Operations Planning Manager - New Markets & Platforms

About Waymo

Waymo is a leading autonomous driving technology company committed to becoming the world's most trusted driver. Since its origin in 2009 as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, Waymo has dedicated efforts to developing the Waymo Driver — branded as The World's Most Experienced Driver™ — enhancing mobility access while aiming to save lives lost to traffic accidents. The Waymo Driver supports a fully autonomous ride-hailing service and can be adapted to various vehicle platforms and applications. It has completed over ten million rider-only trips, having autonomously driven over 100 million miles on public roads and logged tens of billions of miles in simulation across more than 15 U.S. states.

Role Overview

The Validation Operations Planning team manages the comprehensive process for demand planning related to all testing and validation activities. This involves collaborating with Product and Engineering stakeholders to determine objectives, priorities, and supply necessities, then partnering with operational teams to deliver, monitor, and ensure execution aligns with established plans. This position reports directly to the Operations Planning Lead.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of demand and supply planning for testing and validation within the assigned domain, coordinating with stakeholders to clarify goals, priorities, and resource requirements.
• Lead detailed planning cycles with involved parties, thoroughly understanding domain-specific operations to enhance efficiency across planning, product, and execution teams.
• Create and manage forecasting models to evaluate scenarios, provide operational insights, and uphold rigorous planning standards.
• Drive initiatives across departments to innovate operating models and improve efficiency in testing and validation processes.
• Enhance core planning tools and methods using expertise in planning software and spreadsheets to ensure precise forecasts aligned with corporate financial strategies.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing end-to-end planning cycles and collaborating strategically with stakeholders and leadership.
• Strong business acumen with excellent communication skills, capable of interpreting complex data and articulating recommendations effectively.
• Advanced expertise in enterprise planning software, spreadsheet modeling, and data manipulation tools such as SQL.
• Successful history of leading cross-functional strategies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Industrial Engineering, Finance, Business Analytics, Mathematics, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years in relevant roles such as planning, supply chain, strategic operations, financial planning, management consulting, or analytical business functions.

Preferred Experience

• Master’s degree, preferably an MBA, in Finance, Economics, Operations Research, or related fields.
• Over 8 years of strategic execution experience in fast-paced environments like management consulting, private equity, investment banking, or rapidly scaling technology companies.
• Direct experience managing resource planning involving personnel or vehicles.
• Knowledge of forecasting techniques and methods for assessing forecast accuracy.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in large matrix organizations, facilitating alignment, priority negotiation, and cohesive execution with teams in operations, product, finance, and corporate strategy.
• Familiarity with Anaplan or similar demand and supply planning software tools.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional travel approximately once every 1 to 2 quarters for team offsites; more frequent site or market visits as needed.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected base salary for this position across U.S. locations ranges from $159,000 to $196,000 annually, with actual compensation depending on the candidate’s experience, education, location, and skills. Employees may also be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, equity incentives, and a comprehensive benefits package subject to eligibility criteria.