Technical Program Manager

AI71

The Role:

As AI71 continues to grow and our Engineering and Product teams expand, the role of Program Management (PgM) and Technical Program Management (TPgM) has become critical to ensuring our ability to deliver on our product roadmap. This function sits directly under the Chief Product & Technology Officer, working in close partnership with Engineering, Product Managers, and Designers.

We are looking for a versatile and highly skilled Technical Program Manager or Program Manager who can drive complex technical initiatives from conception to delivery. You will be at the intersection of product strategy and technical execution, playing a pivotal role in orchestrating cross-functional teams and ensuring seamless product delivery at scale. This role is essential for fostering high-performing team cultures and proactively removing blockers to build world-class products.

What Youll Do:

• Program Leadership & Delivery:
• Scope and drive complex and ambitious technical programs cutting across multiple teams
• Own the delivery of complex technical programs and projects, encompassing planning, execution, and successful delivery. This includes managing the critical path, tracking, and overall project progress.
• Drive progress against the product roadmap and ensure the timely release of features and functionalities.
• Ensure alignment and delivery within chosen methodologies, which may involve recommending and implementing specific frameworks appropriate for our growth and complexity.
• Cross-functional Coordination & Communication:
• Act as a central communication bridge between technical teams and various non-technical stakeholders, including sales, engineers, product managers, designers, and leadership.
• Facilitate key team meetings and workshops such as team standups, retrospectives, OKR planning sessions, and sprint planning.
• Manage stakeholder relationships by providing proactive reporting, sharing crucial information, and ensuring clear communication across the organization
• Technical Acumen & Risk Mitigation:
• Be the trusted owner of the status of your projects, anticipate and propose solutions to issues and risks
• Demonstrate a strong ability to "dive deep" into technical designs, understand various architectural approaches, and critically evaluate proposed solutions.
• Ask pertinent technical questions to ensure optimal tradeoffs are made and to proactively identify risks, particularly those stemming from technical complexity or cross-team dependencies.
• Spot potential "watermelons" projects that appear green (on track) but are red (at risk) by applying technical depth and critical thinking
• Process Improvement & Scaling:
• Develop, refine, and champion scalable mechanisms and processes that are not only repeatable but also desirable for adoption by other teams across the organization.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Product Leads to develop and embed technical upskilling curricula across the organization.
• Strategic Alignment & Product Development Integration:
• Work closely with Design, Research, Product, and Engineering teams throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from discovery through delivery.
• Contribute to and oversee continuous discovery practices, helping to reduce risks across value, usability, feasibility, and business viability.
• Ensure that backlog creation and refinement processes lead to a shared understanding of requirements and readiness for development, with clear user stories and functional/non-functional requirements defined.
  

What Youll Bring:

• Proven experience in a Program Management or Technical Program Management role, ideally within a fast-paced technology or AI startup environment
• A background in engineering is highly preferred, demonstrating a strong technical foundation
• Demonstrated success in managing the planning, execution, and delivery of complex technical projects.
• Ability to delve into AI concepts and engage in deep discussions with engineers, critiquing designs and identifying technical risks.
• Good overall knowledge of the key components of AI products - LLMs, eval, context, etc.
• A proactive mindset with a strong ability to identify and solve problems, especially those related to cross-team dependencies and organizational bottlenecks.
• Comfort working in an evolving startup environment where processes may be built from the ground up and require continuous iteration.