Program Director, Apptronik

• 7+ years of experience in program management, technical partnerships, or product development leadership in a technology environment
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs or co-development efforts with external partners or customers
• Engineering background with strong technical fluency in at least one relevant domain (e.g., robotics, autonomous systems, AI/ML, complex hardware–software systems) and the ability to engage credibly with senior engineers and researchers
• Proven ability to turn high-level strategic objectives into structured plans, with clear milestones, owners, and measurable outcomes
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing and presenting updates to VP/C-level audiences
• Strong relationship-building skills and a track record of effectively influencing without direct authority across functions and organizations
• Highly organized, with excellent follow-through and attention to detail in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment

Desirable

• The Program Director – Technical Partnerships is responsible for leading Apptronik’s most important technical development partnerships
• This role is the central point of coordination between Apptronik’s engineering and product teams and our partners’ technical teams
• You will own the joint technical roadmap, align workstreams and deliverables across both organizations, and ensure that interface definitions, models, data, and hardware/software integrations land on time and at the right level of quality
• You will translate executive intent into concrete technical plans and keep the entire partnership on track toward shared milestones
• Develop and maintain the long-term technical strategy and multi-year roadmap for key partnership, in collaboration with Apptronik and partner leadership
• Translate high-level business and product goals into clear joint technical workstreams, milestones, and success criteria
• Ensure that partnership plans are aligned with Apptronik’s product roadmap and internal plans of record
• Drive alignment between Apptronik and partner engineering teams on architectures, APIs, data requirements, simulation environments, hardware interfaces, and integration points
• Coordinate joint technical reviews (e.g., architecture, integration, performance) as appropriate, and ensure decisions are captured, communicated, and executed
• Track progress against technical deliverables and integration milestones on both sides, and intervene early when things drift
• Define and run the governance model for the partnership, including meeting cadences, decision forums, and communication channels
• Serve as the primary program contact for partner technical and program leadership, ensuring a single, coherent view of status, risks, and decisions
• Prepare clear, concise updates and narratives for internal and partner executives, including quarterly reviews and steering committee meetings
• Proactively identify technical, schedule, and organizational risks; drive mitigation plans with accountable owners in both organizations
• Make cross-team and cross-company dependencies explicit and ensure they are tracked, owned, and de-risked
• Work with functional leaders to ensure appropriate resources are allocated to meet joint commitments and critical milestones
• PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate