Principal Engineering Program Manager – Data Platforms & Engineering

Principal Engineering Program Manager – Data Platforms & Engineering

San Jose, CA (Onsite – 3 Days)

Contract

UST Global // Adobe

Primary Skills:
Program Management: 10+ years
Data Platforms: 5+ years
ETL/ ELT Expertise: 5+ years
Data Governance & Metrics: 5+ years
Cloud Platform Program: 5+ years
Agile Delivery: 5+ years

Secondary Skills:
AL/ ML Knowledge: 5+ years

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Principal Engineering Program Manager to lead large-scale, cross-functional engineering programs focused on data platforms and cloud technologies. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience driving strategic initiatives across engineering, product, architecture, and business teams while ensuring successful delivery of enterprise-scale data platform solutions.

This role requires strong expertise in data lifecycle management, ETL/ELT ecosystems, Agile program execution, stakeholder management, and executive communication.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex engineering programs involving multiple teams and business units.
• Define program strategy, execution plans, governance, and operating models.
• Coordinate cross-functional collaboration among Product, Engineering, Architecture, Data, and Business stakeholders.
• Establish KPIs, success metrics, and reporting frameworks.
• Manage dependencies across multiple programs and technology teams.
• Identify risks proactively and drive mitigation plans.
• Influence technical and product decisions to improve business outcomes.
• Drive executive communications, status reporting, and governance reviews.
• Optimize resource allocation across competing initiatives.
• Implement scalable program management processes and best practices.
• Utilize AI-powered insights and analytics to improve delivery visibility.
• Mentor junior Technical Program Managers and promote organizational excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor''s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10–15+ years of Technical Program Management or Engineering Program Management experience.
• Strong experience managing enterprise cloud and data platform programs.
• Deep understanding of:
• End-to-end Data Lifecycle
• ETL / ELT Pipelines
• Data Governance
• Data Quality
• Data Lineage
• Data Modeling
• Experience defining measurable business outcomes and program success metrics.
• Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies and large-scale software delivery.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Outstanding stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Experience influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority.

Required Technical Skills

• Technical Program Management
• Engineering Program Management
• Data Engineering
• Data Platforms
• ETL / ELT
• Data Modeling
• Data Governance
• KPI Reporting
• Agile / Scrum
• Jira
• Confluence
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Management
• AI/ML Fundamentals

Preferred Skills

• Experience with enterprise cloud platforms.
• Strong understanding of AI-enabled delivery optimization.
• Experience building governance models for large engineering organizations.
• Portfolio and delivery management experience.
• Financial planning and resource management.
• Executive-level presentation skills.

Primary Responsibilities

• Program Planning & Execution
• Portfolio Delivery Management
• Cross-functional Leadership
• Resource Planning
• Risk & Dependency Management
• Executive Reporting
• Delivery Governance
• Financial & Budget Tracking
• Process Improvement
• Team Mentorship

Soft Skills

• Leadership
• Strategic Thinking
• Communication
• Negotiation
• Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Collaboration
• Organizational Skills
• Influencing Skills

Must-Have Skills

• Engineering Program Management
• Technical Program Management
• Data Engineering
• Data Platforms
• ETL / ELT
• Data Modeling
• Stakeholder Management
• Agile
• Jira
• Risk Management
• KPI Reporting
• Executive Communication