Strategy & Business Operations Lead at Picogrid

Who we are Picogrid is a leading venture-backed defense technology company founded to bridge the decades-long gap between modern technology and the critical demands of national security. Today, we're building the essential infrastructure to unify sensors, autonomy, and operators with our technology deployed in active operations around the world. Our mission is to deliver an operational advantage to secure the United States and its allies. ABOUT THE ROLE Most early-stage companies don't fail because of bad technology or bad people. They fail because the internal machinery can't keep up with growth — the wrong tools, unclear processes, decisions made without the right data, and energy spent on problems that should have been solved months ago. The Strategy & Business Operations Lead exists to make sure that doesn't happen at Picogrid. This is a high-leverage, cross-functional role that sits at the center of how Picogrid operates and evolves as a company. You'll own a wide range of internal business functions — from evaluating and implementing the tools and systems that run our operations, to tracking company performance, to leading the analysis that informs where Picogrid expands, how we structure partnerships, and what we prioritize next. On any given week you might be building a framework for how we measure organizational health, running a vendor evaluation for a new CRM, or putting together the analysis that answers a critical strategic question for the leadership team. You'll partner closely with leadership across Engineering, Finance, Operations, and People — serving as the connective tissue that turns high-level direction into clear, executable plans. You don't need to be told what to work on; you identify what matters, structure the problem, and drive it to a decision or outcome. This role is for someone who finds genuine satisfaction in making a company run better — and who wants to do that work in an environment where the stakes are real. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Lead high-priority strategic and operational initiatives end-to-end — from problem definition and analysis through recommendation and implementation — working across functions to drive decisions that wouldn't otherwise happen cleanly - Facilitate Picogrid's internal business operations infrastructure: evaluate, select, and implement the tools and systems the company runs on (CRM, project management, compliance platforms, business intelligence tools, and more), ensuring each investment is right-sized for our current stage - Build and maintain the operating mechanisms that keep Picogrid aligned and accountable — business tracking dashboards, leadership reporting, and the cadences that surface the right information at the right time - Support company development strategy on high-impact questions: where Picogrid opens new offices, how we structure key vendor and partner relationships, what our organizational model should look like as headcount scales - Drive internal process improvements across functions — identifying operational bottlenecks and compliance gaps, designing better workflows, and seeing them through to adoption - Own compliance coordination for internal business operations — ensuring Picogrid's policies, processes, and systems keep pace with regulatory, contractual, and organizational requirements as the company grows WHO YOU ARE - You operate comfortably at two altitudes at once — equally at home shaping a strategic recommendation for the leadership team and rolling up your sleeves to get a process actually implemented. - You think in systems. When you see a problem, you're already sketching what the scalable solution looks like — not just how to fix it today. - You earn trust quickly across functions. Engineers, finance, and operations all feel like you understand their world and are working in their interest, not just pushing an agenda. - You have both self-humility and a high bar. You're not attached to credit; you're attached to outcomes. You do the unglamorous work when it needs to be done. - You make decisions with imperfect information. You know how to identify what data you need, move quickly when you have enough, and flag uncertainty clearly when it matters. - You're energized by ambiguity, not paralyzed by it. At Picogrid, the playbook for this role doesn't fully exist yet — you'll write a meaningful part of it. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - 4–7 years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, corporate strategy, or business operations at a high-growth technology or defense company - Demonstrated track record of owning and driving cross-functional projects from problem definition through execution, with measurable outcomes - Strong analytical and structured thinking skills — comfortable building financial models, frameworks, and board-level presentations from scratch - Experience evaluating and implementing business software and systems (CRM, ERP, project tracking, BI tools, or similar) - Excellent written and verbal communication; able to synthesize complex information into clear, concise outputs for executive audiences - U.S. Person status required for access to ITAR-controlled environments PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Prior experience at a defense technology company, dual-use startup, or company with government contracting as a meaningful part of the business - MBA or equivalent advanced degree, or demonstrated equivalent through career trajectory - Experience supporting company expansion decisions — office locations, entity structuring, market entry analysis - Familiarity with business compliance requirements in a defense or government-adjacent context (ITAR, CMMC, FAR/DFARS exposure a plus) - Experience with tools commonly used at defense tech companies (e.g., Deltek, Unanet, Salesforce, or equivalent GovCon-oriented platforms) COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Base salary range: $105k–$175k per year. Base salary is just one part of your total compensation package at Picogrid. - Significant stock options with high potential upside as an early-stage company - 401(k) with employer matching - Full health coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance) - Relocation assistance provided (if applicable) - Unlimited PTO (two-week minimum) and 11 paid holidays per year - Paid parental leave for both parents - Lunch provided when working in-office and a fully stocked kitchenette - Free EV charging at the HQ - Unique office in El Segundo, CA stocked with quality coffee, snacks, and craft beer EXPORT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.