Job Description

Position Overview

The Principal Program Manager will lead sophisticated integrated test, measurement, and automation system programs for our largest and most strategic global customers. This role requires a strong focus on external customer engagement and successful delivery of sophisticated solutions.

As a key member of a growing, high-performing team, your ability to rapidly build rapport and trust with both internal and external customers will be essential to achieving successful outcomes.  This position offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the success of our key customers.

Organization

We believe in the power and potential of making connections – between people, ideas, and technology. We are dedicated to helping businesses thrive today, tomorrow, and for the next 100 years. In the Semiconductor & Electronics industries, changes in technology requirements often outpace the test coverage that traditional approaches offer for analog, mixed-signal, and RF test. 

Performance Objectives

• Create Program plans that drive successful, measurable Program execution: Ensure technical feasibility, financial viability, risk assessment and schedule are well understood by customers.  Identify and document market requirements. Work with internal Program teams to define technical solutions. Create a work breakdown structure to plans budget and routinely reassess as needed.  Actively handle risks to identify changes and mitigation strategies.  Clearly communicate all schedule constraints and Program achievements.
   
• Act as the single point of contact for the Program: 
• Develop Program communication plans and ensure execution to the plan, resulting in professional and consistent communication with internal customers. 
• Effectively negotiate scope and schedule changes. Accurately identify and communicate internal and external customer needs. 
• Organize and facilitate Program reviews that ensure key customers are presented with accurate and concise information to make decisions. 
   
• Influence others to ensure successful delivery: 
• Frequently collaborate with other departments such as manufacturing, R&D, operations, quality and sales. 
• Lead with influence to ensure the success of your Programs and set the stage for future success of your next Program working with these customers. 
• Develop a sense of urgency in customers while also building a solid foundation for future collaboration. 
   
• Lead Program analysis on resource, schedule & budget planning and risk assessment: 
• Monitor and report out to customers on Program status; raise issues when necessary. 
• Evaluate changes that substantially impact the scope, budget, or schedule of Programs and drive decisions on these changes.
   
• Collaborate with resource managers to ensure appropriate staffing on Programs: 
• Influence and make decisions about scope, schedule, and resources.
   
• Drive process and tool improvement efforts: 
• Drive continuous improvement through successful lessons learned activities that result in appropriate process or tool changes.  
• Lead initiatives to help the organization operate more efficiently and effective.  
• Be passionate about continuous improvement. 
   
• Lead Early Access Programs: 
• Work closely with R&D and act as the key point of contact to internal business and technical teams. 
• Manage a feedback mechanism to track and leverage customer experience with the early access product.  

Experience

The following skills and experience are required:

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience managing HW and SW Program teams.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills 
• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) discipline  
• Strong understanding of business concepts such as pricing, costs, margins, ROI, etc

In addition, desired skills and experience include:

• PMI PMP certification, or be able to attain one within 6 months of hire. 
• Previous exposure to National Instruments hardware and/or software 
• Semiconductor industry experience
• MBA  

We recognize for our organization to support a diverse workforce, we must focus on employee wellbeing. We know that to do your best work, you must have flexible, competitive benefit plans to meet you and your family’s physical, mental, financial, and social needs. We provide a market leading 401(k) and profit-sharing plan, a variety of medical insurance plans, with dental and vision coverage, family formation benefits in addition to paid parental leave (maternal and paternal), Employee Assistance Program, tuition reimbursement, employee resource groups, recognition, and much more. Our culture prioritizes work-life balance and offers flexible time off plans, inclusive of vacation, holiday and sick leave. Our goal is to offer a strong benefits foundation while allowing employees the flexibility to choose options that best suit their needs.