Labs Operations Manager

Let’s face it, a company whose mission is human transformation better have some fresh thinking about the employer/employee relationship.

As a Labs Operations Manager, you will play a critical role in shaping how BetterUp delivers cutting-edge research services to enterprise partners. You will combine strategic judgment based on experience with academic research, operational excellence, and customer-facing fluency to scale a world-class research function that powers business growth, product innovation, and human flourishing. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in high-stakes, fast-moving environments and is motivated by translating science into business impact.

You will be responsible for managing and evolving the operational backbone of Labs Services: from owning the intake and scoping process, to representing research in client meetings, to coordinating with cross-functional stakeholders across account teams, and other cross functional stakeholders. You will bring a deep understanding of research design and delivery, along with an ability to frame offerings, set pricing, and advocate for the resources needed to run studies at scale. Through thoughtful relationship management and high-touch service, you’ll ensure Labs delivers with excellence and strategic alignment.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone eager to help scale a novel research services model at the intersection of behavioral science, enterprise consulting, and digital product. You’ll join a mission-driven team of scientists and researchers working to bring human transformation to life through data and insight. Expect a highly collaborative, entrepreneurial culture where your ability to build systems, forge partnerships, drive clarity, and steward a robust portfolio of research assets and learnings will have immediate and lasting impact and.

What you’ll do:

The Labs Operations Manager will span four key areas of responsibility:

Scope and Coordinate Research Services Operations

• Define key Labs service categories and maintain a menu of offerings to support sales and solutioning

• Scope research engagements in partnership with account teams, including pricing, complexity, and resource fit

• Represent Labs services in client meetings or enable the field to do so confidently

• Own and manage intake for all Labs research and service requests, including high-stakes relationships with customers, scientific advisors, and internal stakeholders

Execute & Deliver High-Impact Research

• Lead end-to-end project management for high-complexity research engagements, from planning and IRB approval to launch, rollout, and wrap-up

• Coordinate closely with account teams to align research with broader partner strategies

• Coordinate resources (people, systems, time) required to execute research at scale

• Advocate for research needs across internal functions (e.g., product, engineering, legal, coach ops)

• Escalate risks, drive clarity, and ensure timely execution across all Labs workstreams

Steward the Research Portfolio

• Maintain centralized visibility into all Labs research: past, present, and planned. Be able to “speak the catalog” — confidently represent our research assets and service track record

• Track study designs, timelines, outcomes, and leads across the Labs portfolio

• Maintain visibility into where services have been deployed, including usage, satisfaction, and business impact and report outcomes and key learnings to leadership and go-to-market teams

Refine, Repurpose & Enhance Labs Impact

• Identify and surface findings that can be reused, published, or repurposed to amplify Labs’ scientific impact

• Continuously refine Labs processes, materials, and offerings based on internal and external feedback

If you have some or all of the following, please apply:

• Master’s or PhD in behavioral science, data science, public health, or a related field (preferred)

• Prior experience in lab operations, research program management, or study coordination

• Familiarity with research design, timelines, deliverables, and working with scientists

• Comfort with managing customer-facing research services or consulting engagements

Skills & Capabilities

• Highly organized and detail-oriented; able to manage complex cross-functional initiatives

• Strong analytical thinking and strategic judgment

• Ability to scope work, price and frame service offerings, and match delivery to capacity

• Excellent communication skills—able to translate research to internal and external audiences

• Comfortable driving work forward with limited oversight; independently identifies and solves problems

Relationship Management

• Confident and credible in client-facing settings, including executives and strategic partners

• Skilled at working with account teams, navigating enterprise environments

• Experience managing internal relationships across product, legal, science, and leadership

• Able to build trust with scientific advisors and represent the research agenda with nuance

Mindset & Fit

• High conscientiousness and personal ownership over outcomes

• Naturally collaborative and comfortable leading cross-functional execution

• Flexible and adaptable; thrives in ambiguous, high-stakes environments

• Motivated by the opportunity to help shape and scale a novel research function

Benefits:

At BetterUp, we are committed to living out our mission every day and that starts with providing benefits that allow our employees to care for themselves, support their families, and give back to their community.

• Access to BetterUp coaching; one for you and one for a friend or family member

• A competitive compensation plan with opportunity for advancement

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Flexible paid time off

• Per year:

  • All federal/statutory holidays observed

  • 4 BetterUp Inner Workdays (https://www.betterup.co/inner-work)

  • 5 Volunteer Days to give back

  • Learning and Development stipend

  • Company wide Summer & Winter breaks

• Year-round charitable contribution of your choice on behalf of BetterUp

• 401(k) self contribution

We are dedicated to building diverse teams that fuel an authentic workplace and sense of belonging for each and every employee. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we encourage everyone interested in joining us to apply.

BetterUp Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, BetterUp Inc. complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

At BetterUp, we compensate our employees fairly for their work. Base salary is determined by job-related experience, education/training, residence location, as well as market indicators. The range below is representative of base salary only and does not include equity, sales bonus plans (when applicable) and benefits. This range may be modified in the future.

The base salary range for this role is $122,000 - $192,000

If you live in New York, the base salary range for this role is:

$140,000 - $192,000 : New York City

$122,00 - $167,000: Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse

Protecting your privacy and treating your personal information with care is very important to us, and central to the entire BetterUp family. By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your personal information will be processed in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice. If you have any questions about the privacy of your personal information or your rights with regards to your personal information, please reach out to [email protected]

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