Program Manager - Santa Clara - Akkodis

Description

Program Manager – Autonomous Vehicle Driver/Operator Program

Location: South Bay, SF Bay Area

Salary Range: $115k to $125k

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and highly organized Program Manager to lead and scale our Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Driver/Operator Program. This role oversees daily AV operations, driver recruitment and training, compliance, safety performance, and cross‑functional coordination to support safe, efficient, and high‑quality autonomous vehicle testing and deployment.

This program is currently operating at Level 2 autonomy, with a planned transition to Level 3 operations later this year, requiring an even higher level of operational rigor, safety governance, and process maturity. The ideal candidate has deep experience in AV programs (Level 2 or above required), field operations leadership, and the rollout of safety‑driven programs in regulated environments.

This position requires being onsite Monday–Friday, for the first 60 days to support program ramp‑up. While this role is not expected to travel frequently, openness to travel is preferred as the program expands to future markets such as Atlanta and Jacksonville.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Strategy

• Own end‑to‑end management of the AV Driver/Operator Program, including planning, execution, scaling, and continuous improvement.
• Build, refine, and operationalize processes to support AV testing across multiple markets as the program matures.
• Develop KPIs to measure safety, quality, training effectiveness, operator performance, and overall program health.
• Drive operational excellence and ensure alignment with internal goals, legal requirements, and AV readiness milestones.
• Support program evolution as the fleet transitions from Level 2 to Level 3 autonomous operations.

Driver/Operator Management

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, and performance management of AV drivers/operators.
• Ensure operators meet all regulatory requirements for autonomous vehicle testing, including readiness for Level 3 operations.
• Lead retention, engagement, professional development, and ongoing operator skill enhancement.
• Partner with HR on workforce planning, staffing forecasts, and operational scaling.

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain strict compliance with federal, state, and local AV regulations.
• Build and enforce robust safety programs, particularly for Level 2 and Level 3 operational environments.
• Collaborate with Safety, Legal, and Compliance teams to ensure policies and procedures remain current and audit‑ready.
• Oversee incident management, including reporting, investigations, trend analysis, and corrective action planning.
• Foster a culture of safety‑first decision-making in all driver, testing, and operational activities.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering, Product, Safety, Fleet, and Data teams to ensure operator insights feed into system and operations improvements.
• Coordinate daily vehicle deployment, testing workflow, and fleet availability.
• Support pilot programs, new market launches, and geographic expansion in future phases (e.g., ATL/JAX).
• Communicate program risks, roadblocks, and operational impacts across teams to ensure alignment.

Operational Performance & Reporting

• Monitor daily operations, identify inefficiencies, and implement process improvements.
• Manage program budgets, resource allocation, and staffing levels.
• Provide regular performance reporting to executive stakeholders, including safety metrics, operational KPIs, and risk assessments.
• Improve data quality, reduce operational errors, and enhance the reliability of operator‑collected data.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of program or operations management experience.
• Experience managing field‑based teams in transportation, logistics, mobility, technology, or similar operational environments.
• Experience working with Level 2 or higher AV programs (or directly comparable ADAS operations).
• Strong understanding of safety management systems and regulated operational environments.
• Proven ability to scale operational programs across teams or markets.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred

• Experience with autonomous vehicles, ADAS, robotics, mobility technology, or mapping/AV data collection platforms (e.g., WAYZ, MOVE).
• Knowledge of AV testing frameworks, readiness criteria, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading multi‑site operations or scaling field programs.
• PMP or equivalent certification.

Core Competencies

• Operational Excellence
• Safety Leadership
• Strategic Thinking
• Data‑Driven Decision Making
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Change Management
• Team Development & Coaching

What Success Looks Like

• High safety and compliance standards maintained across all AV deployments.
• Reduced operator-related incidents, operational errors, and data integrity issues.
• Improved training efficiency and reduced time-to-readiness for operators.
• Strong retention, engagement, and performance within the driver/operator workforce.
• Seamless coordination between field teams and engineering, ensuring rapid feedback loops and continuous improvement.
• Successful readiness and smooth transition from Level 2 to Level 3 operations.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Benefit offerings available include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, additional voluntary benefits, an EAP program, commuter benefits, and a 401K plan. Our benefit offerings provide employees the flexibility to choose the type of coverage that meets their individual needs. In addition, our associates may be eligible for paid leave including Paid Sick Leave or any other paid leave required by Federal, State, or local law, as well as Holiday pay where applicable.

Disclaimer: These benefit offerings do not apply to client-recruited jobs and jobs that are direct hires to a client.

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The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance