Program Manager, 3P Deployments, North America Tech Deployment - Vendor Strategy & Management

Are you inspired by invention? Is problem-solving through teamwork in your DNA? Do you like the idea of seeing how your work impacts the bigger picture? Answer yes to any of these and you'll fit right in here at Amazon's Robotics Deployment and Packaging Innovation (RDPI). We are a smart team of doers that work passionately to apply advances in robotics and automation to solve real-world challenges that will transform our partners' experiences in ways we can't even imagine yet. North America Tech Deploy's Strategy & Operations (S&O) team is seeking a detail-oriented and driven Program Manager to own and operate the Contract Deployment Engineer (CDE) program across North America. This role is responsible for managing the end-to-end CDE lifecycle — from demand planning and vendor coordination through resource allocation, compliance governance, and performance management — ensuring Amazon's robotics deployment programs have the skilled contract engineering workforce needed to deliver the Plan of Record. You will work across three approved vendor partners and dozens of deployment leaders to keep CDE operations running at scale. This position requires up to 25% travel (domestic). Key job responsibilities - Own the CDE demand planning process end-to-end, ensuring deployment leaders submit resource requests 6-8 weeks in advance and that vendor trackers reflect accurate, current demand signals - Manage day-to-day coordination with approved vendor partners, including facilitating weekly/biweekly vendor calls and resolving allocation issues - Enforce tracker discipline across all deployment programs — ensuring weekly updates by EOD Friday, proper use of tracker sections, and timely communication of schedule changes - Manage the new technology onboarding pipeline, coordinating 10-week lead time requirements for vendor sourcing and technology-specific CDE training - Maintain and enforce Amazon's Contingent Worker (Yellow Badge) compliance requirements, ensuring all feedback flows through proper vendor channels and the contractor relationship model is preserved - Own the CDE performance feedback loop, ensuring deployment leaders provide biweekly feedback via vendor Slack channels and that vendors respond with corrective action within one week - Identify and mitigate critical program risks including schedule accelerations, stale tracker data, and resource gaps; develop early warning mechanisms and escalation protocols - Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), program documentation, FAQs, and tracker instructions; ensure all materials are current and accessible to deployment leaders - Support vendor performance tracking by maintaining vendor data and contributing to KPI and metrics reporting across demand fulfillment, utilization, and spend - Partner with cross-functional deployment teams to understand program requirements and ensure CDE resources align with technology and site needs - Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives including CDE role leveling, standard gearing ratios, training visibility reporting, and enhanced dashboard capabilities A day in the life As a CDE Program Manager on the Vendor Strategy & Management team, your day centers on keeping the contract engineering workforce aligned with deployment demand. You'll review tracker updates from deployment leaders, coordinate with vendor partners on upcoming allocations, and manage escalations when schedules shift. You'll onboard new technologies to the CDE process, ensure compliance with Yellow Badge policies, and drive feedback loops that keep CDE quality high. Whether you're facilitating a vendor call, resolving a resource gap caused by a schedule acceleration, or updating program documentation, your operational rigor directly enables Amazon to deploy robotics technology at scale across North America. Amazon offers a full range of benefits for you and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. Benefits can vary by