Job Title

Engineering Program Manager, Public Sector & Defence1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicantsWhy This Role?We're seeking an experienced Engineering Program Manager to join Cohere's customer-facing Engineering Program Management team, with a focus on Canadian public sector and defence accounts. This is a highly specialized role requiring an individual who understands both the technical complexity of frontier AI models and the unique requirements of government and defence organizations.You will be the critical bridge between our cuttingedge AI capabilities and the specific needs of Canadian federal departments, provincial agencies, Crown corporations, and defence organizations. You'll navigate complex procurement processes, stringent security requirements, data sovereignty concerns, and regulatory compliance while ensuring our customers successfully deploy and scale our AI solutions.In this role, you'll collaborate with our Strategic Customer team, Applied ML (AML) Engineering, Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Platform, Product, and GotoMarket teams, serving as the technical program lead and trusted advisor for our most sensitive and highimpact government engagements.Location: Ottawa or Toronto required (proximity to government customers)Security Clearance: Active Top Secret clearance strongly preferred; candidates eligible and willing to obtain clearance will also be consideredWhat You'll DoCustomer Program LeadershipOwn end-to-end technical program delivery for Canadian public sector and defence customers, from initial deployment through production scalingServe as the primary technical program point of contact for government customers, building trusted relationships with departmental CIOs, IT directors, and technical teamsTranslate complex government requirements (security, compliance, accessibility, bilingualism, data sovereignty) into actionable engineering plansNavigate government procurement processes, RFP responses, and contractual technical obligationsStrategic CommunicationProvide clear, timely, and objective communication across Cohere's engineering organization, customer stakeholders, and government leadershipTranslate between AI/ML technical concepts and governmentappropriate language for decisionmakers who may not have deep technical backgroundsPresent technical roadmaps and status updates to senior government officials and departmental executivesRepresent Cohere's technical capabilities in sensitive government and defence contextsComplex Program ManagementCreate and manage project schedules that account for government timelines, security review processes, and ministerial approval cyclesIdentify and manage dependencies across government departments, security authorities, cloud service providers, and internal Cohere teamsNavigate risks unique to government deployments: privacy compliance, Algorithmic Impact Assessments, Treasury Board submissions, security authorizationsDrive alignment between product development priorities and specific government requirementsTechnical Delivery & ExecutionEnsure ontime delivery of AI solutions that meet governmentgrade security, privacy, accessibility, and performance standardsCoordinate technical work across multiple teams: model customization, security hardening, integration with government systems, bilingual supportEstablish governance checkpoints appropriate for highstakes government deploymentsProblemsolve complex technical challenges in airgapped, onpremises, or highly regulated environmentsRequired Experience7+ years of experience as an Engineering or Technical Program ManagerAt least 2 years in customerfacing technical delivery and operations for enterprisegrade software or AI/ML solutionsExperience working with government, defence, or heavily regulated customers (public sector, defence contractors)Proven track record managing complex, multistakeholder technical programs with stringent compliance requirementsTechnical BackgroundStrong understanding of enterprise software deployment architectures (cloud, onpremises, hybrid, airgapped)Knowledge of or experience with LLM training, finetuning, or deployment would be a strong differentiatorComfortable discussing API integrations, model inference, data pipelines, and ML operations with technical stakeholdersGovernment & Defence AcumenDeep understanding of how government organizations procure, evaluate, and deploy technologyFamiliarity with Canadian government requirements: data sovereignty, privacy laws (Privacy Act), accessibility standards, official languages obligations, security classificationsUnderstanding of defence and national security considerations in AI deploymentExperience with Algorithmic Impact Assessments or AI ethics frameworks is a strong assetEligible to obtain Canadian government security clearance (Top Secret preferred)Nice To HaveActive Canadian government security clearance (Secret or Top Secret) - strong preference for active Top Secret clearanceBilingual (English/French) proficiencyBackground in or strong familiarity with Canadian defence, intelligence, or critical infrastructure sectorsExperience with GC Cloud services (Azure, AWS GovCloud) or Protected B/C environmentsProject management certification (PMP, PgMP) or governmentspecific methodologiesSecurity Clearance RequirementsThis role requires eligibility for Canadian government security clearance.Strong preference will be given to candidates who currently hold an active Top Secret (TS) clearance, as this will enable immediate engagement with our most sensitive defence and national security customers.However, We Will Also Consider Exceptional Candidates Who:Currently hold Secret clearance and are eligible for TS upgradeDo not currently hold clearance, but are eligible and willing to undergo the Top Secret clearance processHave a previous government security clearance that has lapsedPlease note that obtaining Top Secret clearance can take 1218 months. Candidates without active clearance will work on nonclassified public sector accounts while the clearance process is underway.What Makes This Role UniqueThis isn't typical program managementit's a highly specialized role at the intersection of frontier AI, national security, and public sector digital transformation. You'll work on some of Canada's most sensitive and impactful AI deployments, helping government organizations harness cuttingedge technology while maintaining the highest standards of security, ethics, and accountability.If you're passionate about responsible AI adoption, understand the unique constraints and opportunities within government, and want to have an outsized impact on how Canada leverages AI to serve its citizens, this role is for you.If some of the above doesn't line up perfectly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply!We value and celebrate diversity and strive to create an inclusive work environment for all. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.FullTime Employees At Cohere Enjoy These PerksAn open and inclusive culture and work environmentWork closely with a team on the cutting edge of AI researchWeekly lunch stipend, inoffice lunches & snacksFull health and dental benefits, including a separate budget to take care of your mental health100% Parental Leave topup for up to 6 monthsPersonal enrichment benefits towards arts and culture, fitness and wellbeing, quality time, and workspace improvementRemoteflexible, offices in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, London and Paris, as well as a coworking stipend6 weeks of vacation (30 working days!)#J-18808-Ljbffr