Strategy & Operations Analyst - SMB

Are you looking to have an impact on the daily life of millions of entrepreneurs in France (and tomorrow in Europe)?

Are you looking for a work environment that values trust, proactivity, and autonomy?

Are our Engineering principles aligned with your vision?

Then Pennylane is the right place for you

Our vision

We aim to become the most beloved financial Operating System of French SMEs and Accounting Firms (and soon, European ones).

We help entrepreneurs rid themselves of time-consuming tasks related to accounting and finance while providing them with access to key financial information to assist in making the best decisions for their business.

About us

Pennylane is one of the fastest growing Fintechs in France (and soon to be in Europe)

In 5 years of existence, we've managed to :

Make ourselves known as a groundbreaking accounting and financial software for small businesses and their accountants

Raise a total of €225 millions, including from Sequoia, the famous fund from the Silicon Valley who invested early in companies like Google, Facebook, Airbnb, Stripe, Paypal and much more...

‍‍‍ Grow from 7 cofounders to 900 happy Pennylaners : we're now recognized as one of the greatest places to work in France (and also remotely), with a 4.6/5 rating on Glassdoor.

Build an international environment with more than 25 nationalities, with a strong remote-friendly culture, where 30% of the employees are already working from all parts of Europe

Earn the trust of thousands of customers and accounting firms and obtain outstanding ratings

Already more than 700,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and over 5000 accounting firms use Pennylane in France

Context

In 2024, we implemented an organizational structure built around business 'tracks'. This approach integrates key stakeholders across marketing, sales, product, and customer care into unified teams focused on specific product lines or client segments. Each track is empowered with dedicated resources (e.g. product marketing, data, and education).

Our SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) track represents a strategic priority for our organization. This dedicated team is responsible for developing our comprehensive SME offering, accelerating client acquisition, enhancing customer satisfaction, and establishing operational excellence within this segment.

As our cross-functional initiatives expand, we now require robust frameworks for process management, performance analytics, and operational efficiency. We are seeking an exceptional Strategy & Operations professional who will be instrumental in building these critical capabilities and driving our SME track toward sustainable growth and market leadership.

Why this role matters

The Strategy & Operations role will serve as the connective tissue between our strategic vision and day-to-day execution. You will help transform ambitious goals into actionable roadmaps, establish metrics that matter, and develop the operational infrastructure needed to scale our SME business efficiently and effectively.

Skills & qualifications

Experience

5-8 years in Strategy & Operations with demonstrable impact in scaling business operations

Proven track record of translating strategic initiatives into executable operational plans and projects

Proficiency in SQL (or willingness to learn) and data analysis tools to drive decision-making independently

Core competencies

Strategic vision: ability to connect business objectives with operational requirements while maintaining focus on long-term goals

Analytical excellence: skilled at distilling complex data into actionable insights that drive business outcomes

Project management rigor: experience leading cross-functional initiatives from conception to implementation

Communication and influence: exceptional ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and persuade diverse stakeholders

Collaborative leadership: talent for building productive relationships

Problem-solving orientation: demonstrated ability to identify root causes and develop innovative, practical solutions

Scope and Responsibilities

Strategic planning and execution

Partner with the SME product leadership to define, prioritize, and implement operational roadmaps aligned with business objectives

Design and establish scalable operational frameworks that support our growing SME segment

Data-driven decision making

Lead comprehensive analyses to identify market opportunities, operational inefficiencies, and growth levers

Develop actionable insights and recommendations based on quantitative and qualitative research

Project leadership

Spearhead strategic initiatives and pilot programs from ideation through implementation and measurement

Identify and manage complex, cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities

Cross-functional orchestration

Serve as the operational nexus between the SME track and horizontal teams including care, sales, and product

Facilitate effective collaboration and alignment across organizational boundaries

Performance management

Own the OKR process for the SME track, ensuring clarity of objectives and accountability for results

Design and implement robust tracking mechanisms to monitor performance against key metrics

Proactively identify performance gaps and develop action plans to address them

Hiring process

Talent Acquisition screening (30 min)

Hiring manager discussion and screening min)

Case (90 min)

Final round with our leadership team min)

Last but not least

We're open regarding the profile we're looking for. Research has shown that some people are less likely to apply than others if they don't feel like they meet the full list of criteria. So we have decided to take it down entirely. We have tried to give you as many details as we could about the purpose, missions, and environment of this role; it is now up to you to tell us if you think this is a position in which you could a) have fun and b) bring value to our company.

If you're hesitating, we encourage you to apply anyway: worst case scenario, you might lose a few minutes, and in the best case, it will be the start of a meaningful and long-lasting collaboration. We also want to emphasize that we fully embrace diversity and that we're doing our best to create a safe and inclusive environment. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of gender, sexual orientation, origin, disabilities, or any other traits that make you who you are.

If anything, diversity makes us a more fun place to work at. To end with a humble illustration of our commitment, we've recently signed the Pacte Parité to set concrete goals in building a better and more inclusive workplace in the years to come.

What do we do to make your work life easier

Wherever you are based, you will get 25 vacations days paid by Pennylane

You'll have a competitive compensation package

You'll get company shares to enjoy a piece of the success story you're building with us

You'll have a budget to turn your home into a more comfortable workspace, as well as a monthly allowance to work from a coworking space whenever you feel like it

• Through our partner Gymlib, you'll have access to 8000 fitness spaces in Europe and more than 300 activities related to wellness

You'll have access to Busuu to perfect your English or your French

You'll get the latest Apple equipment

Depending on the teams and the requirements of the position - you'll be able to work remotely from your country of residence, as long as it is in Europe and within a maximum time difference of two hours from the CET time zone

We are committed to regularly coming together for company events such as Tech Days (which bring remote Pennylaners together every 3 months) or our annual company seminar, fostering significant moments of cohesion for everyone.

If you are based in France, you will have a French contract following French regulation on top of the additional perks : 6 to 12 RTT, 5 weeks PTOs, lunch credits (Swile), Alan Blue healthcare cover and regular events in cities where Pennylaners are mostly presents (Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes…)

We're working on providing those last advantages to our people based outside of France as well, but it can be quite more complex depending on different countries.

Who are we looking for ?

To thrive at Pennylane, you need :

• To speak English (level is assessed and appreciated according to the department you're applying to)
• To be energized by an ever-shifting work environment
• To be highly collaborative (within your team or other stakeholders)
• Sufficiently experienced to prioritize business-led actions on your day to day activity

We know that some people are less likely to apply than others, if they don't feel like they meet the full list of criteria.

If you're hesitating, we encourage you to apply : who knows, it might be the start of a meaningful and long-lasting collaboration.

We also want to emphasize that we fully embrace diversity, equity and inclusion and that we're doing our best to create a safe and inclusive environment.

We are committed to providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of gender, sexual orientation, origin, disabilities, or any other traits that make you who you are. If anything, diversity makes us a more fun place to work at.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.