Technical Chief of Staff

Vannin Chief of Staff has been retained by a fast-scaling, venture-backed software company building the modern data infrastructure platform for hardware engineering. Companies across industrial manufacturing, energy, robotics, and highly regulated sectors rely on this platform to run, analyze, and scale complex test systems - replacing fragmented legacy tools with a unified layer for test automation, real-time telemetry, and system-level debugging. The company recently achieved unicorn status following a significant Series B extension, with strong year-over-year revenue growth and plans to nearly double headcount in 2026. The customer base spans major enterprise organizations and government programs. The team draws from some of the most respected names in engineering-driven software and deep tech, and operates with a high-performance, mission-oriented culture.The company is growing rapidly and moving from two product verticals to four. The product and engineering organization needs a force multiplier - someone who can operate horizontally across all product lines, keep teams moving in concert, and build the operating infrastructure that allows the organization to scale without losing velocity or strategic coherence. This is a high-leverage, high-visibility role at the center of the product organization. You will work directly with the Head of Core Product and closely with engineering leadership across multiple product lines. You will be the operating architect behind the product organization - the person who turns ambitious product vision into disciplined, documented execution.Part technical program manager, part product operator, and part internal strategist, the Technical Chief of Staff sits at the intersection of product strategy, engineering execution, and program management. You will help transform a founder-driven product organization into a professionally scaled one, building the systems, rhythms, and communication structures that a rapidly growing organization requires.An important element of this role is also spot mentorship: the organization is actively pushing product management responsibility down to individual engineering team leads and ICs. Many of these people are exceptional engineers but are not historically product managers. You will jump into different teams, diagnose what is or is not working, and up-level those individuals on process and product thinking as the horizontal span of the organization grows.Responsibilities include:Running the product and program operating systemOwn the product and program management operating cadence that drives execution across all product teamsLead quarterly product planning and roadmap processes; get the roadmap out of people’s heads and onto paperMaintain clear execution visibility across all product verticalsDrive cross-team alignment between engineering, product, and GTMDesign and run the leadership operating cadence including staff meetings, execution reviews, and cross-team alignment forumsHelp prepare materials for leadership reviews, executive team meetings, and board discussions; build enough trust over 3–6 months to eventually present on the Head of Product’s behalfTurning strategy into executionEnsure product strategy translates into clear priorities, coordinated programs, and shipping softwareIdentify and remove execution bottlenecks across teamsDrive major cross-team programs and initiatives that span multiple product groupsEnsure critical initiatives have clear owners, milestones, and accountability structuresProfessionalizing the product organizationDesign scalable operating mechanisms and program management frameworks that replace founder-driven coordination as the company scalesImprove internal product communication across the companyBuild the operational infrastructure needed to support rapid product growth across multiple product linesMentor engineering team leads and ICs on product management fundamentals and operating cadenceBeing deeply technicalEngage directly with engineers on architecture decisions and tradeoffsMaintain strong technical fluency - able to read code, reason about architecture, andengage substantively with engineering teams on technical decisionsServe as a credible technical translator between product leadership and engineering across a complex, multi-product software environmentRecommended Minimum QualificationsYou are a technical operator who thrives in high-growth product environments. You have been the person who makes organizations run better. You don’t need to be managed closely, you orient yourself, and you deliver outcomes without waiting to be asked.Likely backgrounds include:Staff or Principal Technical Program Manager at a high-scale software organizationEngineering leader who transitioned into program or technical operations leadershipTechnical Chief of Staff with genuine software development foundationProduct Operations leader with deep engineering rootsYou probably have:10–20 years of experience in software engineering, product, or technical program managementExperience at a company that scaled through the ~100 to 500+ employee rangeGenuine software technical depth: you can read code, reason about architecture, and hold credibility in a technically demanding engineering environmentA track record of building operating cadence from scratch or significantly improving itExperience at a T1 software organization (e.g. Amazon, Microsoft, Google) and/or in a hardware-adjacent or industrial software contextA reputation as someone who makes organizations run betterWhat makes someone exceptional in this role:Engineers trust your technical judgment and see you as credible, not just coordinatingProduct leaders rely on you to make execution predictable and roadmaps realYou are comfortable surfacing disagreement in a collaborative team environment - drawing people out and creating the conditions for real alignment rather than assumed consensusYou are precise in written communication - translating what lives qualitatively in people’s heads into structured, documented artifacts an organization can act onYou operate with an owner’s mindset, not an advisor’s mindsetYou are genuinely drawn to mission-driven work - building software that powers some of the most technically demanding engineering programs in the worldCompensation Range: Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Base salary range is $240-250K/yr. Total compensation includes equity participation and a comprehensive benefits package including fully covered health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and families, unlimited PTO, daily catered lunch, wellness stipend, learning and development budget, and employee-friendly equity terms. Full compensation details including equity structure will be shared with qualified candidates.US Work Authorization required. Open to candidates located in Los Angeles, CA or Seattle, WA.What to Expect from Our Selection ProcessHere is what to expect after your application is reviewed:Vannin Chief of Staff Screening: 15 minute vetting interview and 30 minute skills interviewPredictive Index AssessmentClient Interview 1: Interview with Head of Core ProductClient Interview 2: Interview with Head of Connect ProductOn-site panel interview in Los Angeles - includes engineering leadership, co-founder and executive team membersFinal conversation with the CEOVannin Chief of Staff partners with The Predictive Index to align styles with the role. All applicants complete this quick, two-question, five-minute assessment—no right or wrong answers—and receive a profile readout.--> Please take the assessment here as you complete your application. Our client is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace where our employees can thrive and be themselves! We welcome all persons into our community. We embrace the diversity of gender, gender identity or expression, race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, physical and mental disabilities, medical condition, genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, marital status, family care or medical leave status, military or veteran status, or perceived membership in any of these groups.