Program Manager, EPD Operations

Tailscale

7d • $114,000 - $143,000 • Remote

About The Position

Tailscale is seeking a full-time Program Manager to support Engineering, Product, and Design (EPD) operations. This tactical, implementation-focused role shapes how EPD operates and collaborates by building and refining processes, establishing effective operating rhythms, driving ongoing improvements, and owning processes that support operational health. The role helps the organization understand operational trends and identify where improvements are needed.

As an early-stage, fully remote company, Tailscale needs someone able to work independently and align teams involved in building its product. A deep understanding of technical engineering organizations and their common workflows and friction points is essential. The successful candidate will be comfortable collaborating with highly technical teams, working asynchronously, responding to ambiguity, and progressing work without a clearly defined deliverable.

The role is part of the TPM team and works across operational health, data and reporting, planning, project tracking, reviews, retrospectives, and process improvement. Tailscale is a remote-first company and offers base salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits. The listed US base salary range is $114,000–$143,000.

Requirements

• Experience as a Program Manager or Technical Program Manager coordinating stakeholders and cross-functional teams, particularly within Engineering and with Product.
• Experience as a Program Manager or Technical Program Manager in a remote startup environment.
• Deep working understanding of technical engineering organizations, day-to-day operations, common workflows and tools, and typical technical and process friction points.
• Experience owning operational health processes such as bug tracking, incidents, reliability, or escalations, and using them to drive measurable efficiency gains.
• Strong data skills, including building dashboards and reports with tools such as Jira and Snowflake, and the ability to read and interpret data.
• Ability to identify data trends, explain what is happening and why it matters, recommend changes, and implement the processes needed to act on them.
• Experience supporting planning cycles, project tracking, and recurring reviews such as project status, leadership roadmap, or priority reviews.
• Comfort working with ambiguity and undefined deliverables, with motivation to improve how work is done rather than only complete a fixed checklist.
• Tactical, execution-first approach, with enthusiasm for hands-on implementation and delivery.
• Experience working with Engineering, Product, and Design leadership; understanding their priorities and helping move initiatives forward and communicate goals across the company.
• Ability to give and receive constructive feedback and work independently.
• Ability to communicate openly in written and verbal communication while supporting innovation and inclusivity.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and project management tools such as Jira, Notion, and GitHub.
• Familiarity with technical solutions, engineering practices, and the security and engineering lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve processes for bug tracking, incidents, reliability, and escalations to drive efficiency and progress toward EPD operational health goals.
• Identify trends in operational health data and communicate clear insights about EPD's performance and improvement needs.
• Build dashboards and reports using tools such as Jira and Snowflake to provide EPD and the broader company visibility into operational health and progress.
• Interpret data, explain what it indicates and why it matters, and design and implement process changes in response.
• Identify process gaps with EPD and develop an appropriate level of process to address them.
• Support planning activities and project tracking processes across EPD.
• Help run project status reviews, leadership roadmap reviews, and priority reviews, ensuring the necessary information and participants are prepared.
• Connect systems, processes, and teams to identify overlapping, conflicting, or simplifiable efforts and act on those opportunities.
• Support EPD initiatives that need structure or follow-through, including work outside defined programs.
• Run project retrospectives with participants and stakeholders to identify what went well and what should change in future project work.
• Pursue ongoing improvement and simplification of business operating procedures and practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package including base salary, equity incentive plan, and variable commission for quota-based roles.
• Comprehensive group health, vision, and dental benefits for employees and their families, with no waiting period.
• Employer-funded retirement contributions, matching contributions dollar-for-dollar up to a maximum annual employer contribution of 0.75% of eligible compensation.
• Annual company retreat, team off-sites, and supported team travel for in-person collaboration.
• $1,500 USD annually for professional development, plus mentorship, coaching, and internal promotion opportunities.
• Flexible paid time off.
• Company-owned laptop choice (Mac or PC), monthly home internet reimbursement, and $500 USD to customize a home workstation.
• Paid parental leave top-ups: 20 weeks for birthing parents and 16 weeks for non-birthing parents.
• Flexible work environment and access to a corporate co-working program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed