Director, Engineering Program Management - AI Platforms & Globalization

Adobe•San Jose, CA

About The Position

The role is responsible for leading a team of Program Managers across complex, cross-functional localization programs that enable international release of Adobe products, Help content, and Marketing assets. This role is accountable for program delivery from definition and planning through execution and launch, operating across product engineering, content teams, marketing and regional teams, in addition to a large external vendor ecosystem. The position requires strong strategic leadership, technical judgment, and the ability to influence outcomes across teams. Besides international releases, the role includes running a complex worldwide network of agencies. It also involves coordinating a significant outsourcing budget of $30–35M, improving efficiency and governance with AI-enabled program management practices. Further, this role needs strong technical expertise to lead a team of Technical Program Managers driving the company’s transition toward AI-first, agentic workflows . This role now sits at the center of engineering execution, AI platform strategy, and operational transformation. This role will own delivery of complex, multi-year programs focused on embedding AI into core products and internal workflows , evolving traditional systems into AI-enabled, autonomous, and scalable architectures . Beyond execution, this role shapes how the organization thinks about programs in an AI-native world. This role will enable the group to operate as technical leaders with an AI-first approach where traditional workflows are successfully re-imagined as intelligent, AI-enabled systems and AI programs are delivered with technical rigor, speed, and measurable business impact. This role will enable senior leadership to have high confidence in execution, trade-offs, and AI strategy alignment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering; Management (MBA) from premier institutes preferred
12–15+ years of experience in technical, content, or localization program management, including ownership of large, cross-functional programs
Strong technical understanding of Agentic and process-focused AI systems, data pipelines, APIs, cloud infrastructure, and distributed systems
Proven experience delivering large-scale, platform-level technical programs
Proven track record of driving scalable frameworks, complex vendor optimization, and cross-organizational process improvements
Excellent communication skills with experience influencing senior leaders along with strong analytical, quantitative, and data-driven decision-making skills
Hands-on experience applying GenAI and AI/ML technologies to program management, localization, or content operations
Familiarity with cloud-based development models, continuous localization, and CI/CD release practices
Hands-on experience working with AI/ML teams or platforms in fast paced, technology-focused product environments
Experience modernizing legacy workflows using AI and automation, and familiarity with AI governance, evaluation, and responsible AI practices

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Execution Drive multi-product localization programs for flagship Adobe products and marketing launches, in collaboration with engineering, content, marketing, regional, and external partners
Anticipate, assess, track, and mitigate risks related to scope, quality, cost, vendor capacity, and timelines; call out with data-driven recommendations as needed
Autonomously manage multiple concurrent programs, balancing critical near-term delivery commitments with longer-term pivotal initiatives
Own a portfolio of complex, technically deep programs focused on AI enablement and platform modernization Management of initiatives involving: Agentic workflows and multi-agent orchestration Human-in-the-loop and autonomous decision systems Partner with engineering teams to translate AI strategy into executable technical roadmaps
Planning & Cross-Functional Influence Serve as a central point of contact between internal partners (Product, Engineering, Content, Marketing, Legal, Security, Privacy) and external partners in resolving cross-program challenges
Influence strategic and tactical decisions through structured proposals that clearly articulate trade-offs, dependencies, and business impact
Communicate program status, risks, and systemic issues at the appropriate altitude for senior leadership and partner teams
Manage complex programs involving re-architecting traditional workflows into AI-enabled, automated, and intelligent systems
Technical & AI-Enabled Program Management Demonstrate strong understanding of technical requirements, content pipelines, release models, and localization workflows to assess scope, dependencies, and critical paths
Drive product ownership for Adobe’s powerful AI-powered globalization platform (glaas.ai)
Partner with engineering and platform teams to evaluate and operationalize emerging AI technologies that enhance international execution at scale
Apply GenAI and AI/ML capabilities across the program management stack, including, AI-assisted planning, forecasting, and capacity modeling Data-driven prioritization and scenario analysis, automated program reporting and executive insights to measure and improve quality, speed, and cost efficiency
Global Agency Ecosystem & Outsourcing Budget management Own and manage a complex, global localization agency ecosystem, spanning multiple service providers, regions, languages, and content types, including e2e contracting and rate card negotiations
Establish clear operating models, performance expectations, SLAs, and governance mechanisms to ensure predictable delivery, quality, and scalability
Partner closely with Procurement, Finance, Legal, and Security teams on vendor strategy, contracting, compliance, and risk management
Drive vendor performance management through metrics, business reviews, and continuous optimization of capacity, quality, and cost
Accountable for global outsourcing budget of approximately $30-35M. Own forecasting, budgeting, and financial planning for Globalization-managed programs, ensuring spend aligns with business priorities and delivery commitments
Identify cost optimization opportunities through process improvements, vendor strategy, automation, and AI-enabled efficiencies while maintaining quality and time-to-market
Communication, Governance & Operational Excellence Serve as a strategic execution partner to senior Engineering, AI, and Product leaders. Translate complex, multi-dimensional program data into concise insights to enable timely, informed decision-making at senior leadership levels
Communicate complex AI program progress, threats, dependencies and trade-offs to senior leadership audiences
Influence prioritization and investment decisions across AI platforms and product initiatives
Identify and resolve misalignment and facilitate clear, consistent communication across geographically distributed teams, vendors, and partners
Ensure compliance with legal, security, privacy, and regional requirements across all localized work
Provide financial visibility, and insights to senior leadership to support informed decision-making, through defined metrics, and operating rhythms suited for AI-heavy programs
Team Leadership and Capability Building Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Technical Program Managers
Set expectations for technical rigor, system-level thinking, and AI fluency within the Program Management org
Build a strong Technical Program Manager culture that balances speed, quality, and responsible AI practices
Coach TPMs to act as technical leaders, not just coordinators across programs