Business Planning Manager Jobs for OPT Students
Business Planning Manager jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with backgrounds in business, finance, or economics. These roles typically require analytical and strategic skills that align well with STEM-adjacent business degrees. Your standard OPT period gives you 12 months of work authorization, and STEM OPT extension may apply depending on your degree classification.
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Get Access To All JobsWhy PlayStation? PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more. PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team. The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.
Location: Flexible, US West coast
PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. We’ve thrilled gamers since 1994, when we launched the original PlayStation. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment. The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.
Position Overview
The Sr. Business Planning Program Manager role within the Product Development group is responsible for driving execution rigor, transparency, and operational excellence across product development programs. This role is not a technical role; instead, it serves as the operational backbone of the organization, ensuring reliable status reporting and effective cross-functional coordination. This position partners closely with multiple partner teams to manage rhythm of business, team budgets and forecasts, and business planning needs. The Sr. Program Manager ensures leadership has a clear, current view of program spend, return on investment, and financial exposure, while enabling the teams to stay focused on delivery. A successful candidate is highly organized, detailed, comfortable working across multiple partners, and capable of operating in a fast-paced product environment without ambiguity.
Principal Duties / Responsibilities
Business Planning / PMO Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary liaison between Product Development and the broader PMO, ensuring alignment on program status, governance, and reporting standards.
- Consolidate and maintain executive-level program dashboards, readouts, and recurring status reports.
- Coordinate cross-functional reporting across Finance, Budget, Operations, and Business teams to ensure a single source of truth.
- Represent the PD team in PMO operating rhythms, including program reviews, governance checkpoints, and portfolio-level cadences.
- Proactively identify execution risks, resource gaps, and operational issues; call out with clear, data-driven recommendations.
Program and Product Margin Financial Ownership
- Own end-to-end cost program budget management for engineering programs from concept through launch.
- Manage and track NRE, vendor, development, and tooling spend.
- Maintain cost and COGs models and drive variance analysis against approved business plans. Ensure alignment to target COGS and margin objectives; identify cost risks early.
- Support pricing decisions and advocate for financially sound product trade-offs.
- Provide structured insights to support decision-making at key development gates.
Department Budget Management
- Manage forecasting and tracking for the Product Development department budget (headcount, NRE, contractors, CapEx).
- Partner with Finance on quarterly outlooks, accruals, and annual planning.
Executive Reporting
- Deliver clear program and portfolio-level financial reporting to leadership and finance partners.
Required Knowledge / Skills
- Experience in program management, operations, or PMO roles within a product consumer electronics/goods environment.
- Consistent record in managing program tracking, reporting, and execution cadence across multiple program management partners.
- Solid understanding of budget management, forecasting, and financial tracking.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear executive-level summaries.
- High attention to detail with strong interpersonal and follow-through skills.
- Proficiency with standard program management and reporting tools (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, Excel/Sheets, PowerPoint/Slides).
- Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization with competing priorities.
- Comfortable driving transparency and accountability without direct authority.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting hardware, software, or platform product development teams.
- Prior exposure to PMO frameworks, governance models, or portfolio management.
- Experience working closely with finance or business operations teams.
- Familiarity with executive reporting, QBRs, and leadership reviews.
- Experience in consumer electronics, gaming, or technology product organizations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business, finance, pricing, sales operations, or a related field preferred.
- Master’s or MBA a plus.
- Proven experience in Finance, Business Planning, Program Management, Project Management, or Business Operations roles.
- Demonstrated success supporting complex, cross-functional programs in a fast-paced environment.
Working Conditions
- Fast-paced, execution-focused product development environment.
- Location: US West coast
- Travel may be required based on business needs.
- Individual contributor role with no direct people management responsibilities.
Additional Information
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.
At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package.
The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below.
$161,100—$241,700 USD
Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks. Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.
Equal Opportunity Statement:
Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.
We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.
PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.
Why PlayStation? PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more. PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team. The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.
Location: Flexible, US West coast
PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. We’ve thrilled gamers since 1994, when we launched the original PlayStation. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment. The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.
Position Overview
The Sr. Business Planning Program Manager role within the Product Development group is responsible for driving execution rigor, transparency, and operational excellence across product development programs. This role is not a technical role; instead, it serves as the operational backbone of the organization, ensuring reliable status reporting and effective cross-functional coordination. This position partners closely with multiple partner teams to manage rhythm of business, team budgets and forecasts, and business planning needs. The Sr. Program Manager ensures leadership has a clear, current view of program spend, return on investment, and financial exposure, while enabling the teams to stay focused on delivery. A successful candidate is highly organized, detailed, comfortable working across multiple partners, and capable of operating in a fast-paced product environment without ambiguity.
Principal Duties / Responsibilities
Business Planning / PMO Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary liaison between Product Development and the broader PMO, ensuring alignment on program status, governance, and reporting standards.
- Consolidate and maintain executive-level program dashboards, readouts, and recurring status reports.
- Coordinate cross-functional reporting across Finance, Budget, Operations, and Business teams to ensure a single source of truth.
- Represent the PD team in PMO operating rhythms, including program reviews, governance checkpoints, and portfolio-level cadences.
- Proactively identify execution risks, resource gaps, and operational issues; call out with clear, data-driven recommendations.
