Sr Manager, Operations

At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to make learning limitless– and connected by our shared passion to deliver world-class higher education at scale. As the parent company of edX, a leading online learning platform, 2U powers thousands of  higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with our college, university, and corporate partners, we are helping accelerate careers and transform lives. 

What We’re Looking For:

The Senior Manager, Operations is a key individual contributor responsible for partnering with edX business and cross-functional leadership to enhance and scale the product line's operational effectiveness. This role drives complex, cross-functional initiatives focused on improving execution, consistency, and scalability, especially during periods of growth and change. 

The Senior Manager optimizes and consolidates operational workflows, establishes best practices, and leverages deep domain expertise to translate business objectives into actionable operating plans, guiding strategic decision-making for senior leaders. Operating with high autonomy, this role leads initiatives end-to-end, influencing outcomes and driving accountability through coordination, data-driven insights, and operational excellence, without direct people management.

Directly reporting to the Sr Director of Operations, the position contributes to the edX Operations mandate, which provides the stability and executional rigor that allow leadership to focus on strategy and growth through strong governance, disciplined execution, and cross-functional alignment. This is achieved by identifying opportunities for process improvement and automation, collaborating with product and technology teams, and developing performance reporting and KPIs.

Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

1. Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Influence

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with Director and above stakeholders across all key functional areas (Partnerships, Product, Marketing, Technology, Data, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and functional Operation teams) to ensure alignment and execution.
• Act as the primary operational point of contact for complex, cross-functional initiatives, clearly defining ownership, expectations, and desired outcomes.
• Define and communicate operating expectations, timelines, and success criteria to all stakeholder groups.
• Proactively identify and drive the resolution of decision points, trade-offs, and escalations in partnership with senior leadership, while influencing the prioritization and sequencing of work amidst competing demands and resource constraints.
• Serve as a trusted operational advisor, bringing essential structure and clarity to ambiguous problem spaces for cross-functional teams.

2. Initiative Execution & Operational Delivery

• Identify, plan, and execute complex, cross-functional initiatives focused on scalability, efficiency, and operational effectiveness across the product line in alignment with edX strategic priorities.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable workplans, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Own end-to-end delivery of assigned initiatives, maintaining accountability for scope, timeline, quality, and business impact.
• Leverage existing tools and systems to manage intake, prioritize work, and provide stakeholder visibility into progress and capacity.
• Ensure compliance with standard processes, identify operational gaps, and collaborate with internal and external partners to meet defined performance expectations.

3. Strategic Process Improvement & Business Enablement

• Identify systemic operational challenges and opportunities to contribute to departmental and product line strategy, proactively recommending data-informed solutions to senior leadership to improve processes and support scale.
• Design, implement, and prioritize process improvements, automation, and reporting mechanisms based on business impact and alignment with organizational goals.
• Define and track success metrics and KPIs to measure the impact of operational initiatives

Things That Should Be In Your Background:

Required Experience

• 5-7+ years in operations, program management, or related roles, with demonstrated success driving operational initiatives at scale, including process design and optimization.
• Proven ability to partner with senior leaders to influence priorities, navigate trade-offs, and drive decision-making for complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end business operations, including process governance, operational controls, performance management, and compliance frameworks (e.g., contracts, vendors, SLAs).
• Demonstrated capability to identify systemic issues, propose viable solutions, and lead implementation through to measurable outcomes.
• Advanced analytical, communication, and judgment skills for synthesizing complex information, communicating clearly and professionally, and handling sensitive business information.
• Proven ability to operate effectively and adapt in fast-paced, ambiguous, and evolving environments.

​​Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience with multi-product or marketplace business models, including familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) for data integrity, reporting, and process enablement.
• Strong proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, Tableau) and leveraging automation or workflow systems to drive efficiency.
• Comfortable working with technology, product, and operational teams to implement scalable solutions, with a continuous improvement mindset (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma exposure)

Other Attributes That Will Help You In This Role:

Working Conditions 

Primary work location at a 2U office with flexibility of working from home options. Typical Monday - Friday working schedule (~40 hrs a week). With reasonable notice, abnormal work schedules such as, early/late days or weekends may be needed to meet business needs.

While this position is open to remote candidates across the U.S., we will prioritize those who live in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area and who are available to come into our Headquarters in Arlington, VA two days a week.

Benefits & Culture

Our global employee base is a diverse collection of innovators, dreamers, and doers working together to transform lives through higher education. We believe that every employee can advance our shared purpose, and that life at 2U should be fun and meaningful. If you’re excited by the opportunity to provide millions of learners and counting with access to world-class higher education, then join us – and do work that makes a difference. 

We offer comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance.
Full-time, U.S.benefits include: 

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Life insurance, disability, and 401(k) employer match
• Free snacks and drinks in-office
• Generous paid holidays and leave policies, including unlimited PTO
• Additional time off benefits include: volunteer days, parental leave, and a company-wide winter break

The anticipated base salary range for this role is ($83,000 -$116,000), with potential bonus eligibility.  Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, budget for the position and cost of labor in the market in which the candidate will be hired.

2U Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At 2U, we are committed to building and sustaining a culture of belonging, respect, and inclusion. We are proud of the steps we’ve taken to bring together an employee base that embodies diverse walks of life, ideas, genders, ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities and other unique qualities. We strive to offer a workplace where every employee feels empowered by what makes us different, as well as by how we are alike. 

2U is committed to providing reasonable accommodations during our recruitment process. If you need assistance or accommodations, please reach out to us at: recruitingaccommodations@2u.com. 

About 2U

2U partners with the world's top universities and companies to develop and deliver education programs that accelerate careers and transform lives. Through partnerships with the world’s leading colleges, universities, and companies, 2U delivers thousands of online programs to millions of learners worldwide on edX, its global learning platform. From executive education and professional credentialing to master’s degree programs and free, open courses, 2U transforms how top institutions deliver workforce-aligned online education, enabling professionals to advance without pausing their careers. Learn more at 2U.com.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position, and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

2U is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against applicants or employees and ensures equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, age, marital status, disability, citizenship, military or veterans’ status, or any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. 2U’s equal opportunity policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, job benefits and pay.