Strategy & Planning Associate

Who we are

In the past, to be a successful restaurateur, you simply had to have a passion for food and a passion for people - but to succeed as a digital restaurateur you also need to have a passion for technology. We believe in the joy of serving others, and that's why we created Otter – to help restaurateurs succeed in online food delivery. Restaurants around the world, both large and small, including Chick-fil-A, Ben & Jerry’s, KFC, and Eataly trust our software to power their delivery business. We increase sales, reduce order issues, and decrease delivery headaches.

About the role

Supports strategic decision-making and business growth initiatives through data-driven analysis, go-to-market strategy development, and cross-functional program execution. Partners with product, sales, marketing, finance, and operations teams to evaluate market opportunities, optimize commercial strategies, and drive high-priority initiatives from concept through implementation. Delivers actionable recommendations to leadership by combining analytical rigor, business acumen, and operational excellence.

What you’ll do

Go-to-Market Strategy & Commercial Planning

• Support the development and execution of go-to-market strategies for new products, features, partnerships, and market expansions.
• Evaluate customer segments, market opportunities, and competitive dynamics to inform commercialization strategies.
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to develop recommendations related to pricing, packaging, customer acquisition, and growth initiatives.
• Analyze performance metrics and market feedback to optimize GTM motions and improve business outcomes.

Strategic Analysis & Business Insights

• Perform deep-dive analyses to identify business opportunities, operational challenges, and growth levers.
• Develop hypotheses, conduct quantitative and qualitative research, and present findings and recommendations to leadership.
• Build business cases and financial models to support strategic investments, partnerships, and new initiatives.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights that drive executive decision-making.

Cross-Functional Program Management

• Lead and coordinate strategic initiatives across multiple business functions, ensuring alignment, accountability, and successful execution.
• Partner with Product, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations teams to drive key company priorities.
• Manage project timelines, dependencies, stakeholder communications, and risk mitigation plans.
• Monitor initiative performance and identify opportunities to improve execution and operational efficiency.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Identify process gaps, inefficiencies, and scaling challenges across the organization.
• Design and implement operational improvements that enhance business performance and team productivity.
• Establish reporting frameworks, KPIs, and operating rhythms to measure initiative success.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts by leveraging data, stakeholder feedback, and industry best practices.

Executive Reporting & Communication

• Prepare presentations, analyses, and strategic recommendations for senior leadership.
• Communicate findings and project updates to stakeholders across all levels of the organization.
• Support leadership in strategic planning, prioritization, and decision-making processes.

What we’re looking for

• 2–5 years of experience in Strategy, Business Operations, Corporate Strategy, Management Consulting, Investment Banking, Private Equity, Venture Capital, GTM Strategy, or related analytical roles.
• Experience supporting commercialization efforts, pricing and packaging initiatives, strategic partnerships, market expansion, or go-to-market execution.
• Demonstrated ability to structure ambiguous business problems, develop hypotheses, conduct analysis, and deliver actionable recommendations.
• Strong financial modeling, business analysis, and executive communication skills.
• Proven track record of managing cross-functional initiatives and influencing stakeholders across multiple teams.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-growth environments where priorities evolve quickly.

Preferred Industries & Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in:

• Management Consulting (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture Strategy, LEK, Oliver Wyman, EY-Parthenon, Strategy&)
• Investment Banking
• Private Equity
• Venture Capital
• Corporate Strategy
• Business Operations
• GTM Strategy
• Product Strategy
• Revenue Strategy
• High-Growth Technology or SaaS Companies
• Fintech, Payments, or Marketplace Businesses

Target Schools

Strong preference for candidates from highly selective universities with rigorous analytical, business, economics, engineering, or quantitative programs, including:

• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• Princeton University
• Yale University
• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Northwestern University
• University of Chicago
• Dartmouth College
• Brown University
• Cornell University
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
• University of Michigan
• University of Virginia
• Georgetown University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Georgia Institute of Technology

Equivalent international institutions and exceptional candidates from other universities with strong professional experience will also be considered.

Why join us

• Demand for online food delivery is growing really fast! In the last 5 years, just in the US, the overall market has expanded 10X from $10B to $100B, and could expand to $500bn- $1T by 2030.
• Changing the restaurant industry: You’ll be part of a