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Vice President Programs Jobs in Needham, MA (NOW HIRING)

Pyramid Healthcare

VP Operations

Concord, MA

Pyramid Healthcare is seeking a dynamic Vice President of Operations to lead strategic initiatives, enhance program development, and ensure operational excellence across our behavioral healthcare ...

Beam Therapeutics

Vice President, Compliance

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$137K - $184K/yr

The Vice President, Compliance is a strategic leader responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving the company's Corporate Compliance Program to oversee promotional materials ...

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All JobsVice President Programs JobsVice President Programs Jobs in Needham, MA

Vice President Programs information

See Needham, MA salary details

$47.4K

$171.6K

$302.3K

How much do vice president programs jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for vice president programs in Needham, MA is $171,610.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $125,300.00 and $207,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a vice president of programs do?

A Vice President of Programs is a senior executive responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an organization's programs. They ensure that all program activities align with the organization’s strategic goals and mission. This role involves managing program staff, developing budgets, measuring outcomes, and reporting progress to the executive team or board of directors. The Vice President of Programs often collaborates closely with other departments and external partners to ensure program effectiveness and sustainability.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a vice president of programs, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Vice President of Programs, you need extensive experience in program management, strategic planning, and a relevant advanced degree such as an MBA or MPA. Familiarity with project management software, data analysis tools, and performance measurement systems is typically expected. Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills distinguish top performers in this role. These skills ensure effective oversight, alignment with organizational goals, and successful execution of complex initiatives.

What is the difference between Vice President Programs vs Program Manager?

AspectVice President ProgramsProgram Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees multiple programs, sets strategic direction, manages senior teamsManages specific projects or programs, ensures deliverables and timelines
CredentialsTypically requires advanced degrees and extensive experienceUsually requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree and relevant experience
Work EnvironmentExecutive-level, strategic planning, cross-departmental coordinationOperational, project-focused, team management
Industry UsageCommon in large organizations across various sectorsWidely used in project-driven industries like IT, construction, and healthcare

The Vice President Programs holds a senior leadership role responsible for strategic oversight of multiple programs, while the Program Manager focuses on managing individual projects within those programs. Both roles require strong organizational skills, but the VP is more involved in high-level planning and decision-making, whereas the Program Manager handles day-to-day project execution.

What are the most commonly searched types of Programs jobs in Needham, MA?

The most popular types of Programs jobs in Needham, MA are:

What job categories do people searching Vice President Programs jobs in Needham, MA look for?

The top searched job categories for Vice President Programs jobs in Needham, MA are:

What cities near Needham, MA are hiring for Vice President Programs jobs?

Cities near Needham, MA with the most Vice President Programs job openings:

Vice President Programs jobs near you
Infographic showing various Vice President Programs job openings in Needham, MA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $171,610 per year, or $82.5 per hour.

Vice President of Engineering

Randolph, MA

Cox Engineering
Construction • 201 - 500 employees
Learn more about Cox Engineeringexternal

