Software Program Manager, Software Engineering Operations

Cornelis Networks delivers high-performance scale-out networking solutions for AI and HPC datacenters. Our differentiated architecture integrates hardware, software, and system-level technologies to maximize the efficiency of GPU, CPU, and accelerator-based compute clusters at scale. Our solutions help customers push the boundaries of AI and HPC by eliminating bottlenecks and enabling massive-scale training, inference, simulation, and data-intensive workloads. 

We are a fast-growing team of architects, engineers, and business professionals with a proven track record of building successful products and companies. As a global organization, our team spans multiple U.S. states and six countries, and we continue to expand with exceptional talent in onsite, hybrid, and remote roles. 

We are seeking an experienced Software Program Manager to drive execution across key software initiatives in a fast-paced, customer-focused silicon and networking startup. This role requires strong cross-functional leadership, disciplined execution, technical fluency, and the ability to create clarity across complex software, firmware, hardware, validation, product, and customer-facing workstreams. 

The ideal candidate is highly organized, pragmatic, and comfortable operating in ambiguity. They can establish customized and effective processes, align engineering teams around priorities and milestones, identify risks early, and communicate clearly with technical teams, executives, and customer-facing stakeholders. 

Key Responsibilities:

Drive Software Program Execution 

Lead planning and execution for key software initiatives, including project schedules, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, and execution status. Partner closely with software engineering leaders to ensure work is prioritized, tracked, and delivered effectively. 

Drive Cross-Functional Software Program Alignment 

Partner with teams across the software delivery lifecycle, including development, test, DevOps, and field organizations. Drive alignment on priorities, dependencies, risks, release readiness, and customer commitments to ensure coordinated execution across programs. 

Support Release Planning and Readiness 

Partner with engineering and product teams to plan software releases, track release scope, coordinate readiness reviews, manage defect and issue visibility, and support go/no-go decision-making. 

Provide Visibility and Operating Cadence 

Establish and maintain clear dashboards, status reporting, risk registers, milestone tracking, and communication rhythms. Provide concise updates to engineering leadership and executives on progress, risks, dependencies, and tradeoffs. 

Coordinate Customer-Impacting Issues 

Drive visibility and follow-through on customer-facing software issues, escalations, and commitments. Work with engineering, support, product, and field teams to track ownership, mitigation plans, and resolution status. 

Improve Engineering Operations 

Identify opportunities to improve planning, Jira workflows, release tracking, status reporting, bug triage, dependency management, and overall engineering execution. Implement practical, lightweight processes that improve predictability without creating unnecessary overhead. 

Facilitate Prioritization and Tradeoff Discussions 

Help teams evaluate competing priorities, resource constraints, schedule risks, and customer commitments. Ensure decision points are surfaced clearly and resolved with the right stakeholders.