Technical Program Manager (Mech & Elec Sys.)

ESS Inc•Wilsonville, OR

About The Position

ESS is seeking a Technical Program Manager II, BESS Mechanical & Electrical (NPD / NPI) to drive strategic planning and program execution across mechanical and electrical systems product development initiatives. This role drives detailed program planning, coordination, and delivery for complex, cross-functional development efforts, ensuring that timelines are realistic, dependencies are understood, and teams remain aligned to product roadmaps and company commitments as we deliver next-generation energy storage products. You will act as a key execution leader, integrating internal teams of engineers, architects, product leaders, and third-party partners into a cohesive program, proactively managing dependencies, resolving risks, optimizing costs, and synchronizing timelines to ensure business objectives are realized effectively and with emphasis on comprehensive quality. This role operates with moderate autonomy and emphasizes hands-on coordination, schedule integration, and risk management, serving as a bridge between domain execution and enterprise program objectives. The ideal candidate is proactive, highly organized, technologically fluent, and comfortable navigating competing priorities with support from leadership.

Requirements

Business mindset and the ability to develop and maintain an effective program strategy aligned to enterprise objectives
5-8+ years of experience in technical program management, project management, or engineering within a physical product development environment
Experience orchestrating complex, multi-team projects & programs outputs in integrated system NPD / NPI or product evolution applications – relevant industries include automotive, aerospace, energy, or similar technical products
Strong working knowledge of product development + NPI lifecycles and PMI processes
Proven ability to manage cross-functional dependencies and external partners
Excellent organizational, communication, and stakeholder coordination skills
Ability to operate independently in fast-paced, evolving environments
Strong analytical mindset with attention to detail and follow-through
Ability to engage deeply and motivate technical teams without direct authority and understand complex integrated system design strategies / development interplay to identify associated effort, risks, & challenges
Ability to deal with ambiguity and dynamic priorities
Execution-focused with the ability to operate ‘in the details’ while maintaining program alignment
Proactively identifies risks and drives mitigation in partnership with engineering and program leadership
Drives clarity, accountability, and alignment across complex programs
Builds strong cross-functional relationships and fosters collaboration
Drives impact through data-driven communication
Balances structure and flexibility to enable execution in dynamic environments
Maintains high standards for communication quality, consistency, and transparency

Nice To Haves

Experience in energy storage, power systems, EV, utilities, or similar industries
Background in hardware-focused NPI and integrated systems product development
Experience with mechanical / electrical subcontractors, consultants, and equipment suppliers
Familiarity and / or experience navigating product safety and regulatory compliance requirements and certification
Familiarity with information management tools such as Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira, Confluence, Oracle Cloud, Fusion PLM
Proficiency with Excel and / or PowerBI
PgMP, PMP, Scrum, or similar certification (strongly preferred)

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end strategic planning and execution of mechanical and electrical system development programs
Develop and maintain integrated program plans, including milestones, dependencies, and risks
Proactively engage with mechanical and electrical engineering teams to ensure progress against milestones, leveraging sprint methodologies to keep teams focused and organized
Partner with technical SMEs to define, scope, and manage subcontractor engagements, including development of SoW and deliverable expectations
Serve as the primary coordination point for third-party development vendors, ensuring alignment to program timelines and deliverables
Identify, escalate, and resolve cross-team risks, blockers, and execution gaps with support from leadership
Synthesize program status into clear, actionable insights for leadership and PMO stakeholders
Run program reviews, standups, and status communications with a focus on accuracy and consistency
Support maintained alignment of program scope against evolving customer commitments, internal roadmaps, and enterprise milestones
Support translation of product and technical strategy into executable plans
Implement and reinforce program management tools, processes, and governance standards
Develop and maintain resource planning, forecasting, and program-level budgeting as needed
Drive continuous improvement in program execution, coordination, and reporting practices