Strategy Manager Jobs for OPT Students
Strategy Manager roles sit at the intersection of business analysis and executive decision-making, making them a strong fit for OPT students with analytical backgrounds. Many employers in consulting, tech, and corporate strategy sponsor H-1B visas, giving you a realistic path from OPT to long-term work authorization in this field.
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Get Access To All JobsABOUT ELLUCIAN:
Ellucian is a global market leader in education technology. We power innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,800 customers across 50 countries and serving over 20 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff.
Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, from student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement.
Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners, and user community of more than 45,000 provide best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and tech-savvy Business Operations & Strategy Manager within the Product & Technology organization. This role is pivotal in driving operational excellence, streamlining communication, and leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity and collaboration across teams. The Business Operations & Strategy Manager is a strategic collaborator and trusted advisor to senior leadership, responsible for driving operational excellence, aligning cross-functional initiatives, and enabling executive effectiveness. This role goes beyond traditional administrative support, serving as a key liaison between the executive and internal/external stakeholders.
WHERE YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT
Our teams build and support intelligent platforms that empower institutions to deliver personalized learning, streamline operations, and expand access to education globally. The Business Operations & Strategy Manager will play a key role in supporting leaders who drive this mission forward—connecting strategy, technology, and academic transformation.
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
- Manage complex calendars, global travel arrangements, VISAs, and meeting logistics for SVPs and VP. Prepare and edit correspondence, presentations, and reports. Coordinate and prioritize incoming requests, ensuring timely follow-up and resolution.
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance team productivity. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and communication between departments. Support project tracking and status updates across multiple initiatives.
AI & TECHNOLOGY ENABLEMENT
- Utilize AI tools (e.g., scheduling assistants, document automation, data summarization) to optimize workflows. Champion the adoption of new technologies that improve executive and team efficiency.
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
- Use AI to synthesize large volumes of information into executive-ready insights. Automate repetitive operational tasks so your time is spent on strategy, experiment with new AI tools to improve forecasting, planning, and cross-functional alignment.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS & EXECUTION
- Own cross-functional initiatives from concept to execution, ensuring alignment across product, go-to-market, finance, and operations. Identify friction points in how strategy turns into action and design better systems to remove them. Track progress against strategic objectives and surface risks, tradeoffs, and early dependencies for Leadership team.
DECISION INTELLIGENCE & AI LEVERAGE
- Utilize and champion AI tools to accelerate research, synthesis, forecasting, and executive reporting. Build AI-enabled workflows that reduce manual effort and increase signal for leadership decision-making. Partner with leaders to responsibly integrate AI into strategic planning and operational execution.
CONFIDENTIALITY & PROFESSIONALISM
- Handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain a high level of professionalism. Serve as a trusted liaison between executives and internal/external stakeholders.
WHAT YOU WILL BRING
- 5+ years of experience supporting senior executives, preferably in a tech or product-driven organization.
- Strong proficiency with productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft 365, CoPilot, Concur, etc.)
- Exceptional organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams and driving operational improvements.
WHAT MAKES #ELLUCIANLIFE:
- Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, and vision
- Flexible time off
- Thrive Flex Lifestyle Account (LSA) that allows you to contribute towards your health, financial or learning interests
- 401k w/ match & BrightPlan - to help you save for the future
- Parental Leave
- 5 charitable days to support the community that supports us
- Telemedicine
- Wellness
- Headspace Care (mental health)
- Wellbeats (virtual fitness classes)
- RethinkCare & Wellthy– caregiver support
- Diversity and inclusion programs which provide access to internal employee resource groups
- Employee referral bonuses to encourage the addition of great new people to the team
- We Foster a learning culture with:
- Education Assistance Program
- Professional development opportunities
LI-JG1
LI-Hybrid
ABOUT ELLUCIAN:
Ellucian is a global market leader in education technology. We power innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,800 customers across 50 countries and serving over 20 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff.
Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, from student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement.
Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners, and user community of more than 45,000 provide best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and tech-savvy Business Operations & Strategy Manager within the Product & Technology organization. This role is pivotal in driving operational excellence, streamlining communication, and leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity and collaboration across teams. The Business Operations & Strategy Manager is a strategic collaborator and trusted advisor to senior leadership, responsible for driving operational excellence, aligning cross-functional initiatives, and enabling executive effectiveness. This role goes beyond traditional administrative support, serving as a key liaison between the executive and internal/external stakeholders.
WHERE YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT
Our teams build and support intelligent platforms that empower institutions to deliver personalized learning, streamline operations, and expand access to education globally. The Business Operations & Strategy Manager will play a key role in supporting leaders who drive this mission forward—connecting strategy, technology, and academic transformation.
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
- Manage complex calendars, global travel arrangements, VISAs, and meeting logistics for SVPs and VP. Prepare and edit correspondence, presentations, and reports. Coordinate and prioritize incoming requests, ensuring timely follow-up and resolution.
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance team productivity. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and communication between departments. Support project tracking and status updates across multiple initiatives.
