Senior Director, Program Management - Data Center Custom Silicon

Job Title

Senior Director, Program Management - Data Center Custom Silicon

Role Summary

Lead Qualcomm's Data Center Custom Silicon Program Management organization for external hyperscaler and strategic data center customers. Own the execution operating system for custom silicon engagements from engagement approval through tapeout, bring-up, qualification, production ramp, and customer acceptance.

Accountable for program governance, executive reporting, risk management, cross-functional escalation, and ensuring clear, actionable views of customer commitments and program health.

Experience Level

Senior-level. Minimum ~10+ years of program management or related experience; candidates with extensive semiconductor/custom silicon program leadership (15–20+ years) are preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end program execution and provide executive visibility across internal and external stakeholders.

• Lead the Program Management organization for custom silicon customer programs.
• Define and maintain Plans of Record: schedules, budgets, resources, milestones, risks, and dependencies.
• Establish and run program execution cadence: weekly reviews, commitment reviews, risk reviews, escalation forums, and executive updates.
• Build and maintain executive dashboards showing program health, commitments, risks, and required decisions.
• Translate customer asks into committed scope, execution plans, constraints, and decision points with cross-functional partners.
• Create a single source of truth for tapeout, bring-up, validation, qualification, production and supply readiness.
• Partner with Product Management, Engineering, BD, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, and Quality to drive alignment and execution.
• Drive disciplined risk management and timely, structured escalation with options and recommendations.
• Standardize program processes, templates, KPIs, stage gates, and best practices across programs.
• Hire, develop, and lead Program Managers responsible for individual customer programs.
• Represent program status to senior leadership and, when appropriate, to external customer stakeholders.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience to perform the role.

• Must-have: 10+ years of program management or related experience; proven semiconductor or hardware program execution background.
• Must-have: Demonstrated ability to manage large, complex cross-functional technical programs and to build executive-level dashboards and reporting.
• Must-have: Strong executive communication and presence; experience engaging EVP/CEO/CFO and customer executive audiences.
• Must-have: Experience with risk management, escalation processes, and translating commercial commitments into executable plans.
• Must-have: Experience partnering across Product Management, Engineering, BD/Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, and Manufacturing.
• Nice-to-have: Extensive experience leading custom silicon/ASIC/SoC/AI accelerator/data center infrastructure programs and advanced process node, packaging, or HBM experience.
• Nice-to-have: Experience managing program execution tied to NRE, contractual deliverables, revenue timing, and production commitments.
• Nice-to-have: 5+ years of people leadership and 8+ years leading complex technical programs.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field is preferred.

About the Company

Company: Qualcomm

Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States

Qualcomm is a global leader in semiconductor and telecommunications equipment, specializing in mobile technologies and innovations. Known for its Adreno GPUs, the company provides solutions enabling advancements in mobile gaming, AI, VR/AR, and autonomous driving. Qualcomm's cutting-edge technology and commitment to high-performance, power-efficient designs drive the evolution of mobile graphics and connectivity worldwide.