Senior Director, Program Management - Data Center Custom Silicon

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 228,000 - 342,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm is seeking a senior Program Management leader for its Data Center Custom Silicon Group to oversee external customer programs from engagement through tapeout and production ramp. You will own execution governance, executive dashboards, and cross-functional alignment across Product Management, BD, Sales, Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Legal.

Ideal candidates bring extensive semiconductor program execution experience, strong executive communication, and a proven ability to drive

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 10+ years of Program Management or related work experience.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 20+ years of semiconductor, silicon, hardware or systems program management experience.
• Experience leading custom silicon, ASIC, SoC, AI accelerator, networking, switch, NIC, or data center infrastructure programs.
• 8+ years of experience leading complex cross-functional technical programs.
• 5+ years of people leadership experience.
• Experience with hyperscaler or large strategic customer programs.
• Strong understanding of silicon lifecycle execution, including architecture, design, verification, etc.
• Experience with advanced process nodes, high-performance SoCs, high-speed interfaces, etc.
• Experience managing program execution tied to NRE, customer milestones, contractual deliverables, revenue timing, and production commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to build executive dashboards and communicate clearly with EVP, CEO, CFO, customer executive, and board-level audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Custom Silicon Group Program Management organization for external customer programs across hyperscaler and strategic data center accounts.
• Define, manage execution of program Plans of Record, including schedules, budgets, resources, deliverables, risks, milestones, and cross-functional dependencies.
• Own the CSG program execution cadence, including weekly program reviews, customer commitment reviews, risk reviews, escalation forums, and executive operating updates.
• Build and maintain executive dashboards for Data Center EVP, CEO, CFO, and senior leadership reviews.
• Drive customer-demand execution governance by translating customer asks into committed scope, execution plans, constraints, risks, and decisions.
• Establish a single source of truth for custom silicon program health across tapeout, bring-up, validation, qualification, production readiness, supply readiness, etc.
• Partner with Product Management to manage requirement baselines, scope changes, customer-specific tradeoffs, and roadmap implications.
• Partner with Business Development and Sales to support pursuit-to-program handoff, customer commitment clarity, and alignment between commercial and execution reality.
• Partner with Engineering to track technical readiness, design closure, verification progress, software/firmware dependencies, validation risks, and resource constraints.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Quality, and Manufacturing to track foundry, OSAT, packaging, test, yield, reliability, production ramp, and supply readiness risks.
• Partner with Finance to link program milestones, NRE, revenue timing, investment requirements, operating budgets, and financial risks for executive decision-making.
• Partner with Legal and commercial teams to ensure program deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria, and contractual commitments are clear, executable, and tracked.
• Drive disciplined risk management and timely escalation.

Skills

Executive presence

Cross-functional leadership

Program management

Risk management

Executive dashboards

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS

Master’s degree

Job description

Overview

The Qualcomm Data Center Custom Silicon Group is seeking a senior Program Management leader to lead the customer program management organization responsible for the world’s most complex custom silicon programs for hyperscale and strategic data center customers. This leader will own the execution operating system for external custom silicon engagements, including customer commitment tracking, Plan of Record governance, program milestones, executive dashboards, risk management, cross-functional escalation, and delivery readiness from engagement approval through tapeout, bring-up, qualification, production ramp, and customer acceptance. The role requires deep semiconductor program execution experience, strong executive communication, and the ability to drive alignment across Engineering, Product Management, Business Development, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, Quality, and external customer stakeholders.

