Ariel Avila

About Ariel Avila

I’m an operations leader with 15+ years of experience scaling and improving performance across complex, multi-site organizations. I’ve led large P & Ls, built and managed distributed teams, and driven operational change across both high-growth startups and large, asset-intensive enterprises.I currently work at Dollar General, where I focus on end-to-end operational performance inside one of the largest retail footprints in the U.S. The role has deepened my experience operating at true scale, working through legacy systems, cross-functional complexity, and execution constraints, while translating strategy into practical, repeatable processes that work across thousands of locations.Earlier in my career, I held senior operating roles at Pilot, Sonder, and Trunk Club. Across those companies, I owned $150M+ P & Ls, led teams of 200+ professionals, launched new products and markets, and improved unit economics and customer experience during periods of rapid growth and change. I’m comfortable moving between strategy and execution and going deep where needed to get results.I began my career at J.P. Morgan in investment banking and equity research and earned my MBA from Harvard Business School. That foundation continues to shape how I approach problems: structured, data-driven, and grounded in real operational trade-offs.At my core, I’m a general athlete. I can flex across operations, finance, and strategy, and I’m most effective in leadership roles where the mandate is clear but the path is not. I’m focused on senior operating roles at large or growing companies that need thoughtful leaders who can build teams, strengthen systems, and deliver results at scale.**Selected Owned $150M+ P & Ls and led distributed teams of 200+ across multi-site and digital operations.* Drove ~30% revenue growth, expanded margins by ~15 points, and increased CSAT from the mid-50s to mid-70s during periods of rapid growth and economic pressure.* Scaled organizations from early growth through post-IPO, building repeatable operating models across functions and geographies.

Experience

1. Director, Corporate Process Improvement

   Dollar General

   Jul 2025 — Present · Nashville, TN, US

Education

• Harvard Business School

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Gies College of Business - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Finance

Skills

• Accounting
• Management
• Due Diligence
• Finance
• Equity Research
• Valuation
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Mentoring
• Financial Modeling
• Client Education
• Business Strategy
• Financial Analysis
• Strategy
• Market Analysis
• Corporate Finance
• Investments
• Report Writing