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 external candidates only; current Amazon employees are not eligible to apply. The role appears on Amazon's internal portal solely for employee referral purposes.
- Candidates should be currently enrolled in an MBA or Master's program, or have graduated from one within the past 24 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.
- Candidates who apply to multiple Amazon MBA roles will only be selected to interview for one.
- 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.
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
- 3+ years of professional or military experience
- Currently has, or is in the process of obtaining, a MBA or equivalent Master's level education degree
- Work flexible hours as business demands, including overnight, weekends and holidays
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience successfully leading and developing a team of direct and indirect reports
- 3+ years of military experience
- Currently has, or is in the process of obtaining, an MBA in supply chain management, operations, engineering, analytics, or a related field
- Currently has, or is in the process of obtaining, a Master of Engineering degree in one of the following disciplines: Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Systems, or Computer Engineering
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, particularly Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Systems, or Computer Engineering
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Seattle - 135,000.00 - 162,000.00 USD annually
