Amazon

Principal Technical Program Manager, Alexa

Amazon$203K — $275K *
Consumer Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of engineering experience
  • 7+ years of technical product or program management experience
  • 5+ years of software development experience
  • Experience managing programs across cross-functional teams
  • Demonstrated ability to break down complex initiatives into executable plans
  • Strong knowledge of AI/ML, LLMs, and agentic systems
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Responsibilities

  • Drive and deliver large-scale initiatives across Alexa, AWS, and AGI
  • Establish frameworks and governance models for program scalability
  • Identify and resolve dependencies, ensuring alignment across stakeholders
  • Define success metrics focused on operational excellence
  • Communicate program status and strategic trade-offs to VP-level leadership
  • Build program roadmaps connecting execution to long-term strategy
  • Influence technical architecture decisions for long-term sustainability

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Paid time off and parental leave
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage
Full Job Description
We are looking for a Principal Technical Program Manager to organize, drive, and deliver Amazon-wide programs spanning multiple departments with visibility at the VP+ level. You should be passionate about Alexa+ - Amazon's most ambitious AI assistant - and energized by driving cross-department, cross-functional programs across distributed systems, LLMs, and critical infrastructure. This role requires perseverance, strong technical acumen, and exceptional collaboration skills to lead complex initiatives at scale across thousands of engineers.

Key job responsibilities

You will be responsible for setting up, driving, championing, and successfully delivering large initiatives spanning Alexa, AWS, and AGI - across both device and cloud domains. You will:

- Work directly with VP and key Alexa executives

- Drive the program strategy for large-scale, cross-organizational initiatives spanning Alexa, AWS, and AGI

- Own end-to-end delivery of programs that directly impact Alexa+'s core experience across distributed systems, LLMs, and critical infrastructure

- Establish program frameworks, governance models, and operating mechanisms that scale across thousands of engineers in multiple organizations

- Identify and resolve systemic cross-organizational dependencies, driving alignment across VP-level leadership when priorities conflict

- Define success metrics and accountability mechanisms focused on availability, latency, accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and operational excellence

- Influence technical architecture decisions to ensure programs are set up for long-term scalability and maintainability

- Communicate program status, risks, and strategic trade-offs to VP+ leadership; shape narratives for L10+ reviews

- Build and maintain program roadmaps that connect tactical execution to long-term organizational strategy

- Partner with engineering, science, and QA leadership to ensure technical solutions meet quality and performance bars at scale

A day in the life

You operate at the intersection of strategy and execution, spending your day navigating across organizational boundaries to drive Alexa+'s most critical programs forward. You bring the technical curiosity and learning agility to ramp up on any domain - LLMs, distributed systems, device firmware, cloud infrastructure - deeply enough to arbitrate technical disagreements and unblock teams when they can't resolve it themselves.

Strategic Leadership & VP Partnership

- Start the day syncing with your VP on program priorities, escalations, and strategic trade-offs - you are their trusted partner in navigating cross-org complexity

- Shape the agenda for L10+ leadership reviews, framing technical programs in terms of customer impact and business outcomes

- Make judgment calls on where to invest your time: which escalations to own personally, which to delegate, and which to let teams resolve independently

Cross-Organizational Influence

- Drive alignment across Directors and VPs in Alexa, AWS, and AGI when organizations have competing priorities or conflicting technical approaches

- Facilitate high-stakes technical and strategic discussions - not just driving consensus, but making recommendations and influencing decisions

- Operate as the connective tissue between device, cloud, and AI/ML organizations - translating constraints and priorities across domains

Technical Depth & Execution

- Learn technical domains quickly and deeply enough to arbitrate disagreements between engineering teams and unblock stalled decisions

- Deep-dive into technical designs, architecture reviews, and engineering plans - understanding trade-offs well enough to broker the right path forward

- Identify systemic risks and dependencies that no single team can see, then drive mitigation strategies across organizations

- Review program metrics (availability, latency, quality) and take action when trajectories diverge from targets

Driving Outcomes at Scale

- Unblock programs that are stuck - whether the issue is technical, organizational, or political

