Senior Staff Technical Program Manager (R5270)

Shield AI is building the world's best AI pilot. Hivemind powers intelligent aircraft, drones, and robotic systems that operate autonomously in demanding environments. As a Senior Staff Technical Program Manager for Hivemind Catalyst, you will operate at the intersection of technology, strategy, business development, and execution.

Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Execution

• Lead technical program management activities for Hivemind customer programs.
• Develop technical execution plans driving technology maturation and successful customer outcomes.
• Establish clear milestones, entry criteria, exit criteria, and measurable success metrics across programs.
• Manage program cost, schedule, scope, risk, dependencies, and resource allocation.
• Track customer spending against contractual budgets and program commitments.
• Identify risks early and drive mitigation strategies reducing technical, schedule, and business uncertainty.
• Hold internal and external stakeholders accountable to commitments while maintaining strong customer relationships.

Software and Roadmap Alignment

• Embed closely within Hivemind Enterprise teams to ensure customer needs are accurately represented in product and engineering priorities.
• Drive closed-loop communication between customers, engineering teams, and business stakeholders.
• Support software release planning, roadmap development, prioritization, and resource allocation decisions.
• Ensure technical investments align with strategic priorities, revenue opportunities, and customer outcomes.
• Advocate for capabilities creating the greatest impact for customers and the business.

Customer Strategy and Technical Planning

• Review and assess Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates, Statements of Work (SOWs), proposals, bids, and customer engagements.
• Develop pricing recommendations, high-level technical decompositions, project plans, and execution strategies.
• Partner with customers to define technical roadmaps accelerating development, deployment, and operationalization of sovereign autonomy capabilities.
• Help customers establish practical paths from prototype to production and mission-ready deployment.
• Support business development, capture, and growth initiatives through technical planning, proposal development, and customer engagement.

Internal Strategic Execution

• Own and maintain technical execution roadmaps across internal Catalyst priorities.
• Create structure, prioritization frameworks, and execution plans for internal research and development efforts.
• Drive alignment across multiple technical roadmaps and identify interdependencies, conflicts, and resource constraints.
• Monitor program health, track progress against objectives, and facilitate data-driven decision making.
• Support organizational OKRs and key performance metrics through disciplined execution and reporting.

Executive Communication and Stakeholder Management

• Develop executive-level communications, briefings, summaries, and decision materials.
• Support strategic forums such as Monthly Portfolio Reviews, Executive Steering Committees, and Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Communicate effectively with senior engineering, business, government, and international stakeholders.
• Drive alignment across technical, operational, financial, and strategic priorities.

Strategic Initiatives

• Lead and support high-impact strategic initiatives enabling company growth and global expansion.
• Partner across engineering, legal, compliance, finance, facilities, business development, and operations teams to solve complex cross-functional challenges.
• Contribute to international expansion efforts, including establishment of new offices, partnerships, and operating models.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in Technical Program Management within a fast-paced technology organization.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional technical programs involving software, systems, and external stakeholders.
• Experience developing project plans, execution roadmaps, schedules, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycles, release planning, and technical product roadmaps.
• Experience supporting customer-facing programs, proposals, SOW development, or technical business development activities.
• Demonstrated ability to drive clarity, alignment, and execution in ambiguous environments.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level communications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make informed decisions using incomplete information.
• Ability to work effectively across engineering, product, business development, finance, and operations organizations.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%, including domestic and international travel.

Benefits

• Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
• Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)