Product Operations Lead
Plaid
San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Feb 14, 2026
Product at Plaid builds the systems that power open finance for millions of developers and businesses. We are responsible for defining what we build, why we build it, and how we deliver it with excellence. This is a founding Product Operations role. It will report to the Head of Business Operations, who reports directly to Plaid’s founder and CEO. As we scale into a multi-product company, we are investing in strengthening how Product operates — ensuring clarity of priorities, consistent execution, and high-quality product work.
As our founding Product Operations Lead, you will define and own the operational backbone of the Product organization. You will work closely with Product, Engineering, Design, and Product Marketing to build the systems, cadences, and standards that help teams execute consistently and at high quality . You are a hands-on builder who enjoys operating from first principles and defining long-term strategy for your domain .
Responsibilities:
- Own and evolve the operating system used by Product to plan, track, and communicate work, including roadmaps, planning artifacts, and execution tracking (in close partnership with Engineering Operations).
- Design and run lightweight operating cadences (e.g., planning cycles, product reviews, execution check-ins)
- Improve visibility into priorities, progress, and decisions across the product organization without adding unnecessary process
- Define and own the PM tool stack, evolving the tools and workflows that PMs use every day to ensure the function is operating effectively
- Identify where automation, AI/agents, and other new workflows can materially change how product work gets done, and translate those ideas into adopted capabilities.
- Partner with Product leadership to reinforce a high-performing product culture, both virtually (e.g., Product All Hands) and in-person (e.g., Bi-Annual Product Summits / Onsites)
- Build systems that capture and share high-quality product work (e.g., great PRDs) and decisions across teams, helping raise the bar and accelerate learning.
- Longer-term, own Product Manager onboarding and ongoing enablement, ensuring PMs ramp quickly and understand how great product work gets done at Plaid.
Qualifications:
- 8+ years of experience in Product Operations, Program Management, or a similar role.
- Experience in fast-moving, product-led organizations with limited tolerance for unnecessary process.
- Strong systems thinker who can design operating models that scale without adding bureaucracy.
- Proven scrappy executor who takes ownership and gets things done.
- Comfort operating in ambiguity and building from a blank page.
- Clear, concise communicator with strong written and verbal skills.
- Strong product instincts and empathy for Product Managers and cross-functional partners.
- Prior technical experience and/or the curiosity to build a deep understanding of Plaid’s products
150000 - 230000 USD a year
The target base salary for this position ranges from $150,000/year to $230,000/year in Zone 1 (San Francisco).
The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission (if applicable), equity and benefits. The pay range shown on each job posting is the minimum and maximum target for new-hire salaries. Actual pay may be higher or lower depending on factors like skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