- Hold teams accountable to commitments while maintaining the relationships that make cross-org collaboration work

- Continuously refine operating mechanisms - knowing when a process is helping and when it's become overhead

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

- 10+ years of engineering experience

- 7+ years of technical product or program management experience

- 5+ years of software development experience

- Experience managing programs across cross functional teams, building processes and coordinating release schedules

- Experience managing programs spanning engineering department with complex cross-dependencies, concurrent workstreams, and VP/Director-level stakeholder management

- Experience actively participating in and driving architecture and design decisions (design patterns, reliability, scaling) - with the technical depth and engagement to challenge, contribute, and unblock rather than simply reviewing from the sidelines

- Demonstrated ability to decompose ambiguous, large-scale platform initiatives into executable program plans with clear milestones and dependency chains

- Knowledge about Cloud operations and Architecture at scale

- Strong understanding of AI/ML, LLMs, and agentic systems - with a track record of applying these technologies to improve team productivity at the program, process, or development level

- Strong written communication skills with experience authoring narratives, program strategies, and technical documents for senior leadership audiences

- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, a related technical field or equivalent

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience with device-side technologies: operating systems, device operations, OTA updates, firmware delivery pipelines

- Knowledge of capacity planning, forecasting, and infrastructure scaling

- Experience with language-side server architectures (NLU, ASR, TTS, or LLM inference serving)

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CA, Sunnyvale - 203,500.00 - 275,300.00 USD annually

USA, WA, Bellevue - 177,000.00 - 239,400.00 USD annually

USA, WA, Seattle - 177,000.00 - 239,400.00 USD annually

About Amazon

Audible is a provider of spoken audio information and entertainment , on the Internet. They provide premium spoken audio content, such as audio versions of books and newspapers and radio programs, that is delivered over the Internet and played back on personal computers and hand-held electronic devices. The Audible service allows consumers to purchase and download their content from their Website, store it in digital files and play it back on personal computers and electronic devices. More than 15,000 hours of audio content are available on their Web site, including audio versions of books, periodicals and radio programs. Several manufacturers have agreed to support and promote the playback of their content on their hand-held audio-enabled electronic devices.

Amazon Careers

Joining Amazon presents an unparalleled opportunity to become part of a vibrant team pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth in the global marketplace. As a leader in e-commerce, technology, and logistics, Amazon offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and professional interests. Work You’ll Do At Amazon, every day is an opportunity to collaborate with the brightest minds in technology and business to redefine what’s possible. Whether you’re interested in software development, marketing, human resources, or customer service, Amazon has a position waiting for you. Transform the way the world shops and innovates with our diverse and inclusive team. Amazon is not just a company; it’s a community where you can drive real change and contribute to projects impacting millions globally. Lead with Innovation and Leadership Amazon is the perfect place to enhance your leadership and innovation skills. Our culture encourages pushing the envelope and imagining the unimaginable. Here, you will lead projects that challenge the status quo and define new industry standards. Work with a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. Our leadership is focused on harnessing the collective power of unique perspectives to foster growth and innovation. Explore Amazon’s Employment Benefits Amazon’s commitment to its employees extends beyond just career growth. We offer competitive benefits, including health care, parental leave, and diversity training, ensuring that our team not only excels professionally but also enjoys well-being and security. Internship and Networking Opportunities Start your career with an Amazon internship and gain hands-on experience that matters. Our internships provide a gateway to full-time employment and an opportunity to network with professionals across various sectors of the company. Future-Proof Your Career With Amazon, your career path is filled with numerous opportunities for advancement. Our learning and development programs are designed to nurture your professional growth and keep you at the forefront of industry trends. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the job opportunities at Amazon that match your skills and interests. We are constantly on the lookout for passionate, curious, and innovative team players ready to make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Explore the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await at Amazon. Amazon is more than just a company—it’s a platform for building a promising future. Whether you’re starting or looking to advance your career, Amazon offers the resources, support, and network you need to succeed. Join us, and be a part of our continuing mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company.
Learn more about Amazon
Size
1,608 employees
Market Cap
$832.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$21.3 billion
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+28.1%
Revenue
$386 billion
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