$220K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING
Cambridgeport | HVAC Manufacturing
Department: Engineering
Reports to: President
Direct Reports: Engineering Managers, Principal Engineers, R amp;D Leads, Product Engineering
Location: On-site / Hybrid (Randolph, MA HQ; travel to Georgetown, MA and customer sites)
Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt
Industry: HVAC Manufacturing — Custom Air Handlers (AHUs) and Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAHs)
Position Summary
Cambridgeport is entering its most ambitious growth phase to date. We are an established HVAC manufacturer of custom air handlers and the fastest-growing independent supplier of Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAHs) to the data center market. Over the next 24 to 36 months, we will significantly expand our engineering organization, scale CRAH production to meet hyperscaler demand, continue delivering bespoke AHU solutions to our pharmaceutical and industrial customers, and invest heavily in the manufacturing infrastructure that supports both lines.
Reporting to the President, the VP of Engineering will own the full engineering function: product engineering for both HVAC custom units and CRAH platforms, manufacturing engineering across our Randolph and Georgetown facilities, R amp;D for next-generation data center cooling, and engineering operations. The leader will translate aggressive commercial goals into a scalable engineering organization. This is a builder's role: the leader will shape the team, the processes, and the technology platform that will define Cambridgeport's next decade.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on executive who has scaled an engineering organization through hyper-growth in HVAC manufacturing, has direct experience designing or scaling data center cooling products (CRAH, CRAC, in-row, rear-door heat exchangers, or liquid cooling), and has stood up engineering capabilities across multiple sites. Experience with hyperscaler customers (Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Meta, AWS, or AI infrastructure providers) is a significant plus.
Why This Role Matters
  • Custom Air Handler demand from long-standing industrial and pharmaceutical customers continues to grow alongside the data center business. The VP must lead engineering across both product lines without trading one off against the other.
  • We are transitioning our Georgetown facility to support CRAH panel production. The VP will lead the engineering elements of that transition — tooling, process design, validation, and tight coordination with our Prima power machine operations.
  • Our manufacturing infrastructure must scale to support multiples of current throughput. The VP will lead the engineering investments — automation, design-for-manufacturability, supplier engineering — that make that possible while protecting margin.
  • Data center cooling is a strategic platform bet. The VP will own the R amp;D pathway for next-generation CRAH and complementary cooling products as hyperscaler thermal demands evolve toward AI-scale densities.
Our Values
Cambridgeport's culture is defined by three values that the VP of Engineering will be expected to embody, reinforce, and scale across a growing organization:
Where the Best Are Built
  • We hold ourselves and our products to the highest standard. The VP will set and protect that bar in the people we hire, the products we ship, and the engineering practices we build, and will ensure that as we grow, the quality of our work grows with us.
We Do What We Say
  • Commitments are sacred at Cambridgeport. The VP will instill an operating discipline where commitments to customers, partners, and each other are met or proactively renegotiated, never silently broken, and where program forecasts can be trusted at the executive and senior leadership level.
We Are Always Getting Better
  • Standing still is falling behind. The VP will lead a culture of continuous improvement in product quality, manufacturing performance, engineering practices, and personal growth, and will model that learning posture personally, including welcoming feedback and adjusting course quickly.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy and Growth Leadership
  • Partner with the President and executive team to translate Cambridgeport's growth strategy into a multi-year engineering roadmap covering custom HVAC product engineering, CRAH platform engineering, manufacturing engineering, capacity, and capability investments.
  • Set engineering OKRs aligned to revenue, margin, on-time delivery, and quality targets for both AHU and CRAH product lines; report progress to the executive team and Cox Engineering.
  • Own the engineering operating budget and capital plan; make build-vs-buy and outsource-vs-insource decisions that protect margin while accelerating throughput.
  • Serve as the senior engineering voice in customer-facing executive conversations on programs, technology direction, and risk, including hyperscaler engagements and pharma validation discussions.
Organizational Build-Out
  • Scale the engineering team from its current size to a multi-site organization capable of supporting 2 to 3x revenue growth, while preserving the technical bar and culture.
  • Design the engineering org structure: define functional groups (custom AHU engineering, CRAH product engineering, manufacturing engineering, R amp;D, quality engineering, engineering operations), levels, career ladders, and managerial spans.
  • Personally lead recruiting for senior and principal-level hires; partner with HR and Talent Acquisition on a hiring plan that includes university pipeline, experienced hires, and strategic acquihires where appropriate.
  • Build out engineering leadership across Randolph (HQ + Custom AHU + final CRAH assembly) and Georgetown (CRAH panel hub), including establishing local management practices and ensuring tight integration across sites.
  • Establish performance management, compensation philosophy, and leveling rubrics that scale with the organization.
Product Lines and Program Execution
