Strategic Programs Lead, New Markets

New Markets Program Management

• Own end-to-end program management for new markets across Stripe's roadmap, focusing on Americas and EMEA region.
• Drive operational readiness across workstreams, tracking milestones, surfacing risks, and unblocking dependencies.
• Navigate high ambiguity in a 0→1 space, figuring out the right approach independently.
• Build repeatable frameworks, playbooks, and reporting standards to support a growing portfolio of markets.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Represent the team in senior-level conversations across Stripe with high judgment and accountability.
• Provide critical coordination across Risk teams (Ops, Product, Eng, Strategy, and others) to ensure alignment and execution.
• Partner closely with stakeholders to maintain momentum across a fast-moving roadmap.
• Facilitate alignment across teams with competing priorities, resolve ambiguity, and ensure clear ownership at every stage of execution.

Operations

• Identify operational impact, gap assessment, and other operational considerations to launch in new markets.
• Ensure operational readiness across a complex portfolio of programs, including forecasting, monitoring, and last-mile execution.
• Maintain high operational rigor and execution discipline.

Minimum Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in a high-performance environment, managing complex, cross-functional programs or initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to operate in ambiguity and build from 0→1 with a track record of figuring out the right approach on problems where no playbook exists.
• Strong program management skills to track and drive multi-workstream initiatives, surface risks early, and keep stakeholders aligned.
• Strong cross-functional leadership experience aligning Product, Eng, GTM, and Operations teams toward shared goals.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including writing sharp 1-pagers and presenting credibly to senior audiences.
• AI fluency — actively use AI tools to accelerate work and can articulate how and where they are applied.
• Experience working across global teams and time zones, with flexibility to join calls outside standard US business hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on international expansion, market entry, regulatory, or licensing programs.
• Prior experience at a technology company; fintech or payments experience is a plus.
• East Coast or Central Time candidates preferred, or candidates willing to flex EMEA and APAC timezones.