Lead Project Manager (PMO Lead)

Our Mission:

Driving technology always feels old. Not by a little bit. We believe vehicles can be a thousand times smarter, safer, and more connected to the world around us, and our mission is to see it happen. In 2019, we joined forces with Honda as their first startup acquisition, and now we’re expanding our vision into building the future of electric vehicles (BEV) for millions of people around the world.

Why Drivemode:

Join Drivemode for an exciting startup environment and a vibrant culture that combines impactful work, competitive compensation, and excellent benefits. By becoming a part of our team, you'll contribute to a crucial mission that revolutionizes the way people engage with vehicles, addressing both business needs and the world's environmental challenges. This presents an exceptional opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation and drive Honda's success in the EV market.

About the role:

We are seeking a strategic and experienced PMO Lead to guide our project management function and mentor a talented team of Technical Program Managers. This is a critical leadership position where you will be the primary liaison between Drivemode and our partners at Honda, orchestrating the delivery of next-generation mobile apps and platforms. You will play a pivotal role in scaling Honda’s presence in the EV and mobility market while championing agile best practices across the enterprise.

What You Will Do:

• Lead & Mentor: Manage and develop a high-performing team of Technical Program Managers and Project Managers located in the US and Japan, fostering their career growth and ensuring program success.
• Strategic Partnership: Serve as the primary Drivemode representative to Honda project leaders, owning the relationship and driving collaboration on overall program strategy, planning, and delivery.
• Drive Operational Excellence: Proactively identify and eliminate bottlenecks, refining processes and communication channels to enhance efficiency for engineering and program teams.
• Own Program Delivery: Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of multiple projects, from requirement gathering and technical alignment with backend and regional teams to creating detailed project plans and high-quality documentation.
• Communicate with Impact: Track and report on program status, roadmap progress, and critical issues. Deliver clear, effective, and bilingual (English and Japanese) presentations to executive leadership within both Drivemode and Honda.
• Manage Risk & Resources: Champion a proactive approach to risk management by identifying, communicating, and implementing mitigation strategies. Collaborate with Finance and Honda PMO members to manage resource plans and program budgets.
• Occasional travel to US offices.

What We Are Looking For:

• Experience: 12+ years of professional experience, with at least 8+ years in a project or program management capacity, delivering large-scale software development projects.
• Industry Expertise: Proven experience managing and mentoring a team of TPMs or Project Managers in a multicultural and globally distributed environment.
• Language Proficiency: Full professional fluency in both Japanese (native or equivalent) and English (business proficiency or higher).
• Strong technical acumen to understand specifications and requirements of embedded software, cloud systems, mobile apps, and API integrations.
• Deep expertise in both Agile and Waterfall methodologies, with a clear understanding of when to apply each.
• Mastery of project management tools, particularly JIRA and Confluence, as well as the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Demonstrated success delivering complex projects on time and on budget, especially those with physical or operational components.

Nice to Have:

• PMP certification or equivalent.
• A technical background as a Software Engineer, System Architect, or Validation Engineer.
• Experience in a blend of tech startup and large corporate environments.
• Professional experience in the automotive industry or with software products for connected/IoT devices.

EEOC Statement: Drivemode is proud of a very diverse team with employees coming from 5 continents/20 countries as of today. Diversity in our workplace has played an important part in our success; we recognize each employee’s unique background, knowledge, experiences, ideas, and viewpoints which are all critical in developing a product that has the greatest impacts on drivers all over the world. Drivemode provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other characteristics that make you unique.