Technical Program Manager

<p>Forward is transforming how the world’s most complex networks are managed and secured. Founded in 2013 by four Stanford Ph.D.s, we built the industry’s first network digital twin, a mathematically precise model of the production network that gives IT teams unmatched visibility, verification, and agility across every major cloud and vendor environment.</p> <p>Our customers include global leaders such as Goldman Sachs, PayPal, S&amp;P Global, IBM, and Dell, as well as fast-growing enterprises and government agencies. According to IDC, Forward customers realize an average of $14.2 million in annual benefits through improved efficiency and security.</p> <p>Backed by world-class investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, MSD Partners, and Threshold Ventures, Forward offers a people-centric, innovative culture where brilliant minds are shaping the future of network reliability, security, and AI-ready operations.</p> <p>Forward is looking for a&nbsp;<strong>Technical Program Manager</strong></p> <p>Core accountability: Drive execution across engineering programs, including releases, cross-functional initiatives, and the communications and coordination infrastructure that keeps a scaling org aligned.</p> <p><strong>What you'll own:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Release management end-to-end: SDLC coordination from product definition through production deployment, dependency mapping, release cadence, risk identification, and escalation before deadlines slip</li> <li>Cross-functional programs that span engineering, product, and the technical field: scoping, sequencing, and driving them to outcomes</li> <li>Internal engineering communications: status reporting, exec updates, and the cadence of how engineering keeps the rest of the org informed</li> <li>Process design that gets teams aligned without adding bureaucracy. Lightweight, followed, and retired when no longer useful</li> <li>Automation and AI leverage: identify what should be automated, partner with engineers to implement, and use AI for status tracking, documentation, and dependency analysis</li> </ul> <p><strong>What matters:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Track record running multi-team SaaS releases and broader engineering programs with complex dependencies</li> <li>Technical depth to distinguish realistic from fantasy (networking or infrastructure background a plus)</li> <li>Translates fluently between technical teams and business stakeholders</li> <li>Builds lightweight processes that actually get followed</li> <li>Knows when to push back on scope or timeline vs. when to escalate</li> <li>Comfortable being the person who asks "are we still on track?" repeatedly, and the one who reframes the question when the answe