Manager, US Development Fleet Operations

Volkswagen•Austin, TX

37d•Onsite

About The Position

As ADMT, we develop and realize fully autonomous mobility and transportation services. Our mission is to make mobility-and transportation-as-a-service safe, accessible, and most attractive for society. For that, we cover the entire ground from strategy and business development, software development and end-2-end integration, fleet operations to next-generation self-driving systems. Being the driver in Volkswagen Group initiative for mobility solutions, we're an integral part of Volkswagen Group's future success. ADMT represents the Volkswagen Group as its driver for building self-driving technology. With experienced leaders in the field and collaborative partnerships with some of the world's largest automakers, we're building self-driving technology that is engineered to scale globally and transform mobility for millions. Talented individuals join our team because they share our purpose to make it safe, easy, and enjoyable for everyone to get around. We aspire to impact key industries that move people and goods, from ride hailing to deliveries.Long Description The Head of US SDS Vehicle Development Operations is a senior leadership role responsible within the Volkswagen Group's Autonomous Driving, Mobility and Transport (ADMT) business unit. This individual will be responsible for overseeing the strategic planning, execution, and optimization of autonomous vehicle (AV) development operations across multiple U.S. cities. This individual will be based out of the central ADMT development hub in Austin, TX and lead cross-functional development operations across multiple cities to ensure safe, scalable, and efficient AV operations, while aligning development initiatives with customer deployment objectives. This role requires deep operational expertise, a strong grasp of AV technologies, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and local constraints. They will drive operational excellence through data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and close collaboration with engineering, safety, and product teams. A key responsibility includes building and mentoring a geographically distributed team, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and safety while ensuring global standards for the operations of the fleets across different locations. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in scaling technical operations, managing large teams, and delivering results in fast-paced, global development environments. They will also oversee infrastructure readiness, fleet performance, and budget allocation to support long-term growth and deployment goals. This is a pivotal role in shaping the future of autonomous mobility in the U.S., requiring visionary leadership, operational rigor, and a passion for transforming urban transportation.

Requirements

10+ years of professional work experience
7+ years of operations and people management experience
Skilled in managing engineering, safety, product, and city operations teams.
Be a people-focused leader with the ability to build, mentor, and retain high-performing teams.
Ability to work cross-functionally across product, engineering, safety, facilities, and real estate to ensure critical feedback from the road is communicated through the correct channels
Strong ability to communicate (verbal and written) succinctly and effectively to various global audiences, from engineers to partners to C-level executives
Strong external communication skills for interfacing with external vendors, government officials, local communities and more.
Ability to set department objectives that challenge and drive results
Project management skills and use of industry standard tools
Financial acumen to manage multi-city budgets supported by strategic planning and resource allocation to manage ROI.
Proven ability to lead complex programs across geographically distributed teams and cities.
Knowledge of vehicle operations, maintenance, data collection, and performance monitoring.
Proficiency in data-driven approaches to identifying and mitigating operational and technical risks.
Strong mechanical aptitude and working knowledge of vehicle systems, components, and design characteristics
Asset management experience
Knowledge of Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and regulations governing the use of commercial vehicles
Ready and able to travel up to 50% of working times (international and domestic) to remote offices, training facilities or other testing cities subject to business needs
Ability to adhere to a flexible work schedule during the daytime hours of 7:00am - 4:00pm CST (schedule subject to change with proper notice given)

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with autonomous driving technology, sensors, hardware and functions.
Vehicle fleet management experience
Flexibility to accommodate change and thrive amid ambiguity
Passion for technology as an enabler for company growth
Ability to engage with federal, state, and local agencies to ensure legal and ethical deployment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools or equivalent

Responsibilities

Oversee the vehicle operations required to support AV development testing, verification and validation activities across all targeted deployment cities (as of now Austin, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Orlando, FL.
Build and manage a high-performing, geographically distributed operations team to support development activities, including test drivers, trainers, service technicians, contractors, their supervisors and support staff.
Manage the US development vehicle fleet and make informed decisions regarding their delivery, upgrades and distribution across Austin and relevant US cities.
Manage supplier on-site resident activities and priorities to meet operational demands.
Plan resources, recruit, supervise, mentor and retain talent to meet the demands of ADMT's projected development operational needs.
Ensure that the ADMT facility and vehicle fleet operates in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
Manage the facilities required to support quality fleet operations - including garaging, servicing, charging, networking, as well as the office environment for all involved personnel in the Austin development hub.
Drive the implementation of information technology (IT) and other infrastructure essential for efficient and scalable operations.
Represent the company's development testing activities in business and external forums during discussions, demonstrations, site tours and more.
Support the selection and usage of commercially available test tracks for vehicle testing or operator training.
Collaborate with the global ADMT test organization to shape best practices and execute test activities.
Assure adherence to global development testing standards.
Coordinate development activities with the Global MOIA team to ensure that customer-facing user testing and commercial operation schedules and other delivery needs are fulfilled.
Plan vehicle generation, quantities and deliveries with the vehicle supply teams based out of Germany.
Draft and deliver regular executive level reports/reporting to customers and stakeholders (partners, mentors, department heads, and top executives)
Identify key areas if inefficiency, work cross-functionally to establish best practices, and create & implement standard operating procedures
Identify necessary metrics and implement dashboards to analyze and report on fleet health, operational efficiency and more for the Austin hub and fleet.
Collaborate with ADMT Business strategy teams and MOIA leadership to define and execute the US strategy for autonomous vehicle (AV) development and deployment across multiple urban centers.
Align city-level operations with broader company goals, ensuring scalability, consistency, and innovation.
Establish operational KPIs and monitor operations performance across cities (e.g. safety metrics, vehicle uptime, resource utilization) to drive continuous improvement.
Own and manage budget for AV development operations across cities.