Program Manager, Product Operations Planning

Aurora Innovation•Dallas, TX

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone. At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We are seeking a highly experienced and mission-driven Program Manager to join our Product Operations Planning team based in Coppell, Texas, to plan & coordinate on-road development operations. This team member will play a pivotal role in overseeing, coordinating, and planning critical autonomous vehicle testing activities across our sites. This role is critical to driving product development, fleet optimization, and efficiency by ensuring all on-road development-focused activities are seamlessly coordinated and completed on time. Aurora’s Product and Development Operations team is making the technology of the future a reality. We are at the forefront of technology, providing thought partnership to product, operations & engineering and ensuring commercial operations capabilities are delivered on time, safely, and efficiently. Aurora’s Operations Team maintains a flexible schedule to ensure comprehensive mission support. To support our 24/7 engineering goals, off-hour work will be required as dictated by business needs. While we make every effort to maintain regular business hours, day-to-day working hours are determined by the operational demands of the fleet. Successful candidates should expect to provide additional support during peak testing seasons, including extended hours or holidays, to ensure the continuity of our engineering objectives. This position requires exceptional leadership, a safety-first focus, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment, requiring strong coordination with stakeholders across operations, software, and hardware.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in dispatch, fleet operations, or a related high-tempo scheduling environment.
Experience overseeing testing and product deployments
Skilled in creating detailed operational workflows, processes and (or) planning models
Exceptional critical thinking and the ability to make command decisions and take initiative.
Strong judgment and communication skills, especially in high-pressure or time-sensitive situations.
Conflict management and resolution experience.
Flexibility for day, night, and/or weekend work, not always planned far in advance.

Nice To Haves

Experience in operations, technology, robotics, or the automotive field.
BA/BS degree or high school diploma/GED with equivalent practical experience.
Experience coordinating across multiple stakeholder groups or geographies.
Deep understanding of risk analysis and management.

Responsibilities

Act as the primary owner and working lead for coordinating on-road development activities requiring immediate deployment and long-term scheduling.
Ensure mission prioritization and assignment are aligned with development goals and timelines while considering commercial and business goals
Own the accountability for ensuring development activities are completed on time, coordinating necessary field operations, and delivering proper documentation and status to stakeholders
Collaborate with engineering, product, operations, and customer teams to define project scopes, milestones, deliverables, and priorities
Serve as the cultural and motivational leader for the dispatch team, driving cross-functional stakeholders to meet company goals.
Drive continuous process improvement, leading side projects to enhance development readiness and maximize efficiency.
Lead project planning, resource allocation, and scheduling to ensure timely and efficient deployment
Provide direct support during daily dispatch management and act as the point of contact for emergent operations, incident response, and urgent scheduling adjustments.
Conduct risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies to address potential challenges
Communicate clearly, efficiently, and regularly to operations leadership and all stakeholders.