Senior Manager, Technical Program Management (Search & AI Foundations)

Details

Airbnb is looking to add a technical, hands-on, and mission-driven Senior Manager of Technical Program Management (TPM) for the Infrastructure team to lead AI Platforms initiatives spanning Search Relevance, Machine Learning Infrastructure (MLI), and Search Knowledge Infrastructure (SKI).

In this role, you will partner with engineering & product teams to build/enhance data-driven decision making across multiple areas in Airbnb. You will collaborate closely with senior ICs and engineering directors across Airbnb on processes, strategy, and execution.

The Search Relevance, Machine Learning Infrastructure (MLI), and Search Knowledge Infrastructure (SKI) teams power ranking, recommendations, model infrastructure, and search intelligence capabilities that make up a core part of Airbnb's AI Platforms, including:

• Search Ranking for Stays, Experiences, and Services
• Home Page Recommendations
• Search Bar AutoSuggest and Autocomplete
• Marketing Technology
• ML infrastructure and platform capabilities that support them

The team also creates the fabric for personalization and underlying model infrastructure, used both on and off platform for Airbnb. Collaboration includes teams such as Search Infrastructure, Guest and Host Experiences, MDX, Marketing, CS, and Trust.

Responsibilities

• Shape and influence the technical direction of projects, ensuring stakeholder needs are met while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Rapidly prototype and validate project ideas through iterative development cycles, adapting based on insights and data.
• Balance broad, outcome-driven thinking with attention to critical details to prioritize deep focus where necessary.
• Define and secure stakeholder alignment on clear, measurable success criteria to accelerate AI initiatives.
• Regularly assess risks and opportunities and devise proactive mitigation strategies.
• Maintain transparent and effective communication channels to keep stakeholders informed of progress, developments, and challenges.
• Present outcomes and updates to senior leadership, articulating trade-offs, risks, and emerging opportunities clearly and comprehensively.

Requirements

• 13+ years in technical program management, with at least 8 years of experience leading and mentoring a team of TPMs, creating a culture of inclusiveness and sustainability.
• Demonstrated experience in search relevance, natural language search, and recommendation systems.
• Experience with applying GenAI/LLM technologies on search is a plus.
• Ability to work through ambiguity to detailed solutions: crisply frame the challenge, identify a path forward, and drive an initiative to completion.
• Self-motivated and proactive; proven ability to adapt well and work with teams having different operating cadences.
• Sound business judgment, strong analytical skills, and a track record of taking ownership, leading data-driven analyses, and influencing results.
• Experience with ML models, LLMs, LRMs, feature development, model testing, and resource management to support development of AI-powered product experiences.
• Familiar with A/B testing, incremental delivery, and deployment.
• Ability to ramp up quickly and learn new technologies with minimal lag time.
• Excellent written and oral business communication and people skills to influence stakeholders.

Location

• US - Remote Eligible (may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed to with your manager).
• You must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity.