Google Jobs 2012: Regional Lead of Program Management for Emerging Markets

This position is based in Lagos, Nigeria or Nairobi, Kenya.

The area: Knowledge

There is always more information out there, and the Knowledge team has a never-ending quest to find it and make it accessible. We’re constantly refining our signature search engine to provide better results, and developing offerings like Google Instant, Google Voice Search and Google Image Search to make it faster and more engaging. We’re providing users around the world with great search results every day, but at Google, great just isn’t good enough. We’re just getting started.

The role: Regional Lead of Program Management for Emerging Markets

Google’s projects, like our users, span the globe and require managers to keep the big picture in focus. As a Program Manager at Google, you lead complex, multi-disciplinary projects. You plan requirements with internal customers and usher projects through the entire project lifecycle. This includes managing project schedules, identifying risks and clearly communicating goals to project stakeholders. Your projects often span offices, time zones and hemispheres, and it’s your job to keep all the players coordinated on the project’s progress and deadlines.

As Regional lead of Program Management for Emerging Markets, you’ll lead the regional Ops team during deployment of relevant Google products in your region. You will provide the leadership, decision-making ability and impeccable business judgment to drive multiple complex projects and to lead large teams of vendors/partners. Your responsibilities will include managing strategic Emerging Market efforts such as self-sourcing GPS vehicle tracking devices to create traffic layer on Google Maps. This includes concept definition, implementation, pilot execution, and (if successful) scaling it across the countries in your region. Managing the support operations (i.e., quality assurance, chat support, creation of websites, etc.) content acquisition for all Emerging Market products such as Trader, Confucius, etc. This needs support for multiple editions in several different languages.

Feet-On-Street operations for content acquisition, training, and data quality improvements. Product evaluations i.e., managing evaluation of content in products or editions (e.g., Google News, Trader, Confucius). Localization of key Google products in local languages such as Swahili, Amharic, Afrikaans, Zulu, Pidgin, etc. through the Google Translator Community (GTC) program building and maintaining dashboards to track progress of key initiatives. Successful performance in this role requires balancing strategic and operational demands, as well as excellent multi-tasking, problem-solving and communication skills. You will be a key member of the Cross-functional Emerging Markets leadership team of your region and report directly to the head of Program Management for all Emerging Markets.

Job Responsibilities:

• Manage large projects from conception, setting up large teams including vendor team sourcing/hiring and manage vendor relationships.
• Work effectively with multiple cross-functional teams (including Product, Marketing, Partnerships, in-country teams)
• Assist with global processes for budget and forecast management, including coordinating project prioritization, regional headcount and performing budget vs. actual analysis.
• Increase effectiveness of staff and tools by recognizing opportunities for development and proactively creating new systems and structures.(eg: developing career ladders).

Minimum Qualifications:

• BA/BS in a technical field. In lieu of degree, relevant skills or equivalent experience.
• 6 years of relevant professional, successful program management experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA and CS degrees.
• Excellent project manager and self-starter, with the ability to work independently and on multiple initiatives at the same time.
• Demonstrated ability/experience to manage complex projects involving team members from multiple disciplines.
• Experience interacting with and influencing all levels and departments within a company.
• Excellent analytical, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Click here to Apply Online