Strategy Director Jobs in San Jose, CA

INTRODUCTION

Adobe's Creativity & Productivity (C&P) business is the creative platform for the world – Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Acrobat, and the products that professionals and creators depend on every day. It's one of the most strategically consequential businesses in enterprise software, and it's growing. This is a newly created role at the center of how that business grows inorganically. You will shape C&P's M&A agenda – building the strategic pipeline, developing deal theses, and ensuring that every acquisition is positioned to deliver real business impact. You will work directly with C&P's senior leadership and in close partnership with Adobe's Corporate Development and Corporate Strategy functions.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

M&A strategy & pipeline:

- Define C&P's perspective on inorganic growth – a prioritized view of where acquisitions can accelerate the business strategy, developed in full collaboration with Corporate Development
- Work with C&P's business and product leaders to surface capability gaps, market adjacencies, and strategic vectors that M&A could address – and bring that context into the pipeline process
- Develop and maintain a sharp point of view on competitive dynamics and consolidation trends in the industry
- Partner with Corporate Development to build and prioritize a target list grounded in C&P's strategic priorities

Deal thesis & evaluation:

- Develop clear, compelling deal theses rooted in C&P's product strategy, competitive dynamics, and go-to-market priorities – giving Corporate Development the business context needed to evaluate targets effectively
- Serve as the business voice throughout evaluation – translating product roadmap, customer impact, and market realities into inputs that sharpen the process
- Synthesize complex inputs from across the business into crisp, senior-ready recommendations that enable fast, confident decisions

Integration readiness & performance:

- Develop success metrics, integration KPIs, and post-deal scorecards in advance of close – as part of the deal thesis, not an afterthought
- Work alongside the product, GTM, and finance teams within C&P to ensure integration planning is underway well before a deal closes
- Monitor performance against the original deal thesis post-close; surface risks and escalate as needed
- Provide clear, executive-level reporting on pipeline status, deal progress, and post-close outcomes to C&P leadership

Leadership & influence:

- Build trusted, ongoing relationships with Corporate Development and Corporate Strategy – serving as C&P's credible strategic counterpart
- Drive alignment across C&P's matrixed organization to keep deal momentum moving
- Ensure C&P senior leadership are informed, aligned, and positioned to move quickly when opportunities emerge

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- 10+ years in corporate strategy, corporate development, strategic finance, or management consulting – with meaningful in-house experience at a technology company
- Track record of shaping M&A strategy: building pipelines, developing deal theses, influencing decisions, and following through on integration outcomes
- Deep familiarity with how M&A processes work – and how to operate alongside a Corporate Development function as a strategic business partner
- Strong business instincts: you think in markets, products, and customers; you know when and how to engage the deal machinery
- A builder mindset – comfortable creating structure in ambiguity, and energized by the chance to establish something new
- Executive presence and credibility with senior stakeholders in complex, matrixed environments
- Fluency in software, SaaS, or technology – prior experience in the creative or productivity software space is a plus
- Bachelor's in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a quantitative field; MBA or

ABOUT ADOBE

Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe’s industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity. Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We’re on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours.

COMPENSATION

- Expected Pay Range: Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $175,600 – $334,500 annually. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. In California, the pay range for this position is $231,000 - $334,500. At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP). In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.

EEO STATEMENT

Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email accommodations@adobe.com or call +1 408-536-3015.

AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:

Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process. At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI — and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it’s restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience.

State-Specific Notices:

California: Fair Chance Ordinances Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.

Colorado: Application Window Notice If this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts Legal Notice It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.