Manager, AV Operations

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We’re are seeking a highly experienced and mission-critical Manager, AV Development Operations based in Coppell, Texas, to serve as the organizational owner and strategic leader for technical program execution and operational readiness. This role is essential for driving product maturity, fleet optimization, and operational efficiency by setting the strategic cadence and ensuring all field activities and their supporting infrastructure are seamlessly integrated, prioritized, and executed on time across broad and complex scopes.

This position requires exceptional strategic leadership, systemic thinking, a safety-first focus, and the ability to operate effectively as a cross-functional driver in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment. This leader will drive strong coordination with stakeholders across Engineering (software, hardware) and Operations.

In this role, you will

• Serve as the primary owner for translating high-level engineering goals into prioritized field missions and long-term scheduling strategy.
• Own end-to-end accountability for on-time completion of technical activities, ensuring field operations, hardware readiness, and documentation meet engineering release cycles.
• Own strategic enablement and advanced configuration of critical fleet support infrastructure, driving technology deployment for maximum scalability and resilience.
• Drive operational maturity by systematically diagnosing complex depot workflows (e.g., intake, charging, maintenance) and defining key tooling and automation investment needs.
• Manage the operating budget for field execution; drive resource forecasting, cost efficiencies, and strategic investment justifications.
• Establish and drive seamless daily and weekly handoff processes across regions and stakeholders, proactively mitigating and escalating systemic blockers.
• Ensure adherence to safety, compliance, and regulatory protocols by overseeing and auditing the technical execution of depot operations and vendor performance.
• Act as the main point of contact for emergent operations, complex incident response, and urgent scheduling adjustments, demonstrating command authority.
• Instill high performance and accountability and provide developmental coaching, structured feedback, and critical informal performance input to team members.
• Communicate complex operational status, risks, and strategic initiatives clearly and regularly to Operations Leadership and senior stakeholders.
• Serve as the cultural steward and motivational leader for Operations teams, driving consensus to meet company goals.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in high-complexity dispatch, mission control, or technical fleet operations within a technology execution context.
• 3+ years of formal people management or significant program leadership experience with a proven record of driving operational excellence and leading high-performing teams.
• Exceptional strategic critical thinking and the proven ability to make sound, command decisions and take definitive initiative under extreme ambiguity.
• Strong judgment and communication skills, especially when communicating operational risks and strategic status to executive audiences in high-pressure or time-sensitive situations.
• Advanced conflict resolution and stakeholder alignment experience, particularly across deeply technical and operational domains.
• Ability to maintain flexibility for day, night, and/or weekend work, often involving rapid deployment or response.
• Ability to participate in senior-level on-call response and incident management, potentially leading cross-functional response efforts.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience in the autonomous vehicle, robotics, or complex aerospace/defense technology field.
• BA/BS degree in a relevant technical or management field (e.g., Engineering, Operations Research, Program Management).
• Proven experience managing complex operational budgets (e.g., CapEx/OpEx) and driving resource allocation decisions.
• Proven experience owning and coordinating operational execution across multiple distinct stakeholder groups and geographically dispersed sites.
• Deep, demonstrated understanding of risk analysis, management, and mitigation as applied to field testing.

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#Mid-Senior