Director, Platform Operations - The Trade Desk

The Trade Desk is changing the way global brands and their agencies advertise to audiences around the world. How? With a media buying platform that helps brands deliver a more insightful and relevant ad experience for consumers –– and sets a new standard for global reach, accuracy, and transparency. We are proud of the culture we have built. We value the unique experiences and perspectives that each person brings to The Trade Desk, and we are committed to fostering inclusive spaces where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work every day.

So, if you are talented, driven, creative, and eager to join a dynamic, globally-connected team, then we want to talk!

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

We’re looking for an experienced, proactive, detail-oriented leader who excels in strategic thinking to support our Platform Operations team. Your passion for quality and efficiency drives you to seek the best value and build a robust technical purchasing foundation. You bring experience leading a team responsible for technical procurement, forecasting & budget planning, and developing & driving operational processes. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced environments and possesses a strong financial & technical background coupled with excellent leadership and communication skills. They should be adept at problem-solving, resource allocation, and fostering collaboration across departments to drive efficiency and innovation.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

As the Director of Platform Operations, you’ll play a critical role in shaping our procurement process and policies as well as ensuring our platform investments are strategically aligned with our business. You’ll be partnering with key stakeholders across the business including finance, product management, engineering, and executive leadership at the company including the CEO and CFO to ensure seamless delivery of systems and infrastructure that spans multi-cloud, On-Prem, Networking and SaaS system for The Trade Desk. You’ll also be responsible for providing visibility & transparency into cost trends for key stakeholders.

· Support the platform Technical Procurement Department: Create and refine processes and procedures that ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness the for technical components of our platform including Data Centers, On-Prem hardware, Cloud partners, support vendors and SaaS partners.

· Build and maintain relationships with suppliers: Negotiate contracts and ensure the best value for the company. Serving as a point of escalation for vendor related issues and incidents, coordinating resolution efforts and implementing preventive measures to mitigate future risks.

· Collaborate with the Senior Leadership: Align procurement strategies with the company's goals and values. Partner with product management and engineering stakeholders to effectively articulate the importance of financial ownership and accountability, while empowering the engineering organization to operate independently using guidance and guiderails communicated.

· Analyze Market Trends: Keep abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends, evaluating their potential impact on the organization, and making recommendations for adoption or integration.

· Drive Platform Efficiency - Partner with product management, engineering and business stakeholders to develop and implement strategies to optimize technology processes, improve efficiency, utilization and enhance the overall performance of our platform.

· Monitoring Costs - Monitoring platform performance and cost metrics and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance platform efficiency and scalability.

· Platform Budget & Forecasting - Contributing to the creation of the annual Platform Operations budget and forecast, encompassing over 250+ Million in annual expenses. Determining the capital budget for technology investments, such as hardware, software, and infrastructure upgrades.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:

· Bachelor's degree in technology or finance related field; master's degree preferred.

· 10+ years of experience in operations in the software industry, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management role.

· Proven record of successfully managing technology operations strategy at a high growth company.

· Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.

· Solid technical competency; possess working knowledge of technical topics such as cloud computing, datacenter operations and network architecture.

· Experience managing projects and initiatives from conception to implementation, with a focus on delivering results within scope, budget, and timeline constraints.

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically and drive process improvements to optimize companywide operations.

· Proven ability to adapt to changing priorities, multitask effectively, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

[LA JOBS ONLY] The Trade Desk will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Ordinance No. 184652.

[SF JOBS ONLY] Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.