Senior Tech Trades Talent Programs Manager

Rivian; Riverdale (GA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Sr. Program Manager – Tech Trades to design, scale, and manage technical trade and early-career development programs across our operations. The role partners with leaders to build events, recruit talent, and drive cross-functional collaboration.

This high-potential, hands-on position requires travel up to 50% and a passion for creating structured pathways that connect education partners with Rivian’s technical teams.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of program management, project management, or talent development experience, ideally focused on technical, operational, trade, or vocational pathways.
• Proven ability to design structured learning journeys, rotational schedules, or skill-building frameworks for technical audiences.
• Creative problem-solver with a knack for designing non-traditional talent pipelines and engaging learning experiences.
• Strong project management capabilities with a track record of driving complex, cross-functional initiatives on time and within scope.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with field technicians, program participants, and executive leadership.
• High learning agility and a genuine interest in understanding specialized technical trade skills and operational environments.
• Proficient with project management tools, tracking software, and virtual collaboration platforms.
• Experience managing apprenticeship programs, vocational partnerships, or specialized technical training initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Design, manage, and scale specialized technical trade, and hands-on early-career development programs.
• Partner with business leaders, technical leads to build a roadshow of events aligned with technical needs.
• Travel up to 50% of the year to attend events and develop our brand for emerging technical trades talent.
• Establish and nurture strategic partnerships with vocational schools, technical institutes, community colleges, and specialized trade networks.
• Lead full-lifecycle program management and recruitment, from onboarding and technical rotation scheduling through to program graduation and placement.
• Plan and execute program-specific events, including hands-on technical showcases, orientation programs, mentor training, and graduation ceremonies.
• Drive participant engagement, mentorship frameworks, and performance evaluation checkpoints across technical cohorts.
• Track and report on program health metrics, including cohort retention, skill acquisition milestones, conversion rates, and business ROI.
• Manage candidate pipeline logistics and program operations in close alignment with recruiting, HR, safety, and operational teams.
• Continuously refine program playbooks, training materials, and operational guidelines to ensure consistency and scalability across sites with cross-functional partners.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Learning agility

Project management

Communication

Deterministic problem solving

Tools

Project management tools

Job description

Rivian is seeking a Sr. Program Manager – Tech Trades to design, scale, and manage technical trade and early-career development programs across our operations. The role partners with leaders to build events, recruit talent, and drive cross-functional collaboration.

This high-potential, hands-on position requires travel up to 50% and a passion for creating structured pathways that connect education partners with Rivian’s technical teams.