Principal Community Program Manager

Short Description

As a Principal Program Manager for the NI Community, you will be the driving force behind customer-led initiatives around the globe—most notably, technical user group exchanges and university workshops. Based at our corporate office in Austin, you will coordinate resources from various departments and external partners to ensure these initiatives run smoothly and deliver maximum value. This role demands a strong project management background and outstanding organizational skills!

 

Key Responsibilities

• Plan & Execute Community Events
  • Oversee the planning, scheduling, and logistics of customer-led events, including technical user groups and university workshops.
  • Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., Product Management, Marketing, Technical Experts, Sales) to align event goals with NI’s broader objectives.
• Coordinate Cross-Functional Customers
  • Serve as the central point of contact, handling communication with customers, partners, distributors, and internal resources.
  • Identify resource needs and allocate team members—locally and globally—to support high-impact forums and activities.
• Engage Key Customer Contacts
  • Proactively get in touch with targeted customers and partners to confirm event schedules, gather requirements, and gauge overall readiness.
  • Facilitate discussions to ensure alignment on content, goals, and expected outcomes at each forum.
• Drive Metrics & Scalability
  • Develop and maintain dashboards, reports, and tracking tools to measure event performance, attendee engagement, and ROI.
  • Champion the use of automation and analytics tools to streamline processes, reduce manual effort, and enable scalable growth.
• Project Management Excellence
  • Leverage proven project management methodologies to define timelines, lead scope, and mitigate risks.
  • Ensure all project deliverables meet quality standards and align with NI’s strategic objectives.
• Communicate & Influence
  • Provide clear, concise updates to customers at all levels—from senior management to on-the-ground contributors.
  • Use strong interpersonal skills to influence decision-making and maintain forward momentum.

 

Who You Are

You excel at orchestrating complex, multifaceted programs that require alignment across diverse teams and customers. You thrive on structure, excel in data-driven environments, and relish the challenge of ensuring each initiative delivers maximum impact. You are comfortable taking the lead, anticipating roadblocks, and guiding others toward solutions.

 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college/university (required)
• 3–5 years of experience in project or program management
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, cross-functional initiatives
• Strong analytical, organizational, and data-management skills (e.g., Excel, project management software)
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and customer engagement skills
• Self-motivated and comfortable working with ambiguity

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in community building, event coordination, or volunteer management
• Familiarity with agile/scrum methodologies
• Experience with automation tools and dashboards
• Background in sales or sales operations
• Knowledge of AI or process automation

 Our Offer to You

We recognize for our organization to support a diverse workforce, we must focus on employee wellbeing. We know that to do your best work, you must have flexible, competitive benefit plans to meet you and your family’s physical, mental, financial, and social needs. We provide a market leading 401(k) and profit-sharing plan, a variety of medical insurance plans, with dental and vision coverage, family formation benefits in addition to paid parental leave (maternal and paternal), Employee Assistance Program, tuition reimbursement, employee resource groups, recognition, and much more. Our culture prioritizes work-life balance and offers flexible time off plans, inclusive of vacation, holiday and sick leave. Our goal is to offer a strong benefits foundation while allowing employees the flexibility to choose options that best suit their needs.

 

At Emerson, we are committed to fostering a culture where every employee is valued and respected for their unique experiences and perspectives. We believe a diverse and inclusive work environment contributes to the rich exchange of idea