Head Of Program Delivery

About Us

At Saildrone, we sustainably explore, map, and monitor the oceans to understand, protect, and preserve our world. Saildrone provides real-time access to critical data from any ocean on earth, 24/7/365, and uses proprietary software applications to transform that data into actionable insights and intelligence. Saildrone’s fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), powered by renewable wind and solar power, have a minimal carbon footprint and operate without the need for a crewed support vehicle. We work with governments, civil agencies, foundations, universities, and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas—from sailing into the eye of a category 4 hurricane to obtain new data about how storms intensify collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, and counting fish biomass to inform sustainable fishery management, to mapping the ocean floor and reducing illegal fishing and drug trafficking. As a result of our work, we have been included on Fast Company’s annual list of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022”, earned the 2022 Ocean Awards’ Innovation Award, won “Best Tech For Good” in the 2022 Timmy Awards, and were recognized by Andreessen-Horowitz’s American Dynamism 50 list of the “Top 50 companies kickstarting American renewal. Saildrone’s hurricane mission was included as one of the New York Times’ “21 Things That Happened for the First Time in 2021,” and Popular Science's “100 Greatest Innovations of 2021.”

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC, St. Petersburg, FL, and Fall River, MA, and operate our missions worldwide. We are backed by top-tier investors in the frontier-tech and sustainability sectors, including Social Capital, Capricorn, Lux Capital, BOND Capital, and Emerson Collective.

This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services and autonomous hardware. You will be an integral part of a high-performing multi-disciplinary delivering high impact for humanity and future generations.

The Role

The Head of Program Delivery will be responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction through mission success, directly reporting to the COO. The core function will be to align a team of Program Managers (PM’s) and specialists supporting 3 individual Saildrone business units: Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Meteorology & Oceanography (Met-Ocean), and Ocean Mapping (Bathymetry), all while acting as the Voice of the Customer. Saildrone PM’s manage the end-to-end execution of all drone missions, requiring coordination and planning across multiple operational teams. Planning, scheduling, and communication are core to mission success. Account Executives and Sales teams bring contract missions and PM’s are entrusted to earn trust with customers at the operational level. The Head of Program Delivery must work to balance resources and combine multiple mission schedules across business units to ensure proper resource allocation, communication, and high customer satisfaction. The Head of Program Development will also create full visibility into mission execution for senior executives by providing timely reporting via dashboards and other tools.

• Lead program management operations executing drone missionsglobally across different business verticals to ensure product delivery success
• Proactively identify problems threatening successful delivery of customer missions and develop and implement solutions Work closely with the Sales and Account Executives to facilitate the feasibility, study, approval and execution of the global programs
• Manage customer relationship on a global basis and will act as the key escalation point for all product programs and operational performance issues
• Work to ensure the appropriate Project Managers and project resources are assigned to all customer projects
• Partner with leadership to guide prioritization of projects and utilization of resources, while regularly delivering progress reports
• Drive and build consensus across teams and people
• Build and lead a Program Management function/capability, including implementation of a system or tool to facilitate management of multiple projects of varied sizes
• Leading the identification, development, and implementation of process improvements for program management processes and tools
• Assist in the development of performance metrics, dashboards and management tools that clearly articulate the status of key activities ensuring timely and successful execution
• Delivers highly effective Program Management processes with focus on planning, scheduling and controlling

Qualification

• Bachelor or Master Degree in Engineering, Business,Management, MBA, Project Management; or equivalent workexperience
• Proven track record of managing complex programs across multipleteams from inceptions through completion
• Experience Managing successful teams throughout the life cycle ofProgram Delivery
• Demonstrated ability to identify and solve problems in a collaborativeand cross-functional manner
• High energy, focused tenacity, sense of humor, desire to eliminateambiguity and focus on transparency
• Intellectually curious, interested in data analysis and results-driven
• 10+ years of experience as Program Manager or equivalent
• PMP Certification (not required, but desired)
• Role is based in Alameda, CA (onsite, daily)
• 10%-15% travel

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. Even our walls have good karma, our offices mix software development with a hardware production line in the former airplane hangar used to film 'The Matrix'.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents.
• Short and relaxing ferry ride from the Ferry Building for SF residents
• Enhanced Parental Leave Programs
• Competitive benefits including excellent medical, life insurance, 401k plan

Catch up on the latest news about us:

Interagency Public-Private Partnership Sends Uncrewed Saildrone to Explore Remote Alaskan Waters - NOAA OER (August 11, 2022)

An Unprecedented View Inside a Hurricane – EOS (May 6, 2022)

Meet the sailing robots trying to solve climate change – The Hill (Mar. 18, 2022)

They Sailed Into a Hurricane, Now these Unmanned Saildrones are Seeking Data on Our Carbon Uptake – CNN (Dec. 9, 2021)

Saildrone Catches a $100M C Breeze to Build More Robo-boats – TechCrunch (Oct. 18, 2021)

With A Sight, Sound And Radar Picture, Saildrone Could Build An AI Database Of Everything In The Ocean – Forbes (Aug. 16, 2021)

Changing Arctic Environment Could Also Change Technologies Needed to Protect It, Experts Say – SeaPower Magazine (Aug. 2, 2021)

Autonomous Research Vehicle Completes Ocean Crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii – Hydro International (July 13, 2021)

Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors

Individuals who require employer sponsorship to remain employed in the United States now or in the future will not be considered for hire for certain positions.

Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Saildrone are considered property of Saildrone and are not subject to payment of agency fees.

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