Product Operations Lead

<div class="content-intro"><div> <div class="standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_>_*]:min-w-0 gap-3 !gap-3.5"> <h3 class="text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What We Do</span></h3> <pre><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Insurance is a $10T industry still running on PDFs, email threads, and manual reconciliation. Ascend is changing that. We built the first and only complete financial operations platform purpose-built for insurance — combining AI-powered accounting automation, payments, and premium financing in a single vertically integrated solution. In five years, we've become the market leader: over 4,000 businesses, including more than half of the 50 largest brokers in the country, trust Ascend to bring clarity to complex accounting operations — from collection to close.</span></pre> <h3 class="text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">How We Do It</span></h3> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Ascend automates the financial operations that insurers, MGAs, and agencies run every day — and embeds directly into the transactions where money actually moves.</span></p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">AI is driving the cost of software toward zero. The companies that win won't just sell tools — they'll capture value at the point of the transaction itself. Ascend is built for exactly that moment. Our customers don't just adopt software; they unlock measurable efficiency with a proven 5–7x return on investment.</span></p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Our 70+ person team, based in San Francisco and Columbus, brings together deep expertise in insurance, fintech, and AI to build infrastructure the industry has never had.</span></p> <h3 class="text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Why We Do It</span></h3> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The insurance industry intermediates trillions of dollars — and almost none of that infrastructure was built for the modern era. Legacy systems aren't just inefficient; they're a ceiling on what the industry can become.</span></p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Ascend's mission is to become the leading financial automation platform for insurance by 2030 — powering the financial operations of the entire industry and transforming the way trillions of dollars move. We're not building another point solution. We're building the financial backbone of insurance.</span></p> </div> </div> <div class="h-8">&nbsp;</div></div><h3 class="text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Your Role</span></h3> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We are looking for a technical, operationally sharp, people-driven ProdOps Lead to own the performance and execution of Ascend's Product Operations team. This role will be 50% managing the team running manual ops and 50% driving loan operations automation — serving as the primary escalation point, cadence owner, and people manager. You'll handle ~95% of execution and team decisions independently, freeing up Head of Ops bandwidth to focus on strategic priorities while you drive delivery, metrics, and team development on the ground. You'll need technical experience because in addition to team management you are expected to:</span></p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">- Build and maintain the loan operations automation roadmap &nbsp;<br>- Own monthly tooling improvements and automations&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>- Own spec delivery and alignment with tech on cross-functional projects &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></span></p> <h3 class="text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Responsibilities will include</span></h3> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Objective #1: In your first 30 days, you will:</strong></span></p> <ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Shadow weekly kickoff and metrics meetings, with the goal of running them independently by Day 30</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Review past cross-functional approach — tooling requests, project briefs, and ops meeting history</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Draft a rollout plan and calendar and ramp up on all health check SOPs&nbsp;</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Own 1 monthly tool automation project </span></li> </ul> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Objective #2: In your first 60 days, you will:</strong></span></p> <ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Run weekly kickoff, metrics meetings, and 1:1s independently</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Deliver first weekly pulse check — covering health check metrics, ticket escalation, project completion rates, and remediation plans</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Draft the hub and process for the monthly ProdOps report</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Own escalations monitoring and on-call ops volume for 50% of team scope</span></li> </ul> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Objective #3: In your first 90 days, and beyond, you will:</strong></span></p> <ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Drive the first full quarterly planning cycle — delivering top 3–5 ProdOps milestones with clear timelines, resource allocation, and cross-functional alignment with tech, product, data, and compliance teams</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Own escalations monitoring and support for 100% of team scope with zero major operational incidents</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Run 1:1s independently and deliver a development plan for each direct report — gaps, strengths, and development priorities</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Propose and document the initial team scope rotation plan and backup coverage protocols</span></li> </ul> <h3 class="text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">You might be a good fit if you are / have</span></h3> <ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">3+ years in operations, program management, or a related role in a high-growth environment</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Hands-on experience building or iterating on internal tools (Retool, Lovable, or similar&nbsp;no-code/low-code platforms) — you've shipped something, not just requested it &nbsp;</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Experience managing small teams with a track record of hitting SLA targets and developing direct reports</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Comfortable owning both execution and process — equally at home running a team meeting and triaging a tooling backlog</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Strong analytical instincts with the ability to build and maintain metrics dashboards that drive decisions</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">A bias for direct communication, structured thinking, and proactive problem-solving without needing to be asked</span></li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Background in fintech, insurtech, or financial operations is a plus</span></li> </ul> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Base Salary Range: $</strong>130,000-150,000</span></p><div class="content-conclusion"><h3><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>All roles at Ascend are 5 days a week onsite at our beautiful office in SoMa!&nbsp;</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Benefits</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">100% health premiums covered for you and your dependents</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">401k with employer matching options</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A fast growing team with an emphasis on promoting from within 80% of all hires in the last 12 months have already been promoted!&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Unlimited PTO</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Company paid commuter benefits</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Parental and family leave</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Lunch everyday</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dog-friendly office!</span></li> </ul> <h3><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Equal Opportunity</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We are committed to equal opportunity employment and embrace diversity within our organization. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We encourage candidates to apply even if their experience doesn't precisely match this opportunity. We value diversity and are dedicated to equal opportunity employment.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div>