Director R&D - Platform & Operations

Job title: Director, R&D: Platform & Operations
Department: Research & Development
Reporting to: VP of Research & Development
Location: Remote - (Preference Eastern Time Zone)

About Opensignal
Opensignal is the leading global provider of independent insight and data into network experience and market performance. Our user-centric approach allows communication providers to constantly improve their network and maximize commercial performance. Leading analysts, investors, and financial institutions place a high value on our independent analysis, and we are regular contributors to their reports.

Real network experience is our focus, and ultimately, that’s what influences customer choice. Our mission is to advance connectivity for all, and here at Opensignal, the team is leading the industry in enabling operators to link their network experience and market performance in a way that has never before been possible.

With offices in London, Boston, and Victoria, British Columbia, we are truly global, with employees working across four continents and representing over 25 nationalities. We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.

Your Impact:
As the Director of R&D: Platform & Operations at Opensignal, you will play a key leadership role in two critical areas:

1. Platform: In this capacity, you will help ensure the success of our data products for our clients by ensuring sound R&D governance and knowledge management throughout the product development lifecycle.

You'll address client issues proactively by transitioning data products into stable builds and reactively by triaging and resolving product or data science-related issues. You’ll also work with Technical Product Managers to ensure successful knowledge transfer between the R&D team and the rest of the organization from discovery, into build, and maintenance phases.

• Key Responsibilities:
  • Set necessary documentation standards for the R&D team and enable team members to follow these standards in order to ensure the successful transition of data product prototypes into production and maintenance stages.
  • Serve as the main point of contact for clients within the R&D team, triaging and addressing data science-related technical issues impacting product performance.
  • Prioritize and assign issues to the appropriate teams for resolution and ensure timely communication of updates to stakeholders.
  • Conduct root-cause analysis and make recommendations to prevent recurring issues.
  • Identify opportunities for process improvements and help build tools that reduce manual investigation.
• Team Leadership: Develop and coach your team to improve operational standards and quality assurance, encouraging continuous learning and autonomy.

2. Operations: You will collaborate closely with the VP of R&D to manage R&D operations, aligning resources to strategic priorities and optimizing team performance. Your role will involve overseeing resource planning, progress tracking, and effective communication across the R&D team to ensure the timely and successful delivery of key initiatives.

• Key Responsibilities:
  • Drive Organizational Alignment
  • Monitor progress against goals and initiatives, providing regular updates to senior leadership.
  • Identify and resolve risks or delays affecting project timelines or quality.
  • Collaborate with product, business unit owners, and technical product managers to ensure we’re optimized for the “right work at the right time”
• Workload Optimization:
  • Lead resource planning to ensure proper staffing allocation across initiatives.
  • Collaborate with squad leads,TPMs, program managers, and business unit leads to assess and resolve staffing challenges.
  • Guide decision-making on prioritization, addressing potential conflicts in staffing or project timelines.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in senior R&D, operations, or program management roles in tech-driven organizations.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of managing teams, triaging issues, and driving performance improvements.
• Excellent organizational and planning abilities to balance short-term goals and long-term initiatives.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, engaging stakeholders at all levels.
• Commitment to team development through coaching, mentoring, and structured programs.
• Familiarity with staffing tools, performance tracking, and knowledge transfer frameworks.
• Ability to diagnose and solve