Program Manager & AI Automation Lead

Excelerate; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 138,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits Eligible

Job summary

Excelerate is seeking a Program Manager & AI Automation Lead to drive a high-impact initiative focused on operational excellence and automation of manual processes. You will blend hands-on technical program management with the design, build, and delivery of AI-agent-driven automation as core project deliverables.

The role combines technical program management and agentic automation delivery, requiring leadership of complex cross-functional work while personally building automation that improves

Qualifications

• 7+ years of technical program management experience in platform, infrastructure, or high-scale technology environments.
• Hands-on experience delivering AI-agent-driven automation connected to live data and workflows.
• Built automation and workflows yourself, including API integrations to tools like Jira and Smartsheet, dashboards and tracking systems, with AI/agent tools.
• Experience with AI governance, including validation controls, auditability, and human-in-the-loop processes.
• Excellent executive communication and the ability to drive cross-functional delivery through influence.
• Strong operational knowledge of incident management, SDLC, and distributed systems; identity, security, or authorization experience is a plus.
• Highly proactive and comfortable operating in fast-moving, complex technology environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead program execution across 55+ production services with executive reviews, incident and RCA tracking, readiness activities, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Establish program scope, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, and success measures across multiple teams.
• Identify and prioritize opportunities to automate manual program processes.
• Design, build, and productionize AI-agent automation, including ticketing/routing, cross-platform reconciliation, telemetry, reporting, and automated follow-up workflows.
• Direct multiple AI agents toward defined outcomes, with context, acceptance criteria, validation, and human-in-the-loop processes.
• Ensure automation is reliable, auditable, and maintainable with documentation and runbooks.
• Communicate program progress, risks, decisions, and outcomes to senior technology leadership.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships and drive commitments through influence and proactive communication.

Skills

Technical program management

AI automation

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Agility

Automation governance

Problem solving

Tools

Jira

Smartsheet

Claude

Agent frameworks

Job description

We're seeking a Program Manager & AI Automation Lead to lead a high-impact technical initiative focused on strengthening operational excellence while automating the manual processes that support it. You’ll combine hands-on technical program management with the design, build, and delivery of AI-agent-driven automation, with working solutions as a core project deliverable.

The role brings together two key capabilities: technical program management and agentic automation delivery, requiring someone who can drive complex cross-functional work while personally building automation that improves how programs operate.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead program execution across a portfolio of 55+ production services, including executive operating reviews, incident and RCA tracking, readiness activities, and cross-functional initiatives.

• Establish program scope, priorities, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, and success measures while coordinating execution across multiple teams.

• Identify and prioritize opportunities to streamline or replace manual program processes through automation.

• Design, build, and productionize AI-agent automation, including ticketing and routing, cross-platform reconciliation, program telemetry, executive reporting, and automated follow-up workflows.

• Direct multiple AI agents toward defined outcomes, establishing appropriate context, acceptance criteria, validation controls, and human-in-the-loop processes.

• Ensure automation is reliable, auditable, and maintainable, with appropriate documentation and runbooks.

• Communicate program progress, risks, decisions, and outcomes clearly and concisely to senior technology leadership.

• Build strong cross-functional relationships and drive commitments through influence, proactive communication, and consistent follow-through.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of technical program management experience in platform, infrastructure, or high-scale technology environments, with a proven track record leading complex technology initiatives from planning through implementation and transition.

• Hands-on experience designing and delivering AI-agent-driven automation connected to live data and workflows.

• A track record of personally building automation and workflows yourself, including API integrations to tools like Jira and Smartsheet, building dashboards and tracking systems, and hands-on experience with AI/agent tools (like Claude, agent frameworks, or similar integration methods).

• Ability to provide examples of automation you've built and shipped, and can clearly explain your individual contribution, how you designed the solution, and the outcomes it produced.

• Experience with AI governance, including validation controls, auditability, and human-in-the-loop processes.

• Strong operational knowledge of incident management, SDLC, and distributed systems; identity, security, or authorization experience is a plus.

• Excellent executive communication and the ability to drive cross-functional delivery through influence.

• Highly proactive and comfortable operating in fast-moving, complex technology environments.

Duration: 40 hours a week, 10 months

Type: Project-Based Hourly W2, Benefits Eligible

Rate: $80-100/hour