Pelago is the leading specialty substance use care provider, built on the belief that effective treatment means matching care intensity to what each member actually needs rather than defaulting to the most expensive intervention. Our programs guide members through every stage of the substance use spectrum, from unhealthy habits to active use disorders, delivering personalized treatment for tobacco, alcohol, opioid, cannabis, and stimulant use based on individual health, habits, genetics, and goals.
With Sona, our voice-first AI Mental Health Specialist, Pelago now applies that same clinically-driven model to mental health, pairing deep clinical expertise with technology to expand access without compromising care quality. We believe technology should make clinical care more precise and more human, not replace the judgment behind it.
Pelago has scaled to helping hundreds of employers and health plans and has already helped more than 750,000 members better manage their substance use. If you're passionate about AI and making an impact on the health of others, join us and make it happen!
Overview of the Role:
Pelago is looking for a Director of Business Operations to serve as a strategic right hand to our SVP of Operations and a force multiplier across the business. This person will lead Pelago's shift to an AI-native operating model, drive cross-functional initiatives that don't fit neatly inside any one function, and drop into the business wherever clarity or momentum is missing.
This isn't a process-builder role. The right candidate understands how businesses actually work — how functions connect, how each leader operates, and what best-in-class looks like across them. They can read a P&L, connect financials to operating levers, and translate that understanding into the right priorities. They use that knowledge to design what doesn't exist yet, not just fix what's broken, and they have the analytical muscle and organizational instincts to bring others along with them.
This is a hybrid role with a high-collaboration rhythm (3 days/week in our NYC office).
In this role you will:
Lead AI Transformation
Own Governance & Operating Rhythm
Drive Cross-Functional Initiatives
The background we are looking for:
What you'll love about us:
We strive to ensure Pelago employees have equitable access to healthcare, wellbeing, time away, and then some.
At this time, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
Please note that Pelago is dedicated to providing accommodations to candidates upon request. If you need accommodations at any point throughout the interview process, please reach out to your recruiter.
The provided range reflects our US target salary range for this full-time position, which is part of our broader total compensation package, including incentive bonus program, stock options, comprehensive benefits, and incentive pay applicable to eligible roles. Individual pay within the range will vary based on a variety of factors like role-related experience and education, internal pay equity, and other relevant business factors. At Pelago, we are committed to an equitable and fair pay philosophy and review total compensation for our employees at least twice a year.
Based on 4,489 disclosed Operations salaries on RoleSuite, the role pays a median of $112K/year, with most offers between $83K and $148K (10th–90th percentile: $63K–$188K).
This posting lists $200K–$220K, above the $112K market median.
See the full Operations salary breakdown →