Staff Program Manager, Operations Partnership

AURORA; Coppell (TX); Hybrid; USD 133,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurora is seeking a Staff Program Manager, Operations Partnership, to lead strategy and execution across complex operational partnerships. You will work with Operations, Business Development, Product, Legal, and others to establish scalable partnership governance and performance systems that drive critical business outcomes.

This role requires autonomy, strong business judgment, and the ability to create structure across ambiguous problems, influencing decisions at multiple leadership levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of program management, strategic partnerships, supplier management, or related experience.
• Experience leading highly complex, cross-functional programs or portfolios independently.
• Ability to define strategy, operating models, governance, and performance systems in ambiguous environments.
• Track record delivering cross-functional outcomes through leadership.
• Experience with commercial agreements, supplier negotiations, and governance.
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic owner for complex operational partnership programs or portfolios with defined outcomes.
• Anticipate requirements, risks, and capability needs; translate into scalable strategies.
• Establish governance models, performance systems, and escalation cadences with key partners.
• Lead supplier and commercial negotiations with Corporate Development and Legal.
• Diagnose performance issues and apply structured problem-solving to improve results.
• Shape processes and operating models to improve partner and operational performance.
• Frame decisions and tradeoffs for senior leaders, aligning functions and priorities.
• Establish reusable practices and mentor others in partnership and program management.

Skills

Executive communication

Stakeholder influence

Cross-functional leadership

Business judgment

Negotiation

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt

Strategic partnerships

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Operations/Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Who we are

Aurora's mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly.

The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone.

At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora, visit aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn.

What we are looking for

As a Staff Program Manager, Operations Partnership, you will lead strategy and execution across highly complex operational partnerships and program portfolios. You will operate across Operations, Business Development, Product, Legal, and other functions to establish scalable partnership strategies, governance systems, and performance mechanisms that enable critical business objectives.

This role requires significant autonomy, strong business judgment, and the ability to create structure and alignment across complex, ambiguous problems. You will help shape how critical partnerships operate at scale and influence decisions across multiple functions and levels of leadership.

In this role, you will

• Serve as the strategic owner for complex operational partnership programs or portfolios, defining strategy, operating models, governance, measures of success, and key commercial and operational outcomes.
• Anticipate emerging operational requirements, risks, and capability needs and translate them into scalable partnership strategies and programs.
• Establish governance models, performance systems, controls, escalation mechanisms, and reliable operating cadences for critical strategic partners.
• Lead complex supplier and commercial negotiations in partnership with Corporate Development and Legal.
• Diagnose systemic performance challenges and apply DMAIC and other structured problem-solving methods to drive sustainable improvements at scale.
• Shape and influence broader processes, operating models, and organizational interfaces to improve partner and operational performance.
• Frame complex business decisions, risks, and tradeoffs for senior and executive leaders, driving alignment across functions and competing priorities.
• Establish reusable practices and mentor others to strengthen partnership and program management capabilities across the organization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in program management, strategic partnerships, supplier management, operations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience independently leading highly complex, cross-functional programs or partnership portfolios.
• Proven ability to define strategy, operating models, governance mechanisms, and performance systems in ambiguous environments.
• Track record of delivering significant functional or business outcomes through cross-functional leadership.
• Strong executive communication, business judgment, and stakeholder influence skills.
• Experience with commercial agreements, supplier negotiations, and partnership governance.
• Advanced experience developing and using metrics, controls, and performance systems to drive decisions.
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification, or ability to obtain certification within 90 days of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience in operational partnerships, supply chain, vendor management, or service-provider ecosystems.
• Experience establishing scalable governance or operating approaches across multiple programs or teams.
• Demonstrated success influencing significant business decisions without direct authority.
• Experience designing scalable operating mechanisms in rapidly growing or complex environments.

For roles based in Coppell, TX: The salary range for this position is $133,000 - $190,000 per year.

Aurora's pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate's starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

Working at Aurora

At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks.

We believe in-person work increases collaboration, empathy and our ability to lead effectively. As a result, we operate in a hybrid work environment where Aurorans are in office at least 3 days per week.

Our Careers page provides insight into what it is like to work at Aurora, and you can find all the latest updates in our Newsroom.

Our commitment to safety

At the core of everything we do is our commitment to safety. Building best-in-class self-driving technology will take time, and we believe that each employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. Aurora expects commitment to our safety policies from every employee, and seeks candidates who take an active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization's long-term success by prioritizing working safely, no matter what.

Our commitment to inclusion

Aurora considers candidates without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, parent or caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran and/or military status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Aurora considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

For California applicants, information collected and processed as part of your application and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Aurora's California Employment Privacy Policy.