Technical Program Director "Uber" PMO

Celestica • Richardson, TX

10d

About The Position

Celestica’s Hardware Platform Solutions (HPS) designs and delivers data center hardware for hyperscale and technology customers. The Technical Program Director is the single accountable technical owner of a strategic customer program, guiding it from concept through new product introduction (NPI) and volume ramp. The role reports to the VP of Operations Engineering, serves as the customer’s primary technical contact, and leads a matrixed team spanning hardware, software, systems engineering, program management, and new product development. The director also partners closely with supplier development, manufacturing, and site NPI teams.

The role is based in the USA, with San Jose, Austin, or Richardson listed as location options. Regular travel to customer and HPS sites is expected. A six-month expatriate assignment in Thailand may also be possible, with some flexibility around the arrangement.

Success means meeting phase gates and customer milestones on plan, achieving strong first-pass yield at each build, closing manufacturability and test findings before NPI, delivering within program cost targets, and maintaining customer satisfaction while resolving escalations quickly.

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in hardware product development, including 7+ years leading complex technical programs.
• Experience delivering data center, server, storage, or networking hardware for hyperscale or tier-1 OEM customers.
• Proven track record taking products through EVT/DVT/PVT, NPI, and volume ramp in a JDM, ODM, or EMS environment.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams across multiple sites and time zones.
• Strong working knowledge of DFM, DFT, test strategy, and manufacturing process capability.
• Customer-facing experience with senior technical and executive stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, or Systems Engineering, or equivalent; educational qualifications may vary by geographic location.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in engineering or an MBA.
• PMP or equivalent certification.
• Experience working with manufacturing partners in Asia.

Responsibilities

• Own the integrated program plan, including schedule, milestones, phase gates, budget, and risks, and drive execution through EVT, DVT, PPVT, PVT, optimization, NPI, and volume ramp against quality, cost, and schedule targets.
• Ensure alignment at phase-gate reviews, establish clear entry and exit criteria, and make go/no-go recommendations.
• Serve as the customer’s primary technical contact and establish and run engagement cadences, including weekly technical syncs and quarterly business reviews.
• Own the customer escalation path and resolve issues at the lowest effective level.
• Lead engineering and program teams through a matrix structure; set priorities and resolve design, resource, and schedule trade-offs.
• Define and apply the program RACI, decision rights, change control, and reporting practices.
• Introduce design-for-manufacturability and design-for-test considerations early, and confirm test readiness and process capability before each build.
• Align supplier qualification, material readiness, and production-line readiness with the program schedule.
• Report program health to senior leadership and the customer, and close review actions on time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director