Staff Technical Program Manager, Chief of Staff

Rocket Lab; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 211,000 - 234,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Staff Technical Program Manager / Chief of Staff in San Francisco to lead high-impact programs within our Uber Tech organization. This role involves strategic planning, operational excellence, and executive enablement, requiring strong technical skills and cross-functional leadership. Ideal candidates will excel in managing complex technical initiatives and fostering team collaboration while driving organizational goals.

Qualifications

• 7+ years experience as a Technical Program Manager, Engineering Manager, or Chief of Staff in a tech environment.
• Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical, detail-oriented, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive execution of complex, cross-functional, technical initiatives.
• Lead annual and quarterly planning processes.
• Design operational strategies and track key metrics.

Skills

Technical Acumen

Cross-functional Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering

Tools

Google Workspace

JIRA

Coda

Job description

About the Role

We are looking for a Staff Technical Program Manager / Chief of Staff to join our Uber Tech organization and serve as a force multiplier for our leadership team. In this role, you will define and execute high-impact programs across our Mobility Marketplace & Verticals Engineering and Science organization—a global team responsible for delivering some of the most critical components powering the Uber app.

You move fluidly between big-picture strategy and precise operational execution. You are a connector and enabler, helping teams drive clarity, speed, and accountability. You are deeply organized, relentlessly detail-oriented, and proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement. No task is too small, and no challenge too complex. You bring empathy, integrity, and rigor to everything you do.

What You’ll Do:

Program & Project Leadership

• Drive execution of complex, cross-functional, technical initiatives involving infrastructure, cloud systems, ML/AI platforms, or data systems.
• Collaborate closely with engineering and product leaders to scope projects, define milestones, manage resources, resolve dependencies, and communicate progress to stakeholders.
• Identify and remove blockers, proactively manage risks, and resolve escalations to maintain momentum.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Lead annual and quarterly planning processes (OKRs, business reviews, strategic initiatives).
• Create roadmaps, develop measurable objectives, and ensure program alignment with organizational goals.
• Partner with leadership to prioritize initiatives, ensuring clarity and alignment across stakeholders.

Operational Excellence

• Design and implement operational strategies and processes to support high growth and efficiency.
• Track key operational, hiring, and program metrics; ensure budgets and headcount align with strategic priorities.
• Lead critical team rhythms: business reviews, staff meetings, leadership offsites, and global site visits.

Communications & Culture

• Own internal communications strategy and ensure the right information flows clearly across teams.
• Foster a culture of transparency, collaboration, and high-performance.
• Support people operations, team development, and organizational health in partnership with HR and Recruiting.

Executive Enablement

• Act as a trusted advisor, proxy, and execution partner to Engineering and Science leadership.
• Help optimize executive bandwidth by owning special projects, decision prep, and strategic follow-ups.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7+ years experience as a Technical Program Manager, Engineering Manager, or Chief of Staff in a fast-paced tech environment.
• Strong technical acumen and experience in one or more: distributed infrastructure, ML/AI platforms, cloud systems, storage/data engineering.
• Exceptional cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with data to drive decisions and measure success.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with outstanding emotional intelligence.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, deliver under tight deadlines, and scale operations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in high-growth tech companies, large-scale engineering organizations, or top-tier consulting firms.
• Background in analytics; skilled at synthesizing data to identify trends and inform strategic decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to drive large-scale initiatives related to team operations, culture, and diversity.
• Proficiency in tools like Google Workspace, JIRA, Coda, dashboards, or equivalent project management platforms.
• Engineers enjoy working closely with you because of your clarity, empathy, and sharp technical insight.

For San Francisco, CA-based roles: The base salary range for this role is USD$211,000 per year - USD$234,000 per year.

For Sunnyvale, CA-based roles: The base salary range for this role is USD$211,000 per year - USD$234,000 per year.

For all US locations, you will be eligible to participate in Uber's bonus program, and may be offered an equity award & other types of comp. You will also be eligible for various benefits. More details can be found at the following link https://www.uber.com/careers/benefits.

Uber is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing this form.

Offices continue to be central to collaboration and Uber’s cultural identity. Unless formally approved to work fully remotely, Uber expects employees to spend at least half of their work time in their assigned office. For certain roles, such as those based at green-light hubs, employees are expected to be in-office for 100% of their time. Please speak with your recruiter to better understand in-office expectations for this role.