Senior Strategy & Operations Manager

WE POWER PEOPLE’S PROGRESS. At Preply, we’re all about creating life-changing learning experiences. We help people discover the magic of the perfect tutor, craft a personalised learning journey, and stay motivated to keep growing. Our approach is human-led, tech-enabled - and it’s creating real impact. We’ve just reached unicorn status with a $150M Series D, accelerating our vision to transform education through human-led, AI-enhanced learning. Today, 100,000+ tutors teach 90+ languages to learners in 180 countries - and we’re only getting started. As a category-defining company, we’re shaping what the future of learning looks like at global scale. Every Preply lesson sparks change, fuels ambition, and drives progress that matters. Joining Preply means helping define the future of education at global scale, and building something that truly matters for millions of people, every day. MEET THE TEAM We’re building a central Strategy team at the heart of Preply, driving clarity, focus, and disciplined execution across the company. Reporting directly to our Director of Strategy & Operations, the Strategy team will work with the executive team to define company direction, shape strategic priorities, and lead the cross-functional initiatives that turn strategy into measurable business outcomes. As Preply scales globally and prepares for its next growth chapter, we’re looking for Senior Strategy & Operations Managers to own strategic transformation projects - from improving customer retention and lifetime value to expanding beyond languages into new learning categories. You’ll work on projects that have genuine impact across the entire business.   WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING   1. STRATEGIC INITIATIVES & TRANSFORMATION - Own strategic transformation projects end-to-end, typically spanning 3-12 months, with real business impact across the company. - Lead cross-functional teams to define strategy, scope workstreams, and drive accountability to outcomes. Examples include improving customer retention and reducing churn, growing customer lifetime value through better monetization and engagement, and evaluating new market segments and product offerings as we expand beyond languages. - Conduct data-driven analysis and market research to identify growth opportunities, diagnose root causes of business challenges, and recommend new strategic directions. - Assess and prioritize market opportunities, potential partnerships, or M&A targets based on strategic fit and business impact. 2. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP & EXECUTION - Influence senior leaders without formal authority - navigating competing priorities, building shared ownership, and driving decisions rather than endless discussion. - Coordinate complex initiatives across product, marketing, operations, and other functions - managing stakeholder alignment and proactively flagging and resolving risks. - Translate ambiguity into clear scopes and action plans. Manage parallel workstreams while maintaining focus on measurable business outcomes, not just activity. 3. EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION & INSIGHT - Produce clear, data-backed narratives for leadership and the board - tailoring messaging for different audiences (CEO vs. functional leads) and communicating complex ideas with precision. - Present findings and recommendations with both confidence and presence - you’re a thought partner in the room, not just a presenter of decks. WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED - 7+ years of experience in strategy, operations, or leading cross-functional strategic initiatives - ideally in high-growth tech or marketplace environments. - Proven track record owning strategic projects or transformation initiatives from scope to delivery - not just planning or analysis. - Strong commercial acumen - understanding of marketplace dynamics, business models, monetization, and growth mechanics. Ability to connect strategy to financial outcomes. - Exceptional strategic and analytical thinking - structures ambiguous problems with frameworks, prioritizes ruthlessly based on strategic logic, connects insights to business outcomes. - Outstanding ability to influence across functions - can challenge upward constructively, build buy-in without authority, and manage competing stakeholder interests diplomatically. - Excellent executive presence and communication - comfortable presenting complex ideas with clarity and presence in high-stakes forums. Written and verbal communication are equally strong. - AI fluency - You actively use AI to accelerate analysis, research, and strategic work. You can name specific tools and articulate how they’ve changed your approach. - Action-oriented and resourceful - You’re comfortable navigating ambiguity and moving with imperfect information. You drive decisions, not just discussions. - Attention to detail and strong organizational skills - You deliver polished work and follow through on commitments without being asked. - Based in Barcelona or London, with a preference for Barcelona.   WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT AT PREPLY: - An open, collaborative, dynamic and diverse culture; - A generous monthly allowance for lessons on http://preply.comPreply.com http://Preply.com, Learning & Development budget and time off for your self-development; - A competitive financial package with equity, leave allowance and health insurance; - Not in Barcelona? We offer an attractive relocation package to join us in our Preply Barcelona Hub - Access to free mental health support platforms; - Access to Gympass-partnered wellness and gym centers to promote and support well-being and physical health; - The opportunity to unlock the potential of learners and tutors through language learning and teaching in 175 countries (and counting!) OUR PRINCIPLES - Care to change the world - We are passionate about our work and care deeply about its impact to be life changing. - We do it for learners - For both Preply and tutors, learners are why we do what we do. Every day we focus on empowering tutors to deliver an exceptional learning experience. - Keep perfecting - To create an outstanding customer experience, we focus on simplicity, smoothness, and enjoyment, continually perfecting it as every detail matters. - Now is the time - In a fast-paced world, it matters how quickly we act. Now is the time to make great things happen. - Disciplined execution - What makes us disciplined is the excellence in our execution. We set clear goals, focus on what matters, and utilize our resources efficiently. - Dive deep - We leverage business acumen and curiosity to investigate disparities between numbers and stories, unlocking meaningful insights to guide our decisions. - Growth mindset - We proactively seek growth opportunities and believe today's best performance becomes tomorrow's starting point. We humbly embrace feedback and learn from setbacks. - Raise the bar - We raise our performance standards continuously, alongside each new hire and promotion. We build diverse and high-performing teams that can make a real difference. - Challenge, disagree and commit - We value open and candid communication, even when we don’t fully agree. We speak our minds, challenge when necessary, and fully commit to decisions once made. - One Preply - We prioritize collaboration, inclusion, and the success of our team over personal ambitions. Together, we support and celebrate each other's progress. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Preply.com http://Preply.com is committed to creating an inclusive environment where people of diverse backgrounds can thrive. We believe that the presence of different opinions and viewpoints is a key ingredient for our success as a multicultural Ed-Tech company. That means that Preply will consider all applications for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or veteran status.