Director, Strategic Initiatives

This role leads strategic execution and growth initiatives across PayPal’s SMB ecosystem. The Director will drive the design and orchestration of high-impact go-to-market programs, define new SMB growth levers, and ensure operational alignment across teams. This person will partner across Product, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to translate strategy into action, ensuring priorities are connected, resourced, and delivering measurable outcomes. The role requires a leader who can balance strategic vision with operational excellence, influence at the executive level, and develop a high-performing team that drives impact across global SMB segments.

Must Have

• Drive revenue growth and global market expansion.
• Lead negotiation with external partners.
• Develop and execute overall business strategy.
• Align product and business levers to maximize revenue.
• Engage closely with product, engineering, and architecture teams.
• Represent the end customer on an ongoing basis.
• Collaborate and influence product outcomes in a matrix organization.
• 10+ years relevant experience in strategic execution, go-to-market, or business operations roles.
• Strong ability to connect strategic thinking with hands-on execution and organizational influence.
• Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional initiatives in dynamic, multi-product environments.
• Proven people management experience, leading and developing teams.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and executive storytelling skills.
• Strong ability to operate in a matrixed, fast-paced global organization.
• Deliver measurable business results.

Good to Have

• Experience working in SMB, product, or growth environments.

Perks & Benefits

• Flexible work environment
• Employee shares options
• Health and life insurance
• Medical, dental, vision, and other benefits
• Balanced hybrid work model (3 days in office, 2 days home/office)

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy.

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards. Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade.

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day. We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

This role leads strategic execution and growth initiatives across PayPal’s SMB ecosystem. The Director will drive the design and orchestration of high-impact go-to-market programs, define new SMB growth levers, and ensure operational alignment across teams. This person will partner across Product, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to translate strategy into action, ensuring priorities are connected, resourced, and delivering measurable outcomes. The role requires a leader who can balance strategic vision with operational excellence, influence at the executive level, and develop a high-performing team that drives impact across global SMB segments.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Drive revenue growth and global market expansion by identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships, channels, and opportunities
• Lead the negotiation with external partners and engage cross-functional support colleagues to ensure the successful delivery of solutions for large complex partnerships.
• Develop and execute an overall business strategy to identify and cultivate strategic partnerships, channels, and opportunities to drive revenue growth and global market expansion.
• Influence the negotiation with external partners, engaging cross-functional support colleagues, to ensure successful delivery of solutions for large complex partnerships.
• Align product and business levers (such as pricing and FX) to maximize revenue and market expansion opportunities.
• Engage closely with product, engineering, and architecture teams to drive the architectural runway and determine the best technical implementation/design.
• Represent the end customer on an ongoing basis and use this knowledge to drive effective prioritization and decision-making.
• Collaborate and influence product outcomes in a matrix organization with multiple stakeholders such as Engineering, Operations, Risk, Legal, Sales, Business Development, Marketing, Finance, and Banking Partners.

Expected Qualifications:

• 10+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications:

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate SMB-wide strategic initiatives that cut across products, segments, and geographies
• Partner with Product, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to design and launch new go-to-market plays such as vertical strategies, geo expansions, or cross-product pilots
• Identify, test, and scale short- and mid-term growth levers that unlock SMB acceleration and engagement
• Translate enterprise and SMB strategies into executable programs with clear objectives, KPIs, and ownership models
• Drive alignment, prioritization, and sequencing of initiatives across cross-functional teams to ensure focus on the most impactful opportunities
• Over time, lead and develop a small, high-performing team responsible for execution excellence and stakeholder alignment
• Partner with Finance and Analytics to monitor business performance, identify acceleration opportunities, and recommend tactical actions
• Provide senior-level visibility into SMB-wide progress and outcomes, fostering transparency, accountability, and collaboration across functions

Expected Qualifications

• 10-12+ years of relevant experience in strategic execution, go-to-market, or business operations roles
• Strong ability to connect strategic thinking with hands-on execution and organizational influence
• Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional initiatives in dynamic, multi-product environments
• Proven people management experience, leading and developing teams
• Excellent analytical, communication, and executive storytelling skills
• Experience working in SMB, product, or growth environments preferred
• Strong ability to operate in a matrixed, fast-paced global organization and deliver measurable business results

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

15

PayPal is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices.

Actual Compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to work location, and relevant skills and experience.

The total compensation for this practice may include an annual performance bonus (or other incentive compensation, as applicable), equity, and medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. For more information, visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com

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The US national annual pay range for this role is $152,500 to $262,350

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us

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For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset—you. That’s why we offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com

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Who We Are:

Click Here

to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at paypalglobaltalentacquisition@paypal.com

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Belonging at PayPal:

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.