspectives to ensure buy-in.
• Take ownership of ambiguous, cross-functional problems, using structured problem-solving and systems thinking to develop comprehensive, long-term solutions.

In order to be successful, you must bring

• 10+ years of experience in strategy, operations, or program management within high-growth technology companies or similarly fast-paced environments.
• Deep experience partnering with Product and/or Design organizations, with expert-level fluency in how modern product teams plan, prioritize, and deliver work.
• A track record of leading large, strategic programs and cross-functional initiatives — influencing senior leaders and aligning teams around shared goals without formal authority.
• Experience building scalable processes and planning systems that improve organizational decision-making and execution.
• Proven ability to create structure and clarity out of ambiguity — using structured problem-solving and systems thinking to design comprehensive, long-term solutions and help organizations navigate change.
• Experience with modern planning approaches and tools (e.g., Continuous Planning, Linear, or similar platforms) that support how product organizations plan and operate.
• Experience in consumer marketplaces, SMB platforms, or technology-enabled services is preferred.

Expected salary ranges

• For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Seattle metros, the expected salary range for the role is currently $212,400.00 - $259,600.00.
• For candidates living in Austin, TX or Washington DC metros or in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington states, the expected salary range for the role is currently $190,800.00 - $233,200.00.
• For candidates living in all other US locations, the expected salary range for this role is currently $180,900.00 - $221,100.00.

About the Product Team

The Product team defines the strategy, experiences, and roadmap that help millions of homeowners confidently care for their homes. We partner closely with Engineering, Design, Analytics, and cross-functional leaders to build products that solve meaningful customer problems while advancing Thumbtack's business goals. As we embrace AI-native ways of working, modern planning practices, and new organizational models, operational excellence is essential to helping teams stay focused, aligned, and able to deliver their best work.