Foster City , CA
|Hybrid
|Contract
Foster City, CA
|Hybrid
|Contract
Join a dynamic design organization where you will help shape how autonomous mobility is experienced through thoughtful planning, cross-functional coordination, and clear execution. This onsite Program Manager role in Foster City, CA focuses on supporting industrial design programs from concept through production while keeping teams aligned, informed, and moving forward.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate studio programs by managing timelines, milestones, deliverables, and dependencies across design and partner teams.
- Partner with design leadership to build and maintain project plans that clarify scope, expectations, and key outcomes.
- Facilitate alignment across stakeholders in design, engineering, product, brand, manufacturing, and other cross-functional groups.
- Track risks, blockers, and open decisions, and help drive timely mitigation and resolution.
- Support financial planning, budget tracking, and resource planning activities for design initiatives.
- Prepare agendas and materials for weekly reviews, including updates for executive stakeholders, and highlight decisions needed to keep work on track.
- Organize team syncs by gathering agenda topics, consolidating priorities, and monitoring upcoming deadlines.
- Work with administrative partners to coordinate leadership and team meetings tied to project milestones and priorities.
Skills
- 4+ years of experience in program management, operations, or project coordination.
- Experience supporting industrial design or hardware-focused projects from concept through production.
- Proven ability to manage complex cross-functional initiatives with competing priorities.
- Strong organization, planning, and follow-through skills.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to build effective relationships with leaders and technical teams across functions.
- Comfort working in project management tools and tracking multiple workstreams at once.
- Curious, collaborative, and solution-oriented approach to challenges.
Preferred Skills
- Background in automotive, consumer products, or design-related environments.
- Experience working closely with industrial designers in a hardware development setting.
- Familiarity with budgeting, forecasting, or resource tracking for creative or technical teams.
- Ability to quickly learn new systems, processes, and stakeholder needs.
Horizontal Talent is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment where different perspectives are valued and equity is supported. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds who meet the qualifications to apply and contribute their unique experience to the team.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and agree that Horizontal Talent may contact you regarding your application using automated technology, including phone calls, SMS/text messages, or email, which may be delivered by our virtual AI recruiter, Alex.Horizontal is committed to taking affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or participate in the interview process, click here to request accommodation assistance.
All applicants applying must be legally authorized to work in the country of employment.