senior manager, product - Equipment Strategy
Starbucks Seattle, Washington, United States
Retail · 10,001+ employees
About the role
The senior manager will lead the development of equipment strategies that integrate future coffeehouse experiences, partner workflows, and enterprise-level decisions. They will translate complex operational and technical insights into actionable business cases and influence cross-functional teams to drive implementation.
What they look for
Requirements
Candidates must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, with an MBA or advanced degree preferred. A minimum of 5 years of experience in strategy, consumer product, or technical project management is required, along with strong analytical and leadership skills.
Benefits
Full description
Now Brewing – senior manager, product - Equipment Strategy! #tobeapartner
From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection. We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others.
As a senior manager on the equipment strategy team, you will lead the work that connects future coffeehouse experiences, partner workflows, and enterprise equipment decisions. Equipment plays a critical role in enabling product innovation, operational efficiency, partner experience, and customer connection at scale. We are looking for a strategic, technically curious leader who can evaluate complex operational needs, translate insights into equipment and workflow strategies, and help shape the future-state coffeehouse ecosystem.
As a senior manager, product - Equipment Strategy, you will…
- Shape equipment strategy for the future coffeehouse – You will develop strategic recommendations that connect equipment capabilities, operating models, partner workflows, and customer experience priorities. You will evaluate emerging needs across coffeehouses and monitor market, supplier, and technology trends to identify opportunities that support growth, productivity, and operational simplicity. You will contribute to annual planning and forecasting, shaping portfolio-level strategies and capital investment recommendations for equipment and related programs.
- Translate complex problems into actionable business recommendations – You will use customer, partner, operational, financial, and technical inputs to assess tradeoffs, build business cases, and frame clear recommendations. You will bring structure to ambiguous problems, synthesize quantitative and qualitative insights, and support leadership decisions with rigorous analysis and strategic storytelling.
- Lead cross-functional equipment planning and commercialization work – You will partner across Retail Operations, Product, Engineering, Coffeehouse Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Store Development, Technology, and Customer Experience to define equipment requirements, align priorities, and support test-and-learn plans. You will help move ideas from strategic concept through validation, scale-up, and implementation readiness.
- Drive alignment and influence across the organization – You will facilitate discussions, prepare leadership-ready materials, and influence cross-functional partners toward shared outcomes. You will communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences, balancing enterprise strategy with practical execution needs.
- Contribute to a strong team culture – You will operate with curiosity, ownership, and courage; bring a systems-thinking mindset to complex challenges; and collaborate in a way that strengthens the team and helps Starbucks deliver high-quality results at scale.
We’d love to hear from people with:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent related work experience or four years U.S. military experience in a related MOS/C.
- MBA or relevant advanced degree preferred.
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in strategy, consumer product, technical project management or a related field.
- Experience leading cross-functional programs involving multiple business functions and senior stakeholders.
- Strong analytical, financial modeling, and business case development skills.
- Experience managing program or portfolio budgets and capital investment recommendations.
- Ability to translate complex operational, technical, and business challenges into clear strategic recommendations.
- Experience developing or influencing long-term strategies, operating models, innovation roadmaps, equipment portfolios, or commercialization plans.
- Comfort working in ambiguity, balancing multiple priorities, and making recommendations amid uncertainty.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence leaders and cross-functional partners without direct authority.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentations and strategic storytelling.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a highly collaborative team in a matrixed environment.
As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time, paid holidays, and personal days. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program, Starbucks equity program, incentivized emergency savings, financial well-being tools, tuition coverage through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, backup care, DACA reimbursement, and other educational opportunities. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative.
The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
We believe we do our best work when we're together, which is why we're onsite four days a week.
Join us and inspire with every cup. Apply today!
Starbucks Coffee Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.