Escalation Manager Lead

Waymo Operations exists to deliver the Waymo Driver to the world. We are a global team building and scaling the world's first and leading autonomous fleet and operations platform. From component sourcing to end customer management, we enable and create value for Waymo through scaled and orchestrated deployment of the Waymo Driver. At Waymo, we are dedicated to building a culture that promotes collaboration and celebration. We value our team members' unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences and support and encourage all team members to share their ideas to help Waymo better serve the communities in which we operate.

You will:

• Directly manage, mentor, and develop a team of 24/7 Escalation Managers, ensuring consistent leadership across all shifts    
• Design and optimize shift schedules, handover protocols, and fatigue-management strategies to maintain high team morale and prevent burnout    
• Define event/incident protocols, manage external vendor performance, and ensure seamless collaboration between Emergency Response agents and internal teams    
• Facilitate clear, concise, and timely communications to senior leadership and internal teams during ongoing events/incidents    
• Serve as the ultimate point of escalation for high-severity events for Escalation Managers, stepping in to provide direction and guidance during critical, multi-domain emergencies    
• Develop and refine standard operating procedures and emergency playbooks specifically tailored to autonomous system failures, human-in-the-loop interventions, and minimum risk condition triggers    

You have:

• 7+ years of experience in Incident Management, Emergency Response, NOC/SOC operations, or high-severity Trust & Safety or Operations Center    
• 3+ years of experience managing people leaders (managing managers) within a 24/7 operational environment    
• Proven track record of managing external vendors, enforcing SLAs and KPIs for outsourced teams    
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill highly technical, chaotic information into executive summaries    
• Demonstrated ability to make high-quality, high-velocity decisions in emergency situations where data may be incomplete, prioritizing rapid stabilization and safety    
• Proven track record of building, launching or optimizing for scale of a 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC), Security Operations Center (SOC), or specialized Escalation/Operations/Emergency center     

We prefer:

• Background in autonomous vehicles, robotics, aerospace, or safety-critical engineering environments    
• Thrives in ambiguity, understands complex hardware/software ecosystems, and has a proven track record of preventing team burnout in a 24/7/365 environment    
• Certifications in Incident Management (e.g., FEMA ICS, ITIL v4) or Project Management (PMP, Agile)    
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance frameworks related to operational safety (e.g., NHTSA, OSHA)    
• Lean Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt) certification, demonstrating a rigorous, data-driven approach to eliminating operational waste and reducing recovery time    
• Experience managing highly publicized incidents where immediate media, public, or executive scrutiny is involved