Customer Program Manager

This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global market leader renowned for powering many of the world's most demanding AI data centers, in industries ranging from life sciences and healthcare to financial services, autonomous cars, Government, academia, research and manufacturing.

"DDN's A3I solutions are transforming the landscape of AI infrastructure." - IDC

"The real differentiator is DDN. I never hesitate to recommend DDN. DDN is the de facto name for AI Storage in high performance environments" - Marc Hamilton, VP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering | NVIDIA

DDN is the global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale. Our cutting-edge data intelligence platform is designed to accelerate AI workloads, enabling organizations to extract maximum value from their data. With a proven track record of performance, reliability, and scalability, DDN empowers businesses to tackle the most challenging AI and data-intensive workloads with confidence.

Our success is driven by our unwavering commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and a team of passionate professionals who bring their expertise and dedication to every project. This is a chance to make a significant impact at a company that is shaping the future of AI and data management.

Our commitment to innovation, customer success, and market leadership makes this an exciting and rewarding role for a driven professional looking to make a lasting impact in the world of AI and data storage.

This is an exciting, highly visible and customer-facing opportunity. As the Customer Program Manager, you will lead complex, challenging and exciting customer onboarding initiatives. This role requires a unique blend of technical expertise, program management excellence, and deep understanding of AI technologies, on-prem and cloud storage implementations, and how they fit into the customers' overall goals. You will collaborate very closely with a wide variety of functional teams, including Customer Support and Engineering, and translate customers' feedback and highly technical asks into actionable next steps. Above all this this role requires an unwavering focus on customers, managing customer expectations, understanding bottlenecks and pain points, and proactively working to ensure that they have an outstanding customer experience.

Key Responsibilities:

Drive end-to-end program management for strategic customers' onboarding
• Develop and maintain customer management process, escalations, tiger teams, program management frameworks, timelines, and dependencies across multiple customers
• Lead cross-functional teams to ensure successful customer outcome
• Create and track customer onboarding program KPIs, milestones, and success metrics
• "Be the Glue" between customers and DDN - Coordinate between internal teams and customers to ensure successful outcome
• Identify and mitigate risks proactively across complex programs

Program Management

• Establish and maintain program governance frameworks
• Create and manage detailed project plans and schedules
• Drive regular status updates and executive reviews
• Manage resource allocation across multiple partner initiatives
• Implement risk management and mitigation strategies
• Track and report on program metrics and deliverables

Technical Integration

• Coordinate technical integration efforts with high value customers
• Drive onboarding holistically, including technical and non-technical aspects of customers needs
• Drive appropriate classification of customer needs (programmatic, technical, engineering, product, support, architectural, etc) and facilitate appropriate paths to resolve
• Ensure compliance requirements where applicable

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of technical and customer program management experience
• Proven track record managing complex programs with high value customers
• Strong understanding of server hardware, cloud infrastructure, and AI/ML technologies
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• PMP or similar certification preferred

Required Skills and Attributes:

• Passion for working with customers and helping them succeed
• Passion for AI technology and its applications across various markets
• Ability to operate at an "unreasonable velocity" in a fast-paced environment
• Excellence in stakeholder management across multiple organizations
• Strong bias for action with ability to intake complex scenarios and turning them into concrete, actionable next steps
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills to a wide range of audiences
• Strategic thinking with attention to technical details
• Adaptability in working with diverse partner requirements

Technical Knowledge:

• Understanding of AI/ML infrastructure and workflows
• Knowledge of server hardware architectures
• Familiarity with cloud platforms and services
• Experience with DevOps and CI/CD practices
• Understanding of software development lifecycles

What We Offer:

• Opportunity to work with leading technologies in the AI space
• Competitive compensation package including base salary
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Professional development opportunities
• Remote work flexibility
• Impact on cutting-edge AI technology adoption

Success Metrics (First 12 Months):

• Establish program management frameworks for customer engagements
• Successfully drive management of existing and new customers
• Improve program delivery efficiency
• Build strong relationships across key teams
• Develop scalable processes for customer programs
• Communicate, document and organize for various internal and external audiences
• Be recognized as the go to person for effective customer program management

If you're passionate about AI technology, have a proven track record in managing complex programs with major customers, and are excited about driving strategic initiatives in a fast-paced environment, we want to hear from you. Join us in shaping the future of AI data intelligence through powerful ecosystem partnerships.

DDN has a very strong orientation towards these 4 characteristics and any successful employee will demonstrate these capabilities:

Self-Starter - Takes independent action to identify and solve problems. Seeks out relevant information needed to make decisions. Gets involved with new initiatives.

Success/Achievement Orientation - Delivers quality results consistently. Targets, achieves (or exceeds) measurable results. Sets challenging goals, focuses on critical priorities, and is accountable.

Problem Solving - Recognizes problems and responds with a systematic assessment that identifies and addresses cause of issue. Practical, realistic, and resourceful.

Innovative - Builds and improves key business processes that enhance the effectiveness of DDN. Generates new ideas, challenges the status quo, and solves problems creatively.

DataDirect Networks, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, sex stereotyping, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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