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Description

Whisker is the maker of Litter-Robot, Feeder-Robot, and Litterbox.com. At Whisker, we believe pet parenthood can always get better.

As leading innovators in pet tech and refined pet accessories, we work tirelessly to solve problems and deliver smarter insights for pet parents while enriching the lives of pets. Whether it’s a self-cleaning litter box that automates scooping, an automatic feeder that helps pets develop healthier eating habits, or a modern cat tree that delights both humans and felines, we strive to deliver better solutions for consumers while transforming pet care along the way. To us, having a pet is the best thing ever. At Whisker, life together just keeps getting better.

Whisker is based in Auburn Hills, Michigan and Juneau, Wisconsin with 500+ passionate team members.

What You’ll Do:

The Director of Program Management will lead the Whisker program management team as they lead the development of the next generations of our connected pet care products. The Director will continue to build and enhance the program management team, lead across other organizations, set and lead our product development process, and create the tools and structure that we need to continue to scale and grow. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.

  • Leads a team of Program Managers as they steer individual programs and projects from concept through manufacturing.
  • Responsible for both people management (development, coaching) and project escalation for those projects in their domain.
  • Ensures Program Managers on the team deliver core requirements on projects while meeting quality, cost, and timing targets.
  • Works to maintain high level business goals and provide overall business risks and mitigations for the partner organizations.
  • Monitors and tracks program progress against key milestones and deliverables, identifying and mitigating risks and issues as they arise.
  • Builds tools and processes as necessary to help Whisker achieve its stated goals.
  • Acts as a strong partner for product management in the customer journey of the development of the products.
  • Drives the development and execution of detailed program plans, including timelines, resource allocation, and budget management.
  • Communicates with senior leadership on goals and impact to help drive decision making.
  • Continuously evaluate program performance and outcomes, identifying opportunities for process improvements and best practices.
  • Build OKRs and KPIs for the program management team and the product development process.
  • Ensures the team is trained and skilled in using a common methodology, tools, and processes.
  • Builds, develops and maintains strong performing teams. 
  • Manages and recommends professional training (informal and formal) where needs arise.
  • Drive scale into the product development system to match growth.
  • Will perform additional responsibilities when required. 

Leadership Responsibilities: 

Directly supervises department Teams. Carries out supervisory responsibilities following Whisker policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, training, and hiring, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, addressing team issues, and upholding safety and quality guidelines. The Director must be able to build and maintain tools and processes that are used throughout the entire business. The Director will be able to take all teams through the development journey and explain what we are doing and why we are doing things.

Requirements

What You’ll Bring:

  • B.S. in an Engineering discipline
  • 6+ years of program management experience with consumer products consisting of electrical, mechanical, and software components
  • 6+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams 
  • 3+ years of experience with “smart” product development including IoT, embedded software, mobile app development, and/or connected devices
  • Strong financial acumen including project calculations, product cost, margins, project expense and capital budgeting and tracking
  • Experience working with customers in multiple channels (direct to consumer, retail, e-commerce)
  • Experience in risk management
  • Experience working closely with internal manufacturing/operations and external component suppliers and contract manufacturers
  • Proficient in Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office 365
  • Proficient in Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or other comparable project management software
  • Occasional travel to suppliers and Whisker’s manufacturing facility
  • Experience developing product requirements and test plans
  • Maintains confidentiality of proprietary information
  • Ability to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptions
  • A high degree of initiative, self-motivation, and ability to motivate others
  • Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleagues
  • Comfortable with office pets (cats, dogs) 

Not Required but Nice to Have!

  • PMP certification
  • Experience at a smaller organization to scale from one to many products
  • An engineering development background
  • Experience in a factory NPI environment 
  • Not required to have pets but highly recommended 

Benefits & Purrks: 

Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the “why”, and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow’s pet products—plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with:

  • Premium Medical/Dental/Vision insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • PTO
  • 14 Paid Holidays
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • 401K with 4% Match
  • Flexible Work Arrangements
  • Top of the line equipment

Statement of Inclusivity:

We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

Please ensure to regularly check your email spam folder for any communication from Whisker to avoid missing important updates regarding your application status.

#onsite1

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Confirmed 12 hours ago. Posted 30+ days ago.

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