AI & TECHNOLOGY ENABLEMENT
- Utilize AI tools (e.g., scheduling assistants, document automation, data summarization) to optimize workflows. Champion the adoption of new technologies that improve executive and team efficiency.
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
- Use AI to synthesize large volumes of information into executive-ready insights. Automate repetitive operational tasks so your time is spent on strategy, experiment with new AI tools to improve forecasting, planning, and cross-functional alignment.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS & EXECUTION
- Own cross-functional initiatives from concept to execution, ensuring alignment across product, go-to-market, finance, and operations. Identify friction points in how strategy turns into action and design better systems to remove them. Track progress against strategic objectives and surface risks, tradeoffs, and early dependencies for Leadership team.
DECISION INTELLIGENCE & AI LEVERAGE
- Utilize and champion AI tools to accelerate research, synthesis, forecasting, and executive reporting. Build AI-enabled workflows that reduce manual effort and increase signal for leadership decision-making. Partner with leaders to responsibly integrate AI into strategic planning and operational execution.
CONFIDENTIALITY & PROFESSIONALISM
- Handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain a high level of professionalism. Serve as a trusted liaison between executives and internal/external stakeholders.
WHAT YOU WILL BRING
- 5+ years of experience supporting senior executives, preferably in a tech or product-driven organization.
- Strong proficiency with productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft 365, CoPilot, Concur, etc.)
- Exceptional organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams and driving operational improvements.
WHAT MAKES #ELLUCIANLIFE:
- Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, and vision
- Flexible time off
- Thrive Flex Lifestyle Account (LSA) that allows you to contribute towards your health, financial or learning interests
- 401k w/ match & BrightPlan - to help you save for the future
- Parental Leave
- 5 charitable days to support the community that supports us
- Telemedicine
- Wellness
- Headspace Care (mental health)
- Wellbeats (virtual fitness classes)
- RethinkCare & Wellthy– caregiver support
- Diversity and inclusion programs which provide access to internal employee resource groups
- Employee referral bonuses to encourage the addition of great new people to the team
- We Foster a learning culture with:
- Education Assistance Program
- Professional development opportunities
LI-JG1
LI-Hybrid
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Strategy Manager
Target companies with consulting arms or dedicated strategy functions
Large technology companies, management consulting firms, and Fortune 500 corporations maintain internal strategy teams and have established OPT and H-1B sponsorship infrastructure. Smaller companies often lack the HR capacity to navigate work authorization at all.
Lead with quantified impact, not just responsibilities
Strategy Manager roles are evaluated on outcomes. Hiring managers want to see revenue influenced, costs reduced, or initiatives launched. Frame every bullet on your resume around a measurable result, not a task you performed.
Make your OPT timeline visible early in conversations
Mention your authorization period during your first recruiter screen, not after receiving an offer. Employers who sponsor need time to plan H-1B filings. Surfacing this early filters out non-sponsoring employers before you invest weeks in their process.
Build a story connecting your degree to strategy work
USCIS requires your role to qualify as a specialty occupation. If your degree is in economics, finance, or engineering, prepare a clear narrative explaining how your academic training directly supports the analytical and decision-making demands of the role.
Use STEM OPT extension eligibility as a negotiating point if applicable
If your degree is in a STEM field, you may qualify for a 24-month OPT extension, giving employers three full years before an H-1B becomes urgent. This meaningfully reduces their perceived risk and can make a borderline sponsoring employer commit.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as Strategy Managers?
Yes. Strategy Manager is a specialty occupation under USCIS guidelines because the role typically requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field such as business, economics, engineering, or a related discipline. Your OPT work authorization permits full-time employment in roles directly related to your degree field, which most strategy positions satisfy.
Does a Strategy Manager role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your undergraduate or graduate degree, not the job title itself. If your degree is in a STEM-designated field, such as applied mathematics, computer science, statistics, or industrial engineering, you may be eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension even in a strategy role. Confirm your degree's CIP code with your DSO before applying.
How common is H-1B sponsorship for Strategy Manager positions?
Sponsorship is most common at large employers with established legal and HR infrastructure. Management consulting firms, major technology companies, and large financial institutions regularly sponsor Strategy Managers for H-1B visas. Smaller firms and early-stage startups are far less likely to sponsor. You can browse sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate to identify which companies have an active track record.
What degree backgrounds support a Strategy Manager OPT application?
Business administration, economics, finance, industrial engineering, and applied mathematics are the most common qualifying degrees. The key is demonstrating that your coursework directly prepared you for the analytical and strategic work the role requires. A degree in an unrelated field, even a rigorous one, can complicate the specialty occupation argument if your job duties are not clearly connected.
When should I disclose my OPT status to a potential employer?
The first recruiter conversation is the right moment. Disclosing early lets both sides determine sponsorship compatibility before investing significant time in interviews and case studies. Waiting until after an offer is extended creates pressure and goodwill problems. Employers who sponsor appreciate the transparency, and those who do not will decline early, saving you weeks in their process.
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