Position description
Okta is The World’s Identity Company. We free everyone to safely use any technology—anywhere, on any device or app. Our Workforce and Customer Identity Clouds enable secure yet flexible access, authentication, and automation that transforms how people move through the digital world, putting Identity at the heart of business security and growth.
At Okta, we celebrate a variety of perspectives and experiences. We are not looking for someone who checks every single box - we’re looking for lifelong learners and people who can make us better with their unique experiences.
Join our team! We’re building a world where Identity belongs to you.
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced leader to drive our global location expansion operational strategy and execution. As the Director of Global Location Expansion, you will lead cross-functional initiatives to evaluate, launch, and optimize new international locations for go-to-market and operational activities. This strategic role combines operational discipline with regulatory knowledge, requiring a deep understanding of international expansion, governance, and scalable program development.
You will build and lead a centralized expansion team, establishing scalable processes that ensure all global locations meet regulatory compliance, operational, and policy standards across new and existing global locations.
To succeed, you'll need to think strategically, manage execution effectively, and influence teams across the company to support compliant global expansion
Strategy & Planning
- Lead the end-to-end lifecycle of new country expansions, including intake, business case alignment, diligence, planning, execution, and post go-live optimization.
- Develop a robust, repeatable due diligence process and framework that considers all cross-functional aspects of location expansion, including (but not limited to) Go to Market, Customer Support, People, Finance, and Legal.
- Build and maintain a repeatable, data-driven framework for evaluating new location business cases and operational implications, including ROI analysis, risk assessment, and cross-functional alignment.
- Partner with FP&A and business leaders to align expansion plans with headcount, budgeting, and strategic growth objectives.
Execution & Operational Enablement
- Oversee the delivery execution of new country entities and location expansions, as well as changes to selling or functional currency for existing locations.
- Lead structured decision-making processes (e.g., RAPID) to drive alignment across functions.
- Develop and execute change management plans for new location launches, including hiring, onboarding, and communication.
- Act as the central point of contact and strategic advisor to executive stakeholders on location expansion initiatives.
- Drive transparency, accountability, and clear communication across cross-functional teams.
Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Develop a global governance model to proactively address location-specific compliance with corporate and employment law, finance, compensation, and benefits.
- Collaborate with global Legal, Finance, and HR experts to ensure alignment with regulatory and statutory obligations.
- Lead the analysis and decision-making process for scaling back or exiting locations as needed.
Qualifications
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- Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, International Relations, or a related field; MBA or JD preferred.
- 10+ years of experience in international expansion, global operations, or international compliance within a fast-paced tech or multinational environment.
- Expertise in international entity setup, employment law, compensation design, transfer pricing, and cross-border tax compliance.
- Experience building scalable programs and governance models from the ground up.
- Ability to manage ambiguity, make trade-offs, and drive complex decisions across distributed teams.
- Highly organized and experienced in leveraging Google Suite, AI, Smartsheet, Asana or other project management tools to their fullest.
- Excellent cross-functional leadership, stakeholder management, and written and verbal communication skills.
Application instructions
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