Development Program Manager

Role: Development Program Manager 

Location: IBC Knowledge Park

Reporting Structure: Lead-Program Management

Team name: Program Management 

Responsibilities:

• Define and publish the program "true north" while ensuring clear alignment between Org OKRs, P&L, and technical EPICs
  

• Manage program health by tracking dependencies, risks, and technical "definition of done" through parallel task execution
  

• Establish critical milestones and run Agile rhythms, including PI/sprint planning, daily standups, and retrospectives
  

• Proactively identify and mitigate risks throughout the planning and delivery phases to protect program deliverables
  

• Champion the APDS by driving continuous improvements in the NPD cycle and moving non-APDS teams to the framework
  

• Drive the removal of execution impediments by fostering ownership and escalating issues beyond the team's authority
  

• Facilitate meaningful retrospective sessions to identify process improvements, leverage lessons learnt, and optimize resource utilization

• Lead organizational change and cross-functional collaboration to ensure smooth transitions to Agile processes with minimal disruption
  

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s/Master’s in Engineering with at least 7-10 years of experience in Program Management.
• MBA and PMP/ Agile Certifications preferred, not mandatory.

Must Have Competencies:

• Delivery Excellence: Knowledge of the general automotive product development lifecycle(s). Critically evaluate plans and ensure contingency strategies are in place.
• Manage Flow: Ensure adherence to the Project Priority Order to maintain smooth flow.
• Unblock Progress: Resolve complex issues between teams through facilitation and quickly remove obstacles/impediments so stakeholders may complete sprint goals.
• Program Status Management: Liaise with Cross-Functional teams to assess, manage, and report program status.
• Systematic Inefficiency Resolution: Identify, assess, and resolve Systematic Inefficiency and bottlenecks
• Lean Principle Application: Use Lean Principles (like 5 Why analysis) to find and fix the root causes of issues identified 
• Eliminate Waste (NVA): Actively hunt for and solve wastage like unnecessary documentation, complex processes, context switching, unused talent, data mismanagement, and defects

Good to have Competencies:

• Risk Management: Work closely with teams to identify & manage risks, plan mitigations.
• JIRA Compliance: Ensure all project changes , risks, and deviations are updated in real-time and meet required audit standards.
• Escalation: Report any impediments/red flags to the Program Office and functional heads, and raise escalations to drive resolution.
• Capacity Planning: Accurately estimate headcount and manage budgets effectively.

Want to know more?

At Ather, we’ve built India’s first intelligent scooter, from scratch. Based on the philosophy of clean design and smart technology, we are transforming the urban commute experience. We are expanding in India, and in the coming years, we look forward to scaling up and launching more products globally. Today, our product offerings include the Ather 450X, 450S, 450 Apex, and Rizta. Beyond the product, we are also setting up an extensive charging network and re-imagining end-to-end ownership experience. To know more, check out our Careers site and our Substack.

Be You, With Us

The Ather story doesn't write itself - our people do. We believe everyone is equal, but not the same. Diversity is our strength, and building an inclusive and equitable workplace begins with acknowledging and embracing our differences. We are an equal opportunity employer, and our team reflects a wide range of identities, experiences, and perspectives - all united by a shared passion to shape the Ather journey.