Strategy & Business Operation Manager for Start up

Our client is a fast-growing, early-stage AI company developing data and technology infrastructure for intelligent systems. The company has a lean team of members across Singapore, China, Malaysia, and the United States.

Position Overview

As Strategy & Business Operations Manager, you will serve as the operational engine connecting our strategic goals with day-to-day execution across our international footprint. Operating in a fast-paced deep-tech environment, you will own business infrastructure zero-to-one—building scalable processes, managing cross-border vendor ecosystems, and aligning multi-disciplinary teams across hardware, software, and finance.

This is a high-visibility, hands-on leadership role ideal for a mid-to-senior operator who thrives on turning cross-functional complexity into streamlined systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Architecture & Process Design: Design, implement, and scale core SOPs, governance frameworks, and approval matrices from the ground up to support rapid multi-region growth.

• Cross-Functional Orchestration: Lead project execution and eliminate operational bottlenecks across technical (Engineering, Data, Hardware) and corporate (Product, Finance, HR) functions across SG, CN, MY, and the US.

• Procurement & Financial Governance: Build robust vendor management and procurement frameworks from scratch—managing contract lifecycles, payment workflows, quotations, and expenditure tracking.

• Systems Implementation: Evaluate, roll out, and optimize operational tools (including Lark/Feishu and centralized project management platforms) to ensure seamless cross-border collaboration.

• Performance & Resource Tracking: Establish operational dashboards to monitor project milestones, costs, vendor performance, and resource allocation, driving issues directly to resolution.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 5–8 years of experience in Business Operations, BizOps, PMO, or Operational Strategy within a high-growth startup, technology company, or deep-tech environment.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering Management, Supply Chain, or a related technical/business discipline.

• Track Record: Proven success building operational systems, procurement processes, and workflows zero-to-one.

• Tooling & Tech: Advanced proficiency with Lark/Feishu, modern project management platforms, and Microsoft Office suite.

• Skills: Exceptional cross-border stakeholder management, analytical problem-solving, and contract negotiation skills. Comfort navigating ambiguity in a distributed team structure.

Nice-to-Have

• Prior experience in AI, robotics, smart hardware, or data infrastructure industries.

• Background managing cross-border hardware supply chains, international vendor networks, or multi-currency procurement.