Staff Program Manager - Engineering Strategic Initiatives
Fivetran
From Fivetran’s founding until now, our mission has remained the same: to make access to data as simple and reliable as electricity. With Fivetran, customer data arrives in their warehouses, canonical and ready to query, with no engineering or maintenance required. We’re proud that more organizations continue to leverage our technology every day to become truly data-driven.
About the Role
Fivetran is building data pipelines to power the modern data stack for thousands of companies.
We’re looking for a Staff Program Manager to join our Engineering Strategy and Operations team—someone who cares deeply about their work and is passionate about helping our Engineering organization reach its goals and operate at its best.
The mission of this role is to drive and accelerate execution excellence across Fivetran Engineering in a fast-paced, dynamic, and constantly evolving environment. You’ll dive into strategic initiatives, take on short-term, high-impact projects, and lean into cross-functional collaboration that’s not only critical to our success but also engaging and fun.
Our Engineering team thrives on tackling complex challenges, adapting to shifting priorities, and scaling quickly to support our customers.
Reporting to the VP of Engineering Strategy and Operations, this role partners closely with cross-functional teams and Engineering leadership to ensure high-impact initiatives are executed with precision, urgency, and care.
Staff Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives
Location: Hybrid, Oakland, CA or Denver, CO Our hybrid work model offers a blend of remote flexibility and in-person collaboration, including two days in the office each week to connect and build as a team
Employment Type: Full-time
We’re looking for a Staff Program Manager who thrives at the intersection of strategic execution and operational excellence. This role is designed for someone who can be dropped into high-impact initiatives—often ambiguous, fast-changing, and business-critical—and execute with urgency, care, and precision.
You’ll partner directly with executive leadership, serving as a trusted advisor and operator who can take ownership of complex challenges, establish clarity, and deliver results without rework. With a strong background in engineering program management and operations, coupled with technical fluency to engage meaningfully with engineering leaders, you’ll translate complexity into actionable plans and outcomes.
Whether driving cross-functional programs, leading strategic initiatives such as acquisitions or integrations, or structuring uncharted problem spaces, you’ll act as a force multiplier for leadership and the broader organization.
What You’ll Do
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Lead Critical Strategic Programs: Act as the execution lead for confidential, high-visibility initiatives such as growth strategy programs, cross-functional programs, workforce planning, and other high-impact programs.
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Thrives in dynamic environments: Embraces that priorities can change quickly to address new challenges and opportunities. Brings flexibility and resilience, maintaining focus and delivering results amid shifting demands. Comfortable with disruption and reprioritization, this person adapts with confidence while ensuring progress and quality are never compromised.
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Trusted Leadership Partner: Work directly with senior leadership as a strategic partner, advising and executing on long-term vision, quarterly and annual planning, and enterprise-level programs.
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Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with leaders in engineering, product, finance, strategy, and HR to ensure seamless program execution.
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Execution at Scale: Provide support and leadership to cross-functional program teams, solving problems, optimizing workflows, and automating processes to maximize value-added time.
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Confidential & Sensitive Program Oversight: Manage programs requiring the highest level of discretion and trust, with direct reporting to executive leadership.
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Communication & Alignment: Prepare, plan, and deliver engineering updates, leadership reviews, and company-wide initiatives, ensuring clear communication and organizational alignment.
Skills We’re Looking For
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Brings care and attention to every task, ensuring complete, high-quality deliverables that meet deadlines without requiring rework.
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Thrives in dynamic environments, able to adapt priorities quickly, navigate ambiguity, and execute autonomously with urgency and focus.
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Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional, and confidential programs from inception to delivery, including high-stakes strategic initiatives.
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Strong technical fluency to engage effectively with engineering leaders on system design, data architecture, infrastructure, and quality, translating complexity into actionable plans.
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Experienced partner to executive leadership, serving as a trusted advisor and skilled at influencing and aligning diverse stakeholders.
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Data-driven, action-oriented, with exceptional planning, problem-solving, and leadership capabilities.
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Brings deep program management and operational expertise within software development, enterprise, and SaaS/cloud-based technology environments.
Bonus Skills
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8+ years of experience in engineering program management, technical operations, or related leadership roles within the software/technology industry.
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Hands-on experience with both Agile and Waterfall program/project management methodologies.
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Proficiency with program management tools such as Jira, Smartsheet, Trello, Asana, or Microsoft Project.
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Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field preferred.
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Prior start-up experience is highly desirable, but not required
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PMP certification a plus.
Why Join Us?
You’ll have the opportunity to shape how our engineering and strategic programs are executed at scale. This is a high-trust role reporting directly to executive leadership, where you’ll own initiatives that shape the future of our company. If you love solving big problems, thrive in both operational and strategic spaces, are very comfortable with ambiguity and want to make an outsized impact, this is the role for you.
#LI-HYBRID #LI-AM1
Th compensation range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire compensation for the target position and level, and may include sales incentives or target bonuses depending on the role. Our compensation ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Our job titles may span more than one career level. Within the range, individual compensation is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, relevant education or training, business need, market demands. The compensation range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Your recruiter can share more about the specific compensation range for your location during the hiring process.
Perks and Benefits
- 100% employer-paid medical insurance*
- Generous paid time-off policy (PTO), plus paid sick time, inclusive parental leave policy, holidays, and volunteer days off
- RSU stock grants*
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Company virtual happy hours, free food, and fun team-building activities
- Monthly cell phone stipend
- Access to an innovative mental health support platform that offers personalized care and resources in areas such as: therapy, coaching, and self-guided mindfulness exercises for all covered employees and their covered dependents.
*May vary by country and worker type - please reach out to your recruiter for more information
Click here to learn more about Fivetran's Benefits by Region.
We’re honored to be valued at over $5.6 billion, but more importantly, we’re proud of our core values of Get Stuck In, Do the Right Thing, and One Team, One Dream. Read about us in Forbes.
Fivetran brings together high-quality talent across the globe to make data access as easy and reliable as electricity for our customers. We value and recognize that our customers benefit from having innovative teams made of people from many backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Fivetran promotes diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging through attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us build a world-class company to better serve our customers, our people and our communities.
To learn more about Fivetran’s culture and what it’s like to be part of the team, click here and enjoy our video.
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We are committed to ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to participate in our interview process. If you require accommodations at any stage of the process due to a disability, medical condition, or any other circumstance, please don't hesitate to submit your request by filling out this form. We will work with you to provide reasonable accommodations to facilitate your participation and ensure a fair and accessible interview experience. Your request and any information provided will be kept confidential and will not impact your candidacy. We look forward to hearing from you and accommodating your needs to the best of our ability.