Hybrid Senior Technical Program Manager, R&D Operations

at Udemy

• Job title: Senior Technical Program Manager, R&D Operations
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Senior
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Tech skills: AWS, Cloud
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Canada

About the role

• Senior R&D Operations Program Manager facilitating operational excellence across Engineering, Product, Design, Finance, and Operations at Udemy. Collaborating to optimize processes while managing budgets and cost-saving initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Partnering with the Head of R&D Operations and FP&A business partners to manage department-wide budget and tool operations.
• Driving cost savings initiatives by collaborating closely with Platform Engineering teams, running monthly Engineering Operations reviews, and identifying savings opportunities.
• Managing spend on cloud tools (e.g., AWS, Databricks, Datadog) and partnering with teams to optimize usage and reduce costs.
• Working with stakeholders and leadership team to optimize processes for budgeting, reporting, and exception management.
• Continuously improving operational delivery, clarity, and collaboration across teams.
• Champion operational excellence by refining workflows, automating reporting, and supporting metrics-driven decision-making
• Own and lead complex, cross-functional programs from inception through delivery - managing scope, schedules, risks, and stakeholder alignment.
• Identify and manage interdependencies across multiple workstreams, proactively removing blockers and enabling seamless execution.
• Communicate clearly and effectively at all levels of the organization—adapting communication style for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborate with other TPMs to align on shared practices, scale cross-functional processes.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in program management or operations program management, working with Product and Engineering stakeholders (preferably in a software development environment).
• Proven ability to plan, manage, and monitor complex financial and operational processes.
• Advanced Google Sheets/Excel skills, with experience creating models, automations, and data-driven dashboards.
• Demonstrated experience managing and optimizing costs of cloud-based tools and infrastructure (e.g., AWS, Datadog) at scale.
• A self-starter mindset with strong judgment, accountability, and a passion for continuous improvement.
• Experience influencing and building productive relationships with senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders, including C-suite executives.
• A data-driven approach – you back recommendations with metrics and use analytics to measure impact.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to bring clarity in ambiguous situations.
• Comfortable wearing multiple hats and thriving in fast-paced environments
• Skilled at balancing structure with pragmatism, implementing scalable processes that prioritize speed and agility

Benefits

• Full access to Udemy courses
• Monthly UDay to invest in yourself
• Budget to spend on improving skills