Sr. Technical Program Manager - Confluent

Introduction At IBM Software, we transform client challenges into solutions. Building the world’s leading AI-powered, cloud-native products that shape the future of business and society. Our legacy of innovation creates endless opportunities for IBMers to learn, grow, and make an impact on a global scale. Working in Software means joining a team fueled by curiosity and collaboration. You’ll work with diverse technologies, partners, and industries to design, develop, and deliver solutions that power digital transformation. With a culture that values innovation, growth, and continuous learning, IBM Software places you at the heart of IBM’s product and technology landscape. Here, you’ll have the tools and opportunities to advance your career while creating software that changes the world. Your role and responsibilities As a Senior Technical Program Manager (TPM), you will be a key force‑multiplier within Confluent's engineering organization. Your primary responsibility is leading the execution of high‑priority, "cannot‑fail" programs. This role requires driving crucial cross‑functional alignment across Product, Engineering, Finance and Security teams to build the foundational "central nervous system" for modern enterprises. What You Will Do: Drive Complex Initiatives: Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of large‑scale technical projects, such as Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery, Cost and Efficiency or platform‑wide architecture shifts. Technical Liaison: Translate high‑level business goals into detailed technical requirements and communicate complex architecture trade‑offs to non‑technical stakeholders. Operational Excellence: Establish rigorous program management standards, including clear milestones, KPIs, and risk‑mitigation strategies to ensure predictable delivery. Strategic Alignment: Partner with leadership to prioritize the roadmap, resolve cross‑team dependencies, and manage resource allocation for business‑critical programs. Stakeholder Management: Facilitate decision‑making across global, distributed teams and manage relationships with key internal and external partners. Required technical and professional expertise Experience: 5+ years in a technical program management role, specifically within cloud‑native or high‑scale software environments. Technical Deep‑Dive: Deep understanding of distributed systems, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), and data streaming technologies like Apache Kafka. Leadership Style: Alignment with Confluent’s values: Smart, Humble, and Empathetic; you thrive in fast‑paced environments and "Get Stuff Done". Proactive Problem‑Solving: A results‑driven mindset with the ability to navigate ambiguity and take initiative to drive efficiencies. Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work across engineering, product, Finance, and data teams to align on goals and deliver cost savings. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field. Preferred technical and professional experience Experience with cost management tools or frameworks in large‑scale infrastructure environments. Familiarity with Confluent or other large‑scale platforms. Experience in building dashboards using JQL, SQL, Data Studio, BigQuery is highly desirable. IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. #J-18808-Ljbffr