VP, APEX Central Strategic Operations at ServiceNow in Santa Clara, CALIFORNIA, United States

Job description

• We're seeking a VP, APEX Central Strategic Operations to lead our Central Pillar team, the connective tissue for the AI Product, Engineering, and Experience (APEX) organization. Central Pillar has two mandates: strategic operations support for the central Product Management SVP, and cross-APEX coordination — pulling together the many StratOps teams, centralized and embedded, that support a ~16,000-person organization with different structures and models into one coherent APEX story, strategy, and operating engine.
• This role reports directly to the GVP, APEX Strategic Operations. You'll lead through influence — bringing coherence and alignment across a large, distributed set of StratOps teams and functions that don't report to you, rather than directing them. You'll partner closely with the GVP's office and Chief of Staff; COO StratOps and cross-APEX program management remain with the GVP, so your focus is cross-APEX strategy and coordination, not those functions.
• You'll do this against a backdrop of rapid change as we evolve to an AI-native future — reimagining how we work, not just what we work on.

Responsibilities

• Own cross-APEX strategic operations: align the many StratOps teams and models across a ~16,000-person org into a single strategy, story, and operating rhythm.
• Partner with leaders across product, cloud and product engineering, design, support, DT, security, and GTM to align priorities and drive coordinated execution across APEX.
• Ensure consistency in metrics, taxonomy, reporting, and financial inspection — the structural foundation that lets APEX operate at scale.
• Manage workforce planning metrics, targets, and performance, along with APEX location strategy.
• Provide strategic operations support to the Central Product Management SVP.
• Lead APEX-wide long-range planning, annual planning, and budgeting — including standard templates and deep-dive analysis that drive key strategic decisions — and support Summer Strategy at the ServiceNow level.
• Strengthen the product organization's planning and decision cadence, including planning cycles, strategic reviews, and decision forums.
• Help build the APEX StratOps OKRs, and weigh in on Corporate and APEX OKRs as needed.
• Design and institutionalize repeatable strategy and operating mechanisms that drive speed, scale, and accountability across a distributed org.
• Drive portfolio value management — linking investment to outcomes and enabling faster trade-off and reinvestment decisions.
• Synthesize and communicate the single APEX story to senior leadership, including the GVP, CPO, and COO.
• Lead and develop a team of 20+ Strategic Operations professionals, building a high-performing, inclusive team that scales with ServiceNow's growth.
• Raise performance standards and drive adoption of new ways of working across the org.
• Drive productivity gains through AI tooling and process re-engineering — simplifying cadences and applying AI to work like GTM product readiness and program management.
• What "great" looks like: the organization has clarity on priorities and works effectively despite constant change. Central Pillar is the reason APEX moves as one, even when the underlying teams don't share a reporting line.

Requirements

• Proven leadership of strategy and operations during large-scale transformation in a global tech or SaaS organization, ideally with direct experience inside a product or engineering org, not only advising one.
• 15+ years relevant experience (or 12+ post-MBA/equivalent) in tech strategy/ops, management consulting, investment banking, or private equity.
• A track record of driving results through influence, not just authority — you'll align teams you don't manage.
• Concrete experience embedding AI into workflows — automating processes, simplifying cadences, or applying AI-driven insights to operational work.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with executives to build and run strategy and business plans in fast-moving environments.
• Strong financial acumen; ability to connect strategy to execution through business cases, resourcing, and metrics.
• Working knowledge of goal systems (OKRs, KPIs) and portfolio management.
• Track record building and developing diverse, high-performing teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, credible in both business and technical settings.
• Change leadership skills — able to shape culture and drive adoption of new mechanisms at scale.

Skills

Required

• Strategic operations
• Leadership
• Influence without authority
• AI workflow integration
• Executive partnership
• Financial acumen
• OKRs and KPIs
• Portfolio management
• Team building and development
• Change leadership
• Communication (written and verbal)

Benefits

• For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $263,900 - $448,600, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.