Sr Program Manager, Customer Validation

Position Summary

The Senior Program Manager, Customer Validation is responsible for defining and executing customer validation strategies that help ensure products are ready to deliver exceptional customer experiences before launch.

Operating as a highly autonomous individual contributor, you will serve as the customer validation subject matter expert for products moving through alpha, beta, launch readiness, and post-launch learning. You will partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Design, Quality, Operations, and Product Research to determine what customer evidence is needed, how it should be collected, and what it means for product readiness.

This role goes beyond traditional beta program management. You will design validation strategies, define customer cohorts, develop testing methodologies, analyze customer feedback and sentiment, and provide data-driven recommendations that influence product scope, readiness, and launch decisions.

You will help transform customer validation into a scalable discipline that provides product teams with confidence they are building experiences customers will love while ensuring launch decisions are grounded in meaningful customer evidence.

Primary Responsibilities

Customer Validation Strategy & Planning

• Own customer validation strategy for products progressing through alpha, beta, launch readiness, and post-launch learning activities.
• Define validation plans, success criteria, customer cohorts, participant requirements, testing activities, and measurement approaches.
• Determine what customer evidence is required to evaluate functional readiness, customer sentiment, usability, adoption potential, and overall experience quality.
• Partner with Product Researchers to leverage research insights and translate them into later-stage validation and measurement strategies.
• Establish scalable methodologies, frameworks, and best practices for customer validation across the organization.

Alpha and Beta Program Design & Execution

• Design customer validation programs that assess both product functionality and customer experience via surveys and in lab testing.
• Develop surveys, feedback mechanisms, testing activities, and measurement plans that generate actionable customer insights.
• Partner with beta operations teams responsible for participant recruitment, fulfillment, communications, and logistics.
• Ensure validation programs accurately represent target customer populations through appropriate cohort selection and segmentation strategies.
• Identify validation risks, gaps, and dependencies while driving programs to successful completion.

Customer Insights & Readiness Recommendations

• Analyze quantitative and qualitative feedback to identify customer experience opportunities, product readiness concerns, and launch risks.
• Measure and evaluate customer sentiment, satisfaction, confidence, and perceived value in addition to product functionality.
• Synthesize customer feedback into clear recommendations for Product, Engineering, Design, and leadership teams.
• Develop executive-ready reports, readiness assessments, and customer validation summaries.
• Translate complex customer feedback into practical actions and business recommendations.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence

• Serve as the customer validation SME for assigned products and initiatives.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Design, Quality, Operations, Customer Support, and Research teams throughout the product lifecycle.
• Challenge assumptions, identify customer risks, and advocate for customer needs throughout development and launch planning.
• Escalate readiness concerns and help teams make informed decisions regarding scope, timing, and launch readiness.
• Drive alignment across stakeholders while operating with substantial autonomy and influence.

Required Skills & Functional Dimensions

• Customer Validation Expertise: Ability to translate product questions, risks, and requirements into effective customer validation strategies and programs.
• Program Leadership: Proven ability to manage complex cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, dependencies, and timelines.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong ability to analyze customer feedback, identify meaningful patterns, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Survey & Measurement Design: Experience developing customer surveys, feedback mechanisms, and measurement frameworks that generate reliable insights.
• Technical & Product Fluency: Ability to effectively partner with Product Management and Engineering teams and translate technical requirements into customer-facing validation activities.
• Executive Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence decisions through clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Customer Advocacy: Passion for representing the customer's perspective and ensuring customer evidence informs product decisions.
• Autonomous Execution: Ability to operate independently, define strategy, manage ambiguity, and drive outcomes with limited direction.

Required Education & Experience

• Experience: 5+ years of experience in Customer Validation, Beta Programs, Product Operations, Program Management, Product Development, Technical Program Management, or a related field.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Demonstrated success partnering with Product, Engineering, Design, and Operations teams to deliver complex product initiatives.
• Customer Insights & Analysis: Experience analyzing customer feedback and translating data into actionable product recommendations.
• Program Development: Proven experience developing structured testing, validation, customer feedback, or product readiness programs.
• Technical Product Experience: Experience supporting the development or launch of hardware, software, platform, AI, energy, mobile, or connected product experiences.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Human Factors, Psychology, Product Development, or a related field; equivalent practical experience considered.