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Associate, Strategic Initiatives

San Francisco, United States

About the Team

The Merchant organization powers DoorDash's growth engine. We're the strategic backbone that enables 500,000+ restaurants to thrive on our platform, driving $50B+ in annual GMV. Our Strategy & Operations team sits at the intersection of data, technology, and business strategy - we're the architects of operational excellence who turn complex problems into scalable solutions.

You'll join our Strategic Initiatives team, where we're building the infrastructure that enables world-class decision-making across the Merchant organization's Product, Engineering, Analytics, and Sales teams. This is where strategic vision meets tactical execution at scale.

About the Role

We're looking for an exceptional operator to drive strategic planning and operational excellence across DoorDash's Merchant organization. You'll be the connective tissue between strategy and execution - building the systems, templates, and coordination mechanisms that power high-quality decision-making across our Merchant teams.

This role combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution. You'll design planning frameworks for the Merchant organization, coordinate cross-functional initiatives worth millions in impact, and work directly with senior leaders to operationalize our most critical priorities. If you get energized by turning chaos into clarity and building elegant solutions to complex problems, this role is for you.

You're excited about this opportunity because you will…

Drive Strategic Planning Excellence – Own and optimize the Merchant organization's annual and quarterly planning cycles, building templates and systems that enable our teams to align on priorities and execute effectively
Build Scalable Operations – Transform manual processes into automated solutions, creating repeatable frameworks that scale across our Merchant business
Enable Executive Decision-Making – Partner with Director+ level stakeholders across Merchant Product, Engineering, and Analytics to synthesize insights, track progress, and drive accountability on strategic initiatives
Optimize Cross-Functional Coordination – Be the operational backbone for complex Merchant initiatives, ensuring seamless execution across Product, Engineering, Sales, and Operations teams
Pioneer AI-Enabled Efficiency – Implement cutting-edge productivity tools and automation to 10x our Merchant organization's operational capacity while maintaining quality
Shape Organizational Effectiveness – Design and implement systems that improve how the Merchant team operates, from stakeholder communication to decision-making processes

We're excited about you because…

You're an exceptional operator – You have 1-3 years of experience in investment banking, consulting, FP&A, or strategic operations where you've demonstrated excellence in process optimization and stakeholder management
You think in systems – You see manual processes and immediately envision scalable solutions. You've built models, templates, or frameworks that others rely on
You thrive in complexity – You can juggle multiple workstreams, coordinate diverse stakeholders, and maintain meticulous attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture
You communicate with impact – You can synthesize complex information for executive audiences and your written communication is clear, concise, and action-oriented
You're technically proficient – You're advanced in Excel/Google Sheets (financial modeling, complex formulas) and eager to adopt new tools. SQL knowledge or willingness to learn is a plus
You have executive presence – You're comfortable presenting to senior leaders, managing up effectively, and navigating high-stakes conversations with diplomacy and professionalism
You're a builder at heart – You don't accept "this is how we've always done it." You actively identify inefficiencies and build solutions that last

About DoorDash

At DoorDash, our mission to empower local economies shapes how our team members move quickly, learn, and reiterate in order to make impactful decisions that display empathy for our range of users—from Dashers to merchant partners to consumers. We are a technology and logistics company that started with door-to-door delivery, and we are looking for team members who can help us go from a company that is known for delivering food to a company that people turn to for any and all goods.

DoorDash is growing rapidly and changing constantly, which gives our team members the opportunity to share their unique perspectives, solve new challenges, and own their careers. We're committed to supporting employees' happiness, healthiness, and overall well-being by providing comprehensive benefits and perks including premium healthcare, wellness expense reimbursement, paid parental leave and more.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We're committed to growing and empowering a more inclusive community within our company, industry, and cities. That's why we hire and cultivate diverse teams of people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that true innovation happens when everyone has room at the table and the tools, resources, and opportunity to excel.

Statement of Non-Discrimination: In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on "protected categories," we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at DoorDash. We value a diverse workforce – people who identify as women, non-binary or gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, differently-abled, caretakers and parents, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Thank you to the Level Playing Field Institute for this statement of non-discrimination.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.

If you need any accommodations, please inform your recruiting contact upon initial connection.

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