Assistant Program Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Overview:
At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer's and partner's needs and solve their challenges.
Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.
You'll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about-locally and globally.
Come make an impact every day at Zebra.
What We're Looking For:
Technical Program Manager, Senior
Technical and solutions senior program manager responsible for leading agile cross-functional team of Systems, HW/SW Engineers, Test Engineers, Operations, Quality, Service, etc. from initial concept to deployment. Meets complex program goals for product performance, quality goals, regulatory compliance requirements, cost, schedule and development budget. Also responsible for working with Product Management, Marketing, and Customer Experience Designers to execute the product vision; ensure technical delivery milestones align with the business case and product requirements. Given our multitude of design and development partners, leads negotiations involving Business Development and Legal.
Responsibilities:

• Drive the execution of program initiatives, applying AI, automation, and data analytics to solve complex business problems and deliver measurable value.
• Drive execution of solutions inclusive of concept definition, requirements validation, architecture specification, and governance compliance to our Application Lifecycle Management framework.
• Ability to translate customer problems into solution requirements.
• Leads system integration planning, release management, and planning for demonstrations, proof of concepts and pilots.
• Leads creating cross functional workstreams and driving execution for sales enablement, development and deployment.
• Independently building relationships and working across all relevant areas of the solution business including Sales, Services, IT, Finance, Marketing, Product, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Support.
• Works independently with business in defining proof of value and customer's return on investment.
• Organizes and presents business, technical and program reviews/status to Senior Leadership using digital media, dashboards and JIRA agile project management tools.
• Independently execute to program plan and budgets for multiple, large projects. Recommend corrective actions and implement changes. Identify and mitigate risks; develop and implement risk mitigation plans. Owns ensuring alignment from key leaders of milestone achievement before moving the program forward.
• Motivate a project team to ensure solutions are reliable and of quality, in a highly collaborative fashion.
• Demonstrates the ability to see cross-functional impacts of decisions and project plans and execution. Balances scope, schedule and budget considerations to adjust the project with minimal impact to the business. Understands the business objectives of the program and assumes personal accountability for success of the program against those objectives.
• Provides assistance with coordination of deliverables and project assets to assist the project team. Removes impediments and addresses obstacles or issues that are moderate to significant in severity and escalates complex issues to management for assistance. Independently engages additional resources as needed to address obstacles or delays. Adjusts the plan per management guidelines as delays or obstacles are experienced.
• Demonstrates intermediate understanding of development processes and product launch scope and activities.
• Operates with high autonomy to drive program success. Proactively identifies critical roadblocks, designs mitigation strategies, and provides executive leadership with data-driven recommendations for strategic pivots.
• Drive the ideation, development, and execution of cost reduction strategies across the business.
• Utilize AI-powered reporting and business intelligence tools to generate actionable insights and support data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications:
Minimum Education:

• BS Electrical Engineering or Computer Science degree, or IT or Information Systems BS degree, MS preferred.

Minimum Work Experience (years):

• 5-8 years in roles demonstrating a blend of Engineering and Program Management; Scrum Master experience for products in a fast-paced environment a plus.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Intermediate to advanced leadership and analytical skills.
• Intermediate to advanced written and oral communication skills.
• Solid critical thinking and questioning skills.
• Experience leading medium cross-functional teams.
• Self-motivated, results driven, manages risks, and thrives in an environment of uncertainty and continuous innovation.
• Experienced team builder, great at collaboration and managing resources; proven interpersonal skills.
• Experience working independently and as part of a team to solve difficult technical, quality, cost, and schedule challenges; well versed in risk management practices.
• Experience in Cost Reduction ideations and executions.
• Experience with AI-powered reporting or business intelligence tools.
• Cost management.
• Tools and processes this person should be familiar with:
  • MS 365
  • Jira
  • Claude
  • Gemini
  • SDLC
  • Agile
  • Confluence

Equal Opportunity Employer:
Zebra is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability and protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance in applying for a position, please contact us at workplace.accommodations@zebra.com.
Know Your Rights:
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Conozca sus Derechos:
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We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation at workplace.accommodations@zebra.com .
Pay Range:
$108,960.00 - $163,440.00 Annual
Incentive Compensation:
In addition to base pay, Zebra offers this role the opportunity to earn a performance-based annual cash incentive, at a target equal to 12% of base pay, in accordance with the terms of the applicable incentive plan.
Zebra Total Rewards:
Zebra Total Rewards includes more than just pay and is structured to meet the needs of our changing global business and evolving talent. We are committed to providing our employees with a benefits program that is comprehensive and competitive - including healthcare, wellness, inclusion networks, and continued learning and development offerings. We offer community service days, in addition to the traditional insurances, compensation, parental leave, employee assistance program and paid time off offerings depending on the country where you work.
Salary offered will vary depending on your location, job-related skills, knowledge, and experience.
Additionally, all Zebra roles are eligible for cash incentive programs. For example, sales roles have additional opportunity to earn substantial variable compensation tied to quota achievement. In most other roles, the Zebra annual cash incentive program links Company and individual performance together. Some roles may also be eligible for long-term incentive equity awards.
Benefits:
We understand the importance of work-life balance and wellbeing, which is why we offer flexibility for our teams including: hybrid work, adaptable hours, Summer Flex Fridays, Focus Fridays, and an annual companywide well-being day to promote revitalization and success.
Job Posting Statement:
To protect candidates from falling victim to online fraudulent activity involving fake job postings and employment offers, please be aware our recruiters will always connect with you via @zebra.com email accounts. Applications are only accepted through our applicant tracking system and only accept personal identifying information through that system. Our Talent Acquisition team will not ask for you to provide personal identifying information via e-mail or outside of the system. If you are a victim of identity theft contact your local police department.
AI Technology Statement:
Zebra Technologies leverages AI technology to evaluate job applications using objective, job-relevant criteria. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes fairness in the hiring process. However, every decision regarding interviews and hiring is made by our dedicated team, because we believe people make the best decisions about people. For more on how we use technology in hiring and how we process applicant data, see our Zebra Privacy Policy.