Easy Apply
Easy Apply
The Director of Strategy & Operations will drive strategic initiatives for Payments and Expense, provide executive advisory, conduct financial analysis, and influence cross-functional alignment.
About the Role
We are looking for a Director of Strategy, Payments & Expense to lead the strategic direction of our Payments and Expense business. This role will own end-to-end strategic analysis, executive-level storytelling, and data-driven recommendations that directly inform decisions by the CEO and senior leadership team.
This is a highly visible role that sits at the intersection of strategy, finance, and executive communication. You will work closely with Sales, Account Management, Product, Finance, FP&A, Revenue Operations, and Business leaders to deeply understand business performance, identify opportunities and risks, and clearly articulate the “so what” for leadership.
The ideal candidate comes from a top-tier management consulting or investment banking background and brings strong financial acumen, structured problem-solving skills, and exceptional ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to senior executives.
We are looking for a Director of Strategy, Payments & Expense to lead the strategic direction of our Payments and Expense business. This role will own end-to-end strategic analysis, executive-level storytelling, and data-driven recommendations that directly inform decisions by the CEO and senior leadership team.
This is a highly visible role that sits at the intersection of strategy, finance, and executive communication. You will work closely with Sales, Account Management, Product, Finance, FP&A, Revenue Operations, and Business leaders to deeply understand business performance, identify opportunities and risks, and clearly articulate the “so what” for leadership.
The ideal candidate comes from a top-tier management consulting or investment banking background and brings strong financial acumen, structured problem-solving skills, and exceptional ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to senior executives.
What You’ll Do
Strategic Leadership & Executive Advisory
Strategic Leadership & Executive Advisory
- Own the strategy for the Payments and Expense business, including growth priorities, investment tradeoffs, and long-term value creation.
- Act as a trusted thought partner to the executive leadership by framing strategic questions, analyzing options, and making clear, actionable recommendations.
- Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations for executive reviews, board materials, and senior leadership forums.
Financial & Business Analysis
- Develop a deep understanding of the business’s financials, including revenue drivers, costs, margins, unit economics, and key performance indicators.
- Partner closely with Finance, FP&A, and Rev Ops to analyze performance, forecast outcomes, and evaluate strategic initiatives.
- Build and maintain analytical models to assess scenarios, investments, pricing changes, and new opportunities.
Storytelling & Decision Support
- Translate complex data into clear narratives that highlight insights, implications, and recommended actions.
- Determine the most effective way to present information to senior leadership, balancing detail with clarity and executive-level focus.
- Ensure leadership has a consistent, accurate, and forward-looking view of the Payments and Expense business.
Cross-Functional Influence
- Work cross-functionally with Product, Operations, Sales, and Customer teams to understand constraints, opportunities, and execution realities.
- Align stakeholders around strategic priorities and ensure recommendations are grounded in both data and operational feasibility.
- Drive clarity and alignment across teams on strategic direction and success metrics.
What We’re Looking For
Experience & Background
Experience & Background
- 8-10 years of experience in management consulting, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, or a similar highly analytical, executive-facing role.
- Experience working with senior executives and presenting directly to CEOs, CFOs, or Boards.
- Strong understanding of financial statements, business drivers, and performance metrics; fintech, payments, or expense management experience is a plus but not required.
Skills & Capabilities
- Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize large amounts of data into clear insights.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, especially in executive presentations and strategic narratives.
- Strong business judgment and comfort making recommendations in ambiguous or high-stakes situations.
- Ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Personal Attributes
- Highly structured thinker with a strong bias toward clarity and impact.
- Comfortable operating at both the 30,000-foot strategic level and in the details when needed.
- Trusted, discreet, and confident partner to senior leadership.
The posted pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the compensation for this position and is subject to change based on business need. To determine a successful candidate’s starting pay, we carefully consider a variety of factors, including primary work location, an evaluation of the candidate’s skills and experience, market demands, and internal parity.
For roles with on-target-earnings (OTE), the pay range includes both base salary and target incentive compensation. Target incentive compensation for some roles may include a ramping draw period. Compensation is higher for those who exceed targets. Candidates may receive more information from the recruiter.
Pay Range
$165,000—$308,000 USD
Top Skills
Data Analysis
Executive Presentations
Financial Analysis
Similar Jobs at Navan
Fintech • Information Technology • Payments • Productivity • Software • Travel • Automation
The Fullstack Software Engineer will develop and enhance AI-driven expense management software, ensuring financial data integrity and seamless integration with client systems while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
Top Skills:
AngularAWSJavaReactSpring BootTypescript
Fintech • Information Technology • Payments • Productivity • Software • Travel • Automation
As an Enterprise Solutions Architect for Navan Expense, you will leverage expertise in accounting and finance to assist Account Executives in selling the product, conduct client engagements, and collaborate cross-functionally to drive revenue growth.
Fintech • Information Technology • Payments • Productivity • Software • Travel • Automation
Join our team as a Frontend Engineer, designing and developing features for our platform. Collaborate with teams, write high-quality code, and resolve production issues.
Top Skills:
AngularClaudeCodegptCursorGithub CopilotNxReactTypescriptVueWebpack
What you need to know about the Los Angeles Tech Scene
Los Angeles is a global leader in entertainment, so it’s no surprise that many of the biggest players in streaming, digital media and game development call the city home. But the city boasts plenty of non-entertainment innovation as well, with tech companies spanning verticals like AI, fintech, e-commerce and biotech. With major universities like Caltech, UCLA, USC and the nearby UC Irvine, the city has a steady supply of top-flight tech and engineering talent — not counting the graduates flocking to Los Angeles from across the world to enjoy its beaches, culture and year-round temperate climate.
Key Facts About Los Angeles Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 375,800; 5.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Snap, Netflix, SpaceX, Disney, Google
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, adtech, media, software, game development
- Funding Landscape: $11.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Strong Ventures, Fifth Wall, Upfront Ventures, Mucker Capital, Kittyhawk Ventures
- Research Centers and Universities: California Institute of Technology, UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Quantum Science and Engineering


.png)