From Amazon's posting. “We” and “our” refer to the employer.
Bring your military leadership to Amazon, where the pace, complexity, and mission-driven culture will feel familiar. As an Operations Manager in our Pathways Program, you'll lead cross-functional teams, manage people, processes, and technology, and drive continuous improvement across one of the most innovative operations environments globally. From Day 1, you'll work on real business challenges, optimizing operations, enhancing the customer experience, and implementing scalable solutions across our global network.
This is your opportunity to translate your military leadership into a senior operations career at one of the world's most complex companies.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Pathways is Amazon's three-year Operations Leadership Development Program, designed to cultivate the next generation of senior operations leadership at Amazon. Participants will gain high visibility with senior executives while tackling challenging assignments across diverse sites, technologies, and geographies within our world-class operations network.
Day to day, participants will collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve complex operational challenges, take on progressively greater responsibilities, and work on real business initiatives that directly impact our operations. Along the way, participants will learn from experienced leaders, participate in cohort-based learning sessions, and build a network of peers who will become their professional community throughout their career at Amazon.
This program is designed to build global leadership capabilities and prepare participants for executive-level impact.
This program is open to transitioning service members and recently separated veterans. Current Amazon employees are not eligible to apply. The role appears on Amazon's internal portal solely for employee referral purposes.
Candidates should be active duty service members preparing to transition, or veterans who have separated within the past 12 months.
This role is for Pathways positions at Amazon operations facilities across the United States. Successful candidates will work with their recruiter to be matched to a site prior to receiving an offer.
Annual Pathways cohorts start between January and July. This application is for opportunities with start dates in 2027.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Pathways graduates may lead organizations of nearly 4,000 people, manage labor budgets exceeding $2.5 million per week, and oversee $1B+ in capital projects. Here's how the program gets you there:
Step 1: Area Manager - Hit the ground running by leading 50–100 associates on the front lines of one of Amazon's world-class fulfillment, sortation, or delivery centers. This is where you'll build your operational foundation, learning how to lead people and systems at scale.
Step 2: Operations Manager - Take on greater responsibility by leading and developing other managers. You'll drive process improvements and collaborate cross-functionally across your site, region, and network.
Step 3: Senior Operations Manager - Graduate from the program as a senior leader known for operational excellence. In this role, you'll lead through others to execute regional or network-level initiatives, whether that's launching a new business, leading a major project, or running an entire site.
WHY MILITARY LEADERS THRIVE IN PATHWAYS: Your experience leading teams under pressure, managing complex logistics, making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information, and operating in fast-paced, mission-critical environments translates directly to this role. Pathways leaders with military backgrounds consistently demonstrate strong performance and accelerated progression within the program.
Amazon's Leadership Principles, including Bias for Action, Ownership, and Deliver Results, closely mirror the values you've built throughout your service.
SITE PLACEMENT & EXPECTED HOURS:
Must be willing to relocate at time of hire. Placement is driven primarily by business need, with consideration given to individual location preferences.
The role is based in one of Amazon's operations facilities across the United States, including fulfillment centers, sort centers, delivery stations, Amazon Air, return centers, or other warehouse environments. Successful candidates will work with their recruiter to be matched to a site prior to receiving an offer.
This is a demanding, hands-on role where hours may vary based on seasonal peaks and operational needs. Candidates should expect to work weekends, holidays, and/or overnight shifts, with overtime as needed.
COMPENSATION: Total compensation for Pathways Operations includes three elements: (1) Base pay, (2) Sign-on bonus (paid over first two years), (3) Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).
Key job responsibilities
Lead, coach, and develop your team, fostering a culture of accountability, growth, high performance, and customer obsession
Partner with senior leadership to identify and solve complex business and operational challenges, thinking both strategically and tactically
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by analyzing operational data, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing scalable solutions
Make real-time decisions in a fast-paced environment, balancing competing priorities to meet safety, quality, and productivity goals
Collaborate cross-functionally with technology, engineering, and supply chain teams to improve end-to-end processes
Basic Qualifications
Transitioned/Retired within 1 year (NO EXCEPTIONS)
Approximately 10 years of active duty military service
Commissioned officer at the company-grade level
Experience leading teams in operational or logistics environments
Preferred Qualifications
United States Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, or Coast Guard Academy graduate
Experience in operations, logistics, supply chain, or engineering-related military occupational specialties
Battalion or company-level command experience, or equivalent leadership of 100+ personnel
Experience managing complex logistics, transportation, or supply chain operations
Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, particularly Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Systems, or Computer Engineering
Equal Opportunity
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The starting pay for this position is listed below. Starting Day 1 of employment, Amazon offers EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, 401(k) matching. Learn more about our benefits at https://hiring.amazon.com/why-amazon/benefits.
Seattle, WA, USA - 147,100.00 USD Annually
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