Program Management Lead at unspun

Are you a seasoned program leader who thrives at the intersection of hardware innovation and strategic execution? Do you have a proven track record of orchestrating complex initiatives across engineering, operations, and commercial teams? If you're passionate about bringing revolutionary technology to market while fighting climate change, we're looking for your strategic leadership.

Why This Role Matters

We're building Vega™, a breakthrough 3D weaving system that turns yarn directly into garments in minutes. As our Senior Program Management Lead, you'll be the critical connective tissue that brings our technology from prototype to global deployment. You'll drive how & when things happen at the company level, working horizontally across all teams to deliver on our mission to reduce global carbon emissions by 1%.

What Success Looks Like

Your impact will be measured by:

• Translating our company vision into executable roadmaps and holding teams accountable to company-level goals
• Building frameworks that enable cross-functional teams to make better decisions faster
• Establishing processes that balance rigorous execution with the flexibility required in a scaling hardware business
• Driving successful machine deployments that transform the fashion industry worldwide
• Creating alignment between founders' vision and teams' execution, ensuring we maintain momentum on our most critical initiatives

Who You Are

• Experienced Leader: You bring 8+ years of program management experience, with at least 5 years leading complex hardware or manufacturing programs from development through deployment
• Technical Depth: You have demonstrable experience with hardware/software integration challenges and can navigate technical conversations confidently
• Strategic Thinker: You can zoom out to see the big picture while also diving into details when needed
• Risk Navigator: You excel at identifying potential roadblocks before they emerge and developing mitigation strategies
• Commercial Translator: You understand how to bridge technical capabilities with market requirements and customer value

Key Questions to Consider:

• Have you successfully led cross-functional programs that brought hardware products from prototype to market?
• Can you share examples of how you've balanced competing priorities across engineering, operations, and commercial teams?
• How do you approach risk management when dealing with novel technologies and tight timelines?
• What frameworks have you developed to improve decision quality and velocity in complex organizations?
• How do you maintain strategic alignment while driving tactical execution?

A Typical Day Might Include

• Leading strategic planning sessions with executive leadership to align on priorities and resource allocation
• Facilitating critical decision-making forums between engineering and commercial teams
• Creating and maintaining program roadmaps that balance technical excellence with market needs
• Identifying risks across workstreams and developing mitigation strategies
• Establishing key performance indicators to track progress against company goals
• Coaching project managers across teams to maintain alignment with company-level objectives
• Having lunch with the team (we're a pretty social bunch!)

Why unspun?

We're not just another tech company - we're reinventing how things are made. Here's what makes us special:

• Mission-Driven: Your work directly reduces global carbon emissions
• Innovation at Scale: Lead breakthrough technology deployment in a way that's both intentional and relentless
• Leadership Impact: Shape our strategic approach as a key member of our leadership team
• Amazing Team: Work with passionate experts across disciplines
• Growth Opportunity: Help define our approach to program management as we scale
• Comprehensive Benefits: Details below, but we take care of our team

Our Culture

We're relentless in pursuing our mission, intentional in our decisions, and fundamentally human in how we work together. We celebrate small wins, speak up to benefit many, and aren't afraid to make mistakes along the way.

Benefits

The salary range for this role is $151,000 - $167,000 USD annually, plus 0.02% - 0.03% equity.

Benefits include:

• Self-regulated vacation policy
• Comprehensive (gold & platinum) health/dental/vision insurance
• Company sponsored 401k and FSA or HSA
• Monthly wellness or education grant up to $150
• Pre-tax commuter benefits

Our Philosophy

We won't roll our eyes if your socks don't match. We get it. But then, if you spend those extra few minutes in the morning matching your socks and shirt, we get that too. Our workspaces are sometimes spotless and sometimes chaotic, and we celebrate messy exploration. We work through complex problems but generate simple and elegant solutions. We strive to look at things differently, and never do anything solely because "that's the way it's always been done."

We're a team of designers and engineers, industry-veterans and serial entrepreneurs, artists and developers. We're aspiring chess masters and climbers, bakers and photographers. Originally spun out of Stanford and the University of Colorado, we now call the SF Bay Area home, with strong ties to Hong Kong. We are looking for teammates who share our desire to work on ambitious problems and leave the world better than we found it.

unspun is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to being a diverse team that reflects a broad range of background, thought, and experience. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, status as an individual with a disability, status as protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristics. Women, minorities, and people from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Location

Emeryville, CA (Hybrid)