This is not a status-reporting role. The leader will ensure CSG has a clear, accurate, and actionable view of customer demand, committed deliverables, execution risks, required decisions, and overall program health.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the Custom Silicon Group Program Management organization responsible for external customer programs across hyperscaler and strategic data center accounts.
• Develop, define, and manage execution of program Plans of Record, including schedules, budgets, resources, deliverables, risks, milestones, and cross-functional dependencies.
• Own the CSG program execution cadence, including weekly program reviews, customer commitment reviews, risk reviews, escalation forums, and executive operating updates.
• Build and maintain executive dashboards for Data Center EVP, CEO, CFO, and senior leadership reviews, including program health, customer commitments, milestone status, demand gaps, resource constraints, top risks, and required decisions.
• Drive customer-demand execution governance by translating customer asks into committed scope, execution plans, constraints, risks, and decision points in partnership with Product Management, Business Development, Sales, Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Legal.
• Establish a single source of truth for custom silicon program health across tapeout, bring-up, validation, qualification, production readiness, supply readiness, customer deliverables, and ramp execution.
• Partner with Product Management to manage requirement baselines, scope changes, customer-specific tradeoffs, reuse opportunities, and roadmap implications.
• Partner with Business Development and Sales to support pursuit-to-program handoff, customer commitment clarity, escalation preparation, and alignment between commercial expectations and execution reality.
• Partner with Engineering leaders to track technical readiness, design closure, verification progress, software/firmware dependencies, validation risks, post-silicon bring-up, and resource constraints.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to track foundry, OSAT, packaging, test, yield, reliability, production ramp, and supply readiness risks.
• Partner with Finance to link program milestones, NRE, revenue timing, investment requirements, operating budgets, and financial risks for executive decision-making.
• Partner with Legal and commercial teams to ensure program deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria, and contractual commitments are clear, executable, and tracked.
• Drive disciplined risk management, including early identification of schedule, scope, technical, supply, customer, commercial, and financial risks.
• Escalate issues in a timely and structured manner with clear options, tradeoffs, ownership, and recommended decisions.
• Standardize program management processes, dashboards, templates, operating reviews, and best practices across CSG customer programs.
• Develop and lead a team of Program Managers responsible for individual customer programs, ensuring consistent execution discipline, customer readiness, and leadership visibility.
• Represent CSG program execution status to internal executives and, where appropriate, directly to external customer stakeholders.

Locations and Work Policy

While there is a strong preference for this position to be based in San Diego, Qualcomm's Santa Clara office site can also be considered. This position is expected to comply with the Company's onsite work policy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 10+ years of Program Management or related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 20+ years of semiconductor, silicon, hardware or systems program management experience.
• Experience leading custom silicon, ASIC, SoC, AI accelerator, networking, switch, NIC, or data center infrastructure programs.
• 8+ years of experience leading complex cross-functional technical programs.
• 5+ years of people leadership experience, including managing senior program managers or technical program leaders.
• Experience with hyperscaler or large strategic customer programs.
• Strong understanding of silicon lifecycle execution, including architecture, design, verification, physical implementation, tapeout, silicon bring-up, validation, qualification, production readiness, and ramp.
• Experience with advanced process nodes, high-performance SoCs, high-speed interfaces, advanced packaging, HBM, networking silicon, or AI infrastructure products.
• Experience managing program execution tied to NRE, customer milestones, contractual deliverables, revenue timing, and production commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to build executive dashboards and communicate clearly with EVP, CEO, CFO, customer executive, and board-level audiences.
• Strong executive presence with ability to operate as a neutral execution leader across Product Management, Business Development, Sales, Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Legal.
• Experience defining program management operating models, stage gates, KPIs, risk management frameworks, and executive escalation mechanisms.

Key Success Measures

• Clear, accurate, and trusted executive view of CSG program health.
• On-time execution against committed customer milestones.
• Early identification and escalation of material risks.
• Improved clarity between customer demand, committed scope, execution feasibility, and business impact.
• Strong alignment across Engineering, Product Management, BD, Sales, Operations, Finance, Legal, and customers.
• Consistent program management discipline across all major custom silicon engagements.
• Reduced surprises in EVP / CEO / CFO reviews.
• Stronger customer confidence in Qualcomm’s ability to execute complex custom silicon programs.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a senior semiconductor program leader who has managed complex external customer programs at scale. This person must be technical enough to challenge engineering execution plans, commercially aware enough to understand customer and financial commitments, and operationally disciplined enough to create a reliable execution control system. This leader should be comfortable operating without direct authority over many matrixed functions while still driving accountability, decisions, and closure.

EEO and Hiring Information

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. Qualcomm is committed to providing accessible accommodations during the hiring process. For accommodations, please contact [e-mail]. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities.

Pay and Benefits

Pay range: $228,000.00 - $342,000.00. Qualcomm offers a competitive benefits package and a discretionary bonus program, with potential for annual RSU grants. Salary is one component of total compensation; details are discussed with the recruiter.