Principal Technical Program Manager

Quizlet is seeking a Principal Technical Program Manager to drive execution and alignment across large technical initiatives that span multiple engineering teams. While individual engineering teams execute well within their areas, cross-team technical initiatives require structured coordination, decision visibility, and sustained execution. This role sits at the intersection of the engineering organization and is responsible for driving alignment, clarity, and delivery across complex, company-wide programs.

Reporting directly to the VP of Engineering, you will translate engineering strategy into structured execution—ensuring our most important technical investments are prioritized correctly, sequenced thoughtfully, and delivered with rigor. This is a senior individual contributor role with broad organizational influence. You will lead through ownership, technical credibility, and disciplined execution rather than direct people management.

We’re happy to share that this is an onsite position in our San Francisco office. To help foster team collaboration, we require that employees be in the office a minimum of three days per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and as needed by your manager or the company. We believe this work environment enhances efficiency, fosters collaboration, and supports growth for both employees and the organization.

In this role, you will:

• Lead company-critical technical initiatives
• Own end-to-end execution: Drive high-priority, cross-functional programs from concept to delivery. Lead cross-team initiatives such as foundational platform investments, architecture review programs, or adoption of shared engineering infrastructure
• Charter Development: Turn strategic goals into clear charters with defined milestones, metrics, and accountability
• Risk Management: Proactively identify technical or organizational risks and remove obstacles to delivery
• Improve how we operate, by partnering with the VP of Engineering and other senior leaders on annual and quarterly planning cycles
• Roadmap & dependencies: Strengthen roadmap clarity, dependency management, and prioritization across the engineering organization
• Introduce program management practices and decision frameworks that improve coordination across engineering leaders & the team
• Clarify decision-making frameworks (e.g., RACI) and cross-functional ownership to reduce friction
• Prepare high-quality materials for reviews with the CEO, CTO, and Board of Directors
• Synthesize complex technical topics into clear, actionable insights for senior stakeholders
• Organizational Deep Dives: Lead investigations into at-risk or underperforming initiatives and recommend structural or technical solutions

What you bring to the table:

10+ years of experience in technical program management, engineering leadership, or high-level operational roles within a high-growth tech environment.
Engage deeply with engineering leaders on architecture, infrastructure & product trade-offs, interpret technical design discussions, and help surface dependencies or risks across complex systems.
A proven track record of planning and executing technical initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and complex requirements.
Demonstrated ability to lead through credibility and partnership, acting as a force-multiplier for the VP of Engineering.
Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders with ease.
Excitement about the impact your work could have on the lives of students and teachers every day.

Compensation, Benefits & Perks:

• Quizlet is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Salary transparency helps to mitigate unfair hiring practices when it comes to discrimination and pay gaps.  Total compensation for this role is market competitive, including a starting base salary of $210,000 - $275,000 depending on location and experience, as well as company stock options
• Collaborate with your manager and team to create a healthy work-life balance
• 20 vacation days that we expect you to take!
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance (100% employee and 75% dependent PPO, Dental, VSP Choice)
• Employer-sponsored 401k plan with company match
• Access to LinkedIn Learning and other resources to support professional growth
• Paid Family Leave, FSA, HSA, Commuter benefits, and Wellness benefits
• 40 hours of annual paid time off to participate in volunteer programs of choice