Strategic Programs Lead, New Markets

About the role

This role is central to Stripe's expansion into new geographic territories, managing complex, cross-functional initiatives from conception to completion. You will be instrumental in building operational readiness and establishing repeatable processes for market launches.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the complete program management lifecycle for new market entries across Stripe's strategic plans, with a focus on the Americas and EMEA regions.
• Ensure operational preparedness by managing workstreams, monitoring progress, identifying potential issues, and resolving roadblocks.
• Navigate environments with significant uncertainty, developing effective strategies and approaches for novel challenges.
• Create standardized frameworks, guides, and reporting mechanisms to support a diverse and expanding set of market initiatives.
• Represent the team in discussions with senior leadership, demonstrating strong judgment and accountability.
• Coordinate efforts across various Risk teams, including Operations, Product, Engineering, and Strategy, to ensure unified execution.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to maintain momentum on a rapidly evolving project roadmap.
• Facilitate agreement among teams with differing priorities, clarify uncertainties, and define clear responsibilities throughout the execution process.
• Assess the operational impact and identify gaps for new market launches.
• Guarantee operational readiness for a complex program portfolio, including planning, oversight, and final implementation.
• Uphold high standards of operational discipline and execution.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of experience managing intricate, cross-functional programs or projects in demanding environments.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguous situations and build solutions from the ground up, with a history of defining approaches for undefined problems.
• Strong program management capabilities, including tracking and advancing multi-workstream initiatives, early risk detection, and stakeholder alignment.
• Demonstrated cross-functional leadership, with experience aligning Product, Engineering, Go-To-Market, and Operations teams towards common objectives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce concise summaries and present effectively to senior audiences.
• Proficiency with AI tools, actively using them to enhance work and able to explain their application.
• Experience working with global teams across different time zones, including flexibility for calls outside standard US business hours.

Nice to have

• Experience with international expansion, market entry, regulatory affairs, or licensing programs.
• Prior experience in the technology sector, particularly in fintech or payments.
• Preference for candidates located on the East Coast or in Central Time, or those willing to adjust schedules for EMEA and APAC time zones.

Skills & tools

• Program Management
• Cross-functional Leadership
• Operations Management
• Risk Management
• AI Tools

Practical notes

• Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Standard benefits are provided.

About the company

Stripe, Inc. is an American multinational financial services and software as a service company. The business operates with dual headquarters in South San Francisco, California and Dublin, Ireland. The company primarily offers payment-processing software and application programming interfaces for e-commerce websites and mobile applications. These tools allow businesses to accept payments and manage financial operations online. Stripe serves a global client base ranging from early-stage startups to large enterprises. The platform supports transactions in numerous currencies and payment methods. It also provides additional services for billing, fraud prevention, and business analytics. The company focuses on reducing the complexity of moving money across borders. Developers use its APIs to embed financial infrastructure directly into their products. Stripe is the largest privately owned financial technology company. It holds a valuation of about $159 billion. In 2025 the platform processed over $1.9 trillion in payment volume. That year the company handled transactions for 5 million businesses. The scale of this activity reflects broad adoption across the digital economy. Stripe continues to invest in infrastructure that supports internet commerce growth. The organization employs thousands of people across offices worldwide. Its mission centers on increasing the GDP of the internet.