Program and Product Margin Financial Ownership
- Own end-to-end cost program budget management for engineering programs from concept through launch.
- Manage and track NRE, vendor, development, and tooling spend.
- Maintain cost and COGs models and drive variance analysis against approved business plans. Ensure alignment to target COGS and margin objectives; identify cost risks early.
- Support pricing decisions and advocate for financially sound product trade-offs.
- Provide structured insights to support decision-making at key development gates.
Department Budget Management
- Manage forecasting and tracking for the Product Development department budget (headcount, NRE, contractors, CapEx).
- Partner with Finance on quarterly outlooks, accruals, and annual planning.
Executive Reporting
- Deliver clear program and portfolio-level financial reporting to leadership and finance partners.
Required Knowledge / Skills
- Experience in program management, operations, or PMO roles within a product consumer electronics/goods environment.
- Consistent record in managing program tracking, reporting, and execution cadence across multiple program management partners.
- Solid understanding of budget management, forecasting, and financial tracking.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear executive-level summaries.
- High attention to detail with strong interpersonal and follow-through skills.
- Proficiency with standard program management and reporting tools (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, Excel/Sheets, PowerPoint/Slides).
- Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization with competing priorities.
- Comfortable driving transparency and accountability without direct authority.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting hardware, software, or platform product development teams.
- Prior exposure to PMO frameworks, governance models, or portfolio management.
- Experience working closely with finance or business operations teams.
- Familiarity with executive reporting, QBRs, and leadership reviews.
- Experience in consumer electronics, gaming, or technology product organizations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business, finance, pricing, sales operations, or a related field preferred.
- Master’s or MBA a plus.
- Proven experience in Finance, Business Planning, Program Management, Project Management, or Business Operations roles.
- Demonstrated success supporting complex, cross-functional programs in a fast-paced environment.
Working Conditions
- Fast-paced, execution-focused product development environment.
- Location: US West coast
- Travel may be required based on business needs.
- Individual contributor role with no direct people management responsibilities.
Additional Information
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.
At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package.
The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below.
$161,100—$241,700 USD
Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks. Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.
Equal Opportunity Statement:
Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.
We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.
PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Business Planning Manager
Lead with your analytical credentials
Business planning roles are won on quantitative credibility. Highlight financial modeling, forecasting, or data analysis experience upfront. Employers hiring for this function want to see that you can translate numbers into strategy, not just manage projects.
Target companies with dedicated planning functions
Large corporations in technology, healthcare, and consumer goods maintain formal business planning teams. These organizations have established HR processes for OPT authorization, making them far more likely to sponsor than smaller firms without structured planning departments.
Know your OPT end date before every interview
Employers will ask when you can start and how long you're authorized to work. Know your OPT expiration date, whether you qualify for the STEM extension, and the timeline for each. Vague answers about work authorization create unnecessary hesitation in hiring teams.
Frame the STEM extension as low-cost continuity
If your degree qualifies for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, mention it early. Employers weighing sponsorship risk want to know you can stay longer than 12 months. Framing the extension as a straightforward continuation reduces perceived friction around hiring you.
Align your experience with cross-functional scope
Business planning managers typically coordinate across finance, operations, and leadership. Show experience working across teams or business units. Candidates who can demonstrate cross-functional collaboration are much easier for employers to visualize in a planning management seat.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for sponsoring employers
Not every company listing a business planning role will support OPT students. Browse Migrate Mate to identify employers who have a documented history of sponsoring international candidates, so you focus your applications where authorization is genuinely viable.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Do Business Planning Manager roles typically support OPT work authorization?
Many do, particularly at mid-size and large companies with established international hiring processes. Business planning is a specialized function, and employers who invest in recruiting for it are often more willing to navigate OPT authorization than companies filling generalist roles. Use Migrate Mate to identify employers with a track record of sponsoring international candidates in planning and strategy functions.
Does a business or finance degree qualify for the STEM OPT extension in this field?
It depends on your specific degree program and whether it appears on the official STEM Designated Degree Program list maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. Some business analytics, management information systems, and quantitative finance degrees qualify. A general MBA or business administration degree typically does not. Check with your DSO to confirm your degree's STEM status before making assumptions in interviews.
What happens to my OPT if I'm laid off from a Business Planning Manager role?
You have a 60-day unemployment grace period during your standard OPT authorization. If you're on a STEM OPT extension, you have 150 days total across the extension period, but no single gap can exceed 60 consecutive days. Report any employment change to your DSO promptly. Using that time to apply through a focused channel like Migrate Mate, which surfaces sponsorship-friendly roles, is a practical way to stay within your authorized period.
Can I work as a Business Planning Manager on a part-time basis during OPT?
Yes, part-time work counts toward your OPT authorization as long as you work at least 20 hours per week. Business planning roles are almost always full-time, but if you're in a contract or consulting arrangement, verify the hours threshold with your DSO. Working fewer than 20 hours per week counts as unemployment toward your grace period limits.
How do I explain my work authorization timeline to a hiring manager for this role?
Be direct and prepared. State your OPT end date, confirm whether you qualify for the STEM extension, and briefly explain that H-1B sponsorship would be the next step after the extension period. Hiring managers for senior business planning roles are accustomed to these conversations. Providing a clear timeline with no ambiguity signals professionalism and makes the authorization question feel manageable rather than uncertain.
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