Director, Operations Strategy & Program Management

Overview

Join Our Team at Wheels Up  

At Wheels Up, we're proud to be a global leader in on-demand private aviation. As one of the largest companies in the industry and a strategic partner of Delta Air Lines – we are committed to making private air travel safe, reliable, and enjoyable. With a diverse fleet of owned aircraft plus a global network of trusted charter operators, we offer our customers access to the right aircraft for their needs and the ability to fly on their terms.  

 

And it doesn’t stop at private flights. Wheels Up also provides freight services, safety and security solutions, and managed services to individuals, businesses, government agencies, and more. Regardless of how, when or where you want to fly, our mission is simple; deliver a premium, personalized aviation experience for every customer.  

 

We anticipate closing applications submissions for this role on 10/5/2025. If the deadline is extended, we will update this job posting accordingly. 

 

Role Overview: What You’ll Be Doing 

In this role, the Director, Operations Strategy & Program Management leads operational strategy and drives cross-functional programs that enhance efficiency, enable transformation, and deliver sustainable growth. This role oversees strategic initiatives, the program management office (PMO), and its direct-report team, providing leadership in project delivery, change management, and internal consulting for executive stakeholders. By aligning strategic priorities with program execution, training, and documentation, while leveraging data-driven insights and process improvements, the Sr. Director ensures measurable business impact and operational excellence. 

 

The Director develops and executes operations strategy by identifying opportunities for improvement, leading cross-functional integrations, and implementing initiatives that strengthen operational performance and build a world-class operations platform for Wheels Up. This includes oversight of all program and project management activities within the Operations PMO, where the Sr. Director establishes clear governance, ensures effective resource allocation, and manages the full lifecycle of initiatives from strategy to execution to measurable outcomes. Initiatives may include technology implementations, operational process improvements, and cross-departmental alignments across all functions of the Operations Department. 

 

In addition, the Director serves as an internal consultant to executive leadership, guiding change management, preparing executive-level presentations, formal communications, managing documentation and training, and ensuring new initiatives are successfully adopted and sustained across the organization. This consultative function bridges operations with Finance, Procurement, and other corporate teams to secure alignment, optimize budgets, and maximize the impact of strategic programs 

Responsibilities

Your Key Responsibilities (Essential Functions) 

• Develop and execute operational strategies that enhance efficiency, improve performance, and create a world-class operations platform for Wheels Up. 

• Advise executive leadership on operational strategy, resource allocation, and prioritization of initiatives to ensure alignment with enterprise goals and measurable business outcomes. 

• Partner with executive leadership to shape operational priorities, guide decision-making on key initiatives, and drive alignment across the enterprise. 

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to senior executives, translating operational insights into enterprise- wide priorities and actionable initiatives. 

• Lead major strategic initiatives and operational integrations, including cross-functional process alignment and Air Carrier Programs. 

• Oversee the Operations Project Management Office (PMO), including development of the PMO philosophy and framework, intake and prioritization of initiatives, direct supervision of its project management team, and coordination of cross-functional projects. 

• Establish clear project governance, resource allocation, and performance measurement processes to ensure initiatives deliver measurable outcomes. 

• Support the creation and maintenance of the Operations Flight Plan and annual Roadmap to track and communicate strategic priorities and progress.  

• Drive a full lifecycle approach for all initiatives—strategy development, program execution, communication, training, documentation, and analytics-driven performance evaluation.  

• Serve as an internal consultant to Operations leadership, providing data-driven insights, business case development, and resource modeling to support decision-