  • Own delivery across all active product programs — both custom AHU configurations for pharma, industrial, and commercial customers, and CRAH platforms for hyperscaler and AI infrastructure customers. Set program governance, gate reviews, and stage-gate criteria; intervene personally on at-risk programs.
  • Drive the next-generation CRAH product roadmap to address evolving data center thermal loads (chip-level cooling, AI training cluster densities, water-cooled augmentation, rear-door heat exchanger compatibility).
  • Stand up new product line engineering teams from concept through launch, including requirements, design, prototyping, validation, and transfer to manufacturing.
  • Drive design-for-manufacturability, design-for-cost, and design-for-quality principles into every program from day one.
  • Establish a portfolio view of engineering investment and R amp;D pipeline; balance near-term customer commitments with longer-horizon platform bets in data center cooling.
Manufacturing and Infrastructure Scale-Up
  • Lead the manufacturing engineering function: process engineering, tooling, fixturing, automation, and continuous improvement to support multi-fold throughput increases on both AHU and CRAH lines.
  • Lead the engineering elements of the Georgetown facility transition to CRAH panel production, including tooling design, line layout, validation, and integration with the Prima power machine.
  • Partner with Operations and Supply Chain on capacity planning, line layouts, equipment selection, and capital investments at both sites.
  • Champion lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and operational excellence practices specific to sheet metal fabrication, panel assembly, and air handler integration; drive measurable improvements in cycle time, yield, scrap, and unit cost.
  • Sponsor digital transformation in engineering and manufacturing — PLM, Epicor ERP/MES integration, model-based design, CFD simulation for thermal and airflow, and data-driven manufacturing.
Quality, Compliance, and Risk
  • Be the executive owner for engineering quality outcomes — design quality, supplier quality involvement, and manufacturing quality engineering across both product lines.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable HVAC industry standards (AHRI, AMCA, ASHRAE), data center customer-specific quality systems (hyperscaler-specific QMS), pharma cleanroom and validation requirements (cGMP, FDA-relevant where applicable), and general standards (ISO 9001 baseline; AS9100 path if pursued).
  • Maintain a transparent risk register for engineering and manufacturing programs; lead mitigation planning and executive escalation.
  • Partner with EH amp;S to ensure all engineering activity meets safety and environmental requirements, including refrigerant handling, sheet metal fabrication safety, and site-specific ergonomic considerations.
Executive and Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Serve as a peer to the Cambridgeport Leadership Team; build the cross-functional fabric required for multi-site, multi-program execution.
  • Communicate clearly to Cambridgeport leadership, customers, and the broader organization about engineering progress, risks, and decisions.
  • Model the leadership behaviors and culture Cambridgeport wants to scale: customer obsession, technical rigor, ownership, and humility.
Qualifications
Required Experience
  • 15+ years of engineering experience in HVAC manufacturing, mechanical equipment manufacturing, or hardware-intensive industrial manufacturing, including at least 7 years in senior engineering leadership.
  • Direct product engineering experience with air handlers, CRAHs, CRACs, precision cooling, or related thermal management products. Either custom AHU design or data center cooling design is required; both are strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience scaling an engineering organization through a period of significant growth (e.g., doubling team size or revenue, launching new product lines, opening new sites).
  • Track record of leading product engineering and manufacturing engineering simultaneously from concept through volume production.
  • Direct experience standing up or significantly expanding engineering capability at a new geographic site.
  • Hands-on familiarity with stage-gate program management, PLM, ERP/MES (Epicor experience a plus), CFD/thermal simulation, and modern engineering tooling.
  • Operating experience with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methods at an executive level.
  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related); advanced degree (MS or MBA) preferred.
Preferred Experience
  • Direct experience designing or scaling data center cooling products for hyperscaler or AI infrastructure customers.
  • HVAC industry leadership experience with familiarity in AHRI, AMCA, ASHRAE standards and pharma/cleanroom HVAC validation requirements.
  • Experience in a private or PE-backed company through a high-growth or transformation period; experience working within a holding-company structure is a plus.
  • M amp;A experience including engineering due diligence and post-merger integration of engineering organizations.
  • Customer-facing executive experience in a B2B technical-sales environment with long-cycle, high-dollar capital equipment.
Leadership Competencies
  • Builder's mindset: energized by ambiguity, comfortable building structure where none exists today.
  • Operating discipline: instinctively manages by metrics, root-cause thinking, and clear accountability.
  • Talent magnet: a leader other strong engineers want to work for and follow.
  • Bias for action with engineering rigor — moves fast without compromising quality, safety, or technical integrity.
  • Executive presence: credible with hyperscaler procurement, pharma validation auditors, and a shop-floor team alike.
Compensation and Benefits
Cambridgeport offers a competitive executive compensation package including base salary, performance-based annual bonus, long-term incentive participation, comprehensive health and welfare benefits, retirement plan with company contribution, and relocation assistance where applicable. Specific terms will be discussed with finalists.

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