Forward Deployed Engineering Build Manager

Company Description
It all started in sunny San Diego, California in 2004 when a visionary engineer, Fred Luddy, saw the potential to transform how we work. Fast forward to today - ServiceNow stands as a global market leader, bringing innovative AI-enhanced technology to over 8,100 customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500®. Our intelligent cloud-based platform seamlessly connects people, systems, and processes to empower organizations to find smarter, faster, and better ways to work. But this is just the beginning of our journey. Join us as we pursue our purpose to make the world work better for everyone.
Job Description
Team Bio:
ServiceNow's Applied AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) team is where bold ideas meet transformative action. We partner with our most strategic customers to shape the future of enterprise AI. Together, we identify high-value opportunities, accelerate business outcomes, and build reusable AI-native solutions that advance the Now AI Platform.
Our mission: We partner deeply with our customers to build intelligent, scalable AI solutions that solve their most mission-critical challenges. By embedding in real-world complexity, we deliver fast, iterate with purpose, and transform every success into reusable patterns that accelerate transformation across the Now Platform and the broader enterprise.
Why This Role Matters:
Enterprise leaders aren't just experimenting with AI-they're demanding outcomes. The next wave of adoption will be led by those who can move fast, deliver measurable value, and transform 1-off wins into repeatable success.
As a FDE Build Manager, you operate on the frontlines of transformation. You will support ServiceNow's cross-functional Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) teams in building and delivering intelligent, scalable AI solutions that solve our customers' most mission-critical challenges.
You'll work in a fast-paced environment as our FDE team partners with key strategic customers to accelerate time to value. You will provide a proactive, strategic perspective, manage customer relationships, and drive tactical execution from initial conception through FDE build development, delivery, and successful completion.
Who You Are:
You are a dynamic and innovative problem-solver who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments. You have a strong analytical mindset while still keeping focus on the bigger picture. You have a background managing SDLC processes while keeping a customer-first mentality. You have a passion for AI and scaling innovation. You excel at transforming ambiguity into clarity and have hands on experience driving projects/programs end to end.
What You'll Do:

• Work seamlessly with software engineers, product managers, product designers, and customers, to deliver intelligent systems that address mission-critical challenges using AI
• Collaborate directly with customers to co-innovate AI solutions tailored to their needs, acting as the first point of contact or escalation
• Develop trusted relationships with key internal and external technology leaders and stakeholders to drive focus on the strategic build objectives and optimize build delivery - this includes supporting and holding resources accountable for their responsibilities within the build
• Drive large scale, cross-functional, high visibility AI software development builds on condensed timelines
• Organize complex, ambiguous problems into prioritized milestones, deliverables, and success criteria for your builds, translating business objectives into execution strategy (tactical and strategic)
• Anticipate and remove obstacles that slow down or prevent builds from delivering on objectives, especially on the AI/ML deployment front
• Help manage risks, dependencies and escalate impediments, as well as releases and navigating AI release requirements
• Drive process improvements and create documentation to promote best practices using automation to replace repeatable, operational tasks
• Coordinate day to day activities required to deliver a great solution on time, as well as create transparency through reports, dashboards, and status updates
• Seek to continuously grow by proactively seeking and embracing constructive feedback, as well as provide feedback to colleagues to encourage an open and collaborative culture

Qualifications

• 10+ years of project/program management experience in mid/large size software development companies
• A solid understanding of SDLC and release management practices in cloud-based SaaS product organizations
• Prior work delivering AI or intelligent workflow solutions at scale, with proven success in deploying AI solutions that delivered tangible customer impact
• Familiarity with AI governance, compliance, and enterprise security practices
• This role includes occasional travel

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated competence in key AI/ML software engineering program management best practices: program planning, schedule construction and management; risk assessment & mitigation, dependency management, change management, and predictive metrics
• Outstanding collaboration and communication skills - clearly communicate changes, requests, and deadlines to the teams and risks, status, progress, and decisions to a variety of audiences including executives
• Passion for working with people in technical and innovative environments, with the ability to work well with many different types of personalities in various functions
• Strong leadership and relationship building skills to influence and motivate without authority - masterful in the art of bringing people together
• Strong facilitation skills to lead/drive a variety of build events, with a high regard for quality, drive for continuous improvement across the organization, and ability to keep the big picture in view
• Experience deploying AI solutions to production and skilled at identifying waste/delays in AI end-to-end development, deployment, and release processes
• Exceptional team building and team management skills, including interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and negotiation
• Experience in leveraging or critically thinking about how to integrate AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving

For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $171,900 - $300,800, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.
Additional Information
Work Personas
We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here . To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or nationality, ancestry, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements.
Accommodations
We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Export Control Regulations
For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities.
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