Staff Program Manager, Partner Quality

About the Role

As a Staff Program Manager, Partner Quality, you own the quality and safety dimensions of the partner KPI framework across all vendor categories. This role requires significant autonomy, strong business judgment, and the ability to create structure and alignment across complex, ambiguous problems. You will help define what "good" looks like across a diverse partner ecosystem and influence decisions across multiple functions and levels of leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the strategic owner for the quality and safety dimensions of the partner KPI framework, defining standards, audit cadence, and certification requirements across partnership categories.
• Design and operate vendor audit processes to proactively surface quality risks before they affect commercial or safety outcomes.
• Investigate systemic quality failures, root-cause findings, and drive corrective and preventive action plans in partnership with Product Operations and affected category leads.
• Partner with category leads (Partnership Program Managers, Cost Out & Productivity) to embed quality and safety metrics into vendor scorecards and Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Apply Lean Six Sigma and DMAIC methodology to resolve recurring quality issues in both Aurora's and partners' processes.
• Frame quality risk, safety exposure, and remediation tradeoffs for senior and executive leaders, driving alignment across Operations, Product, and Safety.
• Establish reusable quality playbooks and audit tools, and mentor category leads and Ops Quality on applying quality rigor to their partner relationships.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, Quality Management, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in supplier/vendor quality management, quality assurance, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience independently leading complex, cross-functional quality or safety programs across vendor categories.
• Proven ability to define quality standards, audit frameworks, and corrective-action systems in ambiguous environments.
• Track record of resolving systemic quality issues through structured root-cause analysis.
• Strong executive communication, business judgment, and stakeholder influence skills.
• Advanced experience developing and using quality metrics, audit scorecards, and performance systems to drive decisions.
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification, or ability to obtain certification within 90 days of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in transportation, logistics, or autonomous vehicle operations.
• Certifications such as PMP, CSP, Six Sigma, CFSE/P, or other relevant safety or project management certifications.
• Knowledge of safety regulations and standards.
• Experience developing, implementing, and improving Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs).
• Experience leading cross-functional teams.
• Understanding of regulatory compliance processes related to safety standards.
• Experience with Jira, Jama, Confluence, Google Suite.

Pay

For roles based in Coppell, TX: The salary range for this position is $115,000 - $166,500 per year. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

Working at Aurora

At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks. We believe in-person work increases collaboration, empathy, and our ability to lead effectively. As a result, Aurorans are expected to work from the office at least 3 days per week, with some roles requiring more frequent in-office presence, up to 5 days per week, based on operational needs.