Technical Program Director

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Spearhead the technical execution of intricate strategic initiatives that involve product, engineering, and data teams.

• Define and uphold scope, schedule, and budget baselines.

• Keep a centralized source of truth for program status.

• Develop comprehensive program plans and dependency maps across engineering, product, QA, data, and operations.

• Manage program-management rhythms including RAID logs, steering committees, change control, and milestone gates.

• Monitor budget expenditure and project forecast variance.

• Take ownership of status reports, steering committee updates, and stakeholder sessions.

• Deliver clear and actionable updates to the CTO and executive stakeholders.

• Connect teams and facilitate decision-making processes.

• Proactively identify risks and obstacles, driving resolution or mitigation strategies.

• Appropriately escalate blockers when necessary.

• Oversee cross-team engineering, infrastructure, vendor, and third-party dependencies.

• Monitor program spending and resource allocation in collaboration with engineering leadership and finance.

• Supervise third-party or vendor workstreams as necessary.

• Ensure that business stakeholders are informed about changes, timelines, and operational impacts.

• Implement formal change management for scope, timeline, and sequencing adjustments.

• Report directly to the CTO.

• Potentially recruit and lead a small team of Program or Project Managers as the portfolio expands.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 5 years of pertinent experience leading complex, technical, cross-functional programs.

• PMP certification or an equivalent demonstration of program management expertise.

• Proven track record in managing programs with real budget, staffing, and executive accountability.

• Proficient in both structured (waterfall/stage-gate) and Agile delivery methodologies.

• Demonstrated skill in using LLM tools, particularly Claude Cowork.

• Capability to establish and oversee AI projects with scheduled, automated tasks.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.

• Comfortable operating across multiple concurrent, high-visibility initiatives.

• Experience in establishing or enhancing a PMO function or program governance model within an engineering organization.

• Hands-on expertise with program/PPM tools such as Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, or MS Project.

• Preferred: experience in payroll, HR technology, entertainment/media production finance, or another regulated, operationally complex field.

• Preferred: experience managing vendor or systems-integrator relationships in technical delivery programs.

• Additional certifications such as PgMP, SAFe, or Lean Six Sigma are advantageous.

• Ability to work remotely within California.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical

• Dental

• Vision

• PTO

• Health and wellness programs

• Employee discounts