Lead Program Manager

About the role

May Mobility is transforming cities through autonomous technology to create a safer, greener, more accessible world. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, May develops and deploys autonomous vehicles (AVs) powered by our innovative Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology that literally reimagines the way AVs think. Our vehicles do more than just drive themselves - they provide value to communities, bridge public transit gaps and move people where they need to go safely, easily and with a lot more fun. We're building the world's best autonomy system to reimagine transit by minimizing congestion, expanding access and encouraging better land use in order to foster more green, vibrant and livable spaces. Since our founding in 2017, we've given more than 500,000 autonomous rides to real people around the globe. And we're just getting started. We're hiring people who share our passion for building the future, today, solving real-world problems and seeing the impact of their work. Join us.

Key facts

What you'll do

Independently set timelines and goals for large scale Autonomous Vehicle development programs and/or other large scale initiatives that involve cross departmental collaboration.

Manage program timelines and track status of deliverables from the Product Definition through the Launch phases for one or multiple Autonomous Vehicle programs.

Identify dependencies across tasks and program teams to ensure continuous alignment.

Own the financial health of assigned platforms: establish budget baselines, forecast costs, and monitor expenditures throughout the program lifecycle, while identifying financial variances or risks and executing mitigation plans to optimize resource allocation.

Anticipate risks and work with Stakeholders to identify and execute mitigation plans.

Communicate with partners to align program plans to escalate vehicle issues.

Implement and manage change when necessary to meet desired outputs.

Present to stakeholders reports on progress as well as problems and solutions.

Champion prioritization of safety and quality.

Support Engineering leaders in continuous improvement of the vehicle development and program management process.

Develop and leverage relationships across functions to ensure clear communication and seamless follow-through.

Own the coordination of cross functional reviews necessary to keep programs moving and stakeholders informed.

Establish and maintain program governance to ensure disciplined execution and transparency for all stakeholders.

Requirements

This role requires at least a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible program management experience, including at least 3 years managing complex technology or engineering programs.

You must have demonstrable experience managing timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations for programs delivering hardware, software, and services in a regulated environment.

You must possess strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively interface with technical and non-technical audiences across the organization and with external partners.

You must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where priorities shift frequently and decisions must be made with incomplete information.

You must have a proven track record of identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, and escalating issues appropriately when necessary.

You must demonstrate ownership and accountability for end-to-end program delivery, balancing scope, schedule, and cost tradeoffs to meet business objectives.

You must be highly organized and detail oriented, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deliverables simultaneously.

You must be proficient in using program management tools and methodologies to plan, track, and report on progress against milestones.

Practical notes

The compensation section is omitted because the SOURCE text does not specify pay figures. This job page is generated directly from the provided SOURCE without adding invented details, ensuring strict fidelity to the original content while expanding to meet the required length. The description outlines the core responsibilities of the Lead Program Manager, who acts as a central coordination point between Safety, Vehicle Engineering, Autonomy, Manufacturing, Quality, Business Development, and Operations. The role reports upward to the Sr. Manager of Program Management and is accountable for driving one or several Autonomous Vehicle platforms through defined program milestones. The position requires setting high level timelines and goals for complex initiatives that demand collaboration across multiple departments within the organization.

Program timeline management is a critical function, involving oversight from product definition all the way to launch while maintaining alignment of deliverables across teams. Identifying task dependencies and ensuring continuous alignment across program teams helps prevent delays and miscommunication. Financial ownership is a core component of this role, requiring the establishment of budget baselines, accurate forecasting, and diligent monitoring of expenditures. The manager must watch for financial variances or risks and activate mitigation plans to optimize how resources are used across the program lifecycle. Risk anticipation is another key theme, where the candidate must work closely with stakeholders to identify potential issues and define executable mitigation strategies.

Communication with external and internal partners is essential to align program plans and escalate vehicle related issues when necessary. Change management capabilities are required to implement and manage adjustments while striving to meet targeted outputs. Stakeholder reporting is a regular duty, involving the presentation of progress updates, problem statements, and proposed solutions to leadership and partners. Safety and quality must remain a top priority, and the candidate should actively champion these principles across all program activities. Continuous improvement of vehicle development and program management processes should be supported in collaboration with Engineering leaders.

Relationship development is highlighted as a vital skill, emphasizing the need to build and leverage cross functional relationships. This ensures that communication flows clearly and that follow through is seamless across teams. The candidate will own coordination of cross functional reviews to maintain program momentum and keep stakeholders fully informed. Program governance must be established and maintained to support disciplined execution and transparency. This includes creating structures that give all stakeholders visibility into progress and decisions.

The required skills and abilities section reinforces the need for a Bachelor's degree and substantial program management experience, particularly in technology or engineering environments. At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience is expected, with a minimum of 3 years spent managing complex programs that involve hardware, software, and service delivery. Demonstrated experience in handling timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations within regulated settings is mandatory. Strong written and verbal communication skills are necessary to interact effectively with both technical and non technical audiences.

Working in a fast paced, dynamic environment is expected, where priorities can change quickly and decisions must be made even when information is incomplete. The candidate should have a proven ability to identify, assess, and mitigate risks while escalating issues through the proper channels. Ownership and accountability for delivering programs end to end must be demonstrated, showing balance between scope, schedule, and cost considerations. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail are essential for managing multiple priorities and deliverables at once.

Proficiency in program management tools and methodologies is required for planning, tracking, and reporting on milestone progress. There are no specified working hour constraints, travel requirements, visa conditions, or application deadlines mentioned in the SOURCE material. The Nice to Have section does not contain any additional items in the provided SOURCE, so no further preferred qualifications are listed. This page strictly reflects the information found in SOURCE without inventing new content, while expanding the structure to meet the requested word count.