Senior Technical Program Manager, Product Development

Job Description

Join us at Zendesk, where we're on a mission to power exceptional service for every person on the planet. We're accelerating that ambition by building products rooted in AI, automation, and intelligent customer experiences, because behind every interaction lies an opportunity to make a human connection.

Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid)

Job Summary:

As a Senior Technical Program Manager within Product Development in San Francisco working on Forethought AI Agents by Zendesk, you will own and drive complex, cross-functional technical programs that deliver measurable outcomes and support Level 2/3 OKRs. You’ll work closely with Product, Design, and Engineering partners (CIO, Data, Legal, Finance and GTM teams) to identify and resolve cross-team dependencies early, reduce delivery risk, and translate strategy into clear, executable plans. 

You’ll establish program cadence and governance with managers and directors, manage scope/critical path/risk, and ensure predictable, high-quality delivery through strong change management and stakeholder alignment. Trusted for sound judgment in ambiguity, you’ll connect the dots across roadmaps, raise program execution standards through practical process improvements, and coach peers. You’ll be the connective tissue across Product, Engineering and partner functions, driving delivery of scalable features and services that support Zendesk’s AI and CX priorities. Expect to collaborate with colleagues across EMEA, APAC, and AMER.

What you’ll do:

• Lead and deliver multi-team technical programs that span Product Development and partner functions, ensuring milestones, quality standards and outcomes are met.

• Translate strategy and OKRs into program structure, plans, milestones and measurable success criteria; keep progress visible to stakeholders.

• Build program governance: establish operating cadences, decision forums, escalation paths and clear RACI for cross-functional delivery.

• Identify, track and mitigate risks and dependencies proactively; manage scope and critical path to limit surprises.

• Facilitate alignment and decision-making across partner functions; run workshops, retrospectives and steering committee meetings.

• Produce concise, decision-ready updates and status reporting for various levels of stakeholders.

• Improve program processes and standards; coach teams on planning, risk management and reporting best practices.

• Mentor and partner with other program managers to raise execution standards across the PMO.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Proven track record delivering technical programs in a software/engineering environment; experience launching multiple large-scale releases.

• Strong cross-functional awareness and ability to connect roadmaps, anticipate impacts, and manage upstream/downstream dependencies.

• Prior experience working on AI, ML or platform initiatives (or programs that support developer/platform teams).

• Demonstrated success partnering with Director-/VP-level stakeholders and operating at a global scale (multi-geo programs).

• Excellent execution discipline: scope management, critical-path planning, proactive risk mitigation, and effective change control.

• Skilled facilitator and communicator: able to drive alignment among diverse stakeholders and synthesize complex inputs into clear narratives.

• Comfortable operating with ambiguous inputs and making tradeoffs that balances speed, quality and business impact.

• Familiarity with program/delivery tools and practices (Jira, Confluence, Kanban/Agile) and with program governance frameworks.

• Data-informed: able to define and track KPIs, partner with analytics teams, and use metrics to guide decisions.

The US annualized base salary range for this position is $174,000.00-$262,000.00. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with your specific accommodation request.