Staff Technical Program Manager

Rivian•Irvine, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Sr. Technical Program Manager (TPM) on the Upfit Team, you will serve as the strategic engine driving Rivian’s upfitting initiatives, future roadmap planning, and comprehensive product plan. Beyond standard execution, this role requires a visionary leader who will also play a critical part in supporting Rivian's commercial van programs, with an emphasis on driving change management for continuous improvement designs. This is a highly dynamic and fluid environment where priorities shift rapidly. We are seeking a proactive self-starter who doesn't wait for direction, but rather identifies opportunities, defines the work, and drives cross-functional alignment. By leveraging strong data analytics and strategic problem-solving, you will collaborate closely with Product Development, Engineering, Operations, and business partners to evaluate, implement, and scale new solutions for Rivian’s commercial vehicle portfolio.

Requirements

5-7+ years of experience in technical program management within the Automotive, Tier 1, OEM, or a closely related technical field.
Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in Industrial/Mechanical Engineering, Business, Operations, or Finance.
Proficiency in Jira and Databricks is essential.
Must be fluent in utilizing modern AI tools to accelerate workflows and data analysis.
Broad experience defining, launching, and driving strategic process redesign initiatives to improve both internal and external operations.
Proven ability to operate autonomously, seeking out innovations and presenting new strategies to continuously improve the organization.

Nice To Haves

Strong preference for candidates with a background in commercial fleets, commercial vehicles, or B2B enterprise projects.
Experience with CAD/Catia/Enovia/PLM is highly preferred.
Knowledge of upfitting and general aftermarket product development is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Act as the primary TPM driving strategic upfit initiatives, future product roadmap planning, and comprehensive product and upfit validations.
Lead key aspects of the commercial van program, taking ownership of change management for continuous improvement designs to optimize vehicle performance, utility, and partner integration.
Leverage tools like Databricks, Jira, and emerging AI technologies to build robust analytics reporting, track KPIs, and drive informed, first-principles decision-making across the business.
Navigate and thrive in a fast-paced setting where priorities shift frequently. Proactively identify operational gaps, define project scopes, and pioneer process redesigns without waiting for top-down direction.
Foster operational partnerships with Engineering, Purchasing, Demand Planning, Logistics, and Finance to translate complex vehicle-level requirements into seamless, actionable milestones.
Oversee the end-to-end integration of Authorized and Preferred Upfit partners, ensuring seamless alignment with Rivian’s internal systems, service requirements, and core values.
Lead business reviews by providing exceptionally organized, high-impact updates, clearly articulating project status, risks, and actionable recommendations to leadership and external stakeholders.