Senior Project Manager (Compliance, A-SPICE & Cybersecurity)

Our Mission:Driving technology always feels old. Not by a little bit. We believe vehicles can be a thousand times smarter, safer, and more connected to the world around us, and our mission is to see it happen. In 2019, we joined forces with Honda as their first startup acquisition, and now we’re expanding our vision into building the future of electric vehicles (BEV) for millions of people around the world. Why Drivemode: Join Drivemode for an exciting startup environment and a vibrant culture that combines impactful work, competitive compensation, and excellent benefits. By becoming a part of our team, you'll contribute to a crucial mission that revolutionizes the way people engage with vehicles, addressing both business needs and the world's environmental challenges. This presents an exceptional opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation and drive Honda's success in the EV market.
About The Role:Drive, coordinate, and continuously improve our A-SPICE-aligned development process while laying the groundwork for cybersecurity compliance (ISO 21434 / UNR155). You will own the project plan, shepherd cross-functional teams, and ensure that process improvements land on time, on budget, and with measurable impact.  You will work closely with a senior project manager, leading the compliance process implementation.

What You Will Do

• Manage the plan – Collaborate with the Compliance Lead to build the integrated A-SPICE + cybersecurity process implementation roadmap and schedule.  Maintain it by managing the risk log and deliver concise status updates to assist the Compliance Lead steer the strategy.
• Facilitate & Align – Run recurring syncs, issue boards, and retros with engineering, QA, product, and external auditors; surface blockers early.
• Coordinate process assets – Coordinate the creation, review, and rollout of compliant process assets (SOPs, templates, checklists) that are easy for our squads to adopt.
• Drive audit readiness – Lead internal gap assessments, manage assessor logistics, and keep evidence audit-ready.  Work with the Compliance Lead to implement corrective-action as the squads learn to adopt the new process.
• Metrics & Continuous Improvement – Define KPIs (e.g., process conformance, defect escape rate) and drive PDCA cycles to hit Level B targets.
• Enable the teams: Act as first-line coach for Engineering, QA, and Product on new workflows.
• Champion culture change: Reframe compliance as a speed booster - proving that disciplined processes clear roadblocks and help us ship faster.
• Partner with other project managers to ensure compliance milestones mesh with ongoing release efforts.  Proactively surface cross-domain risks before they become issues.

What we are looking for

• 5+ years driving multi-team software or hardware initiatives. 
• Managed one or more projects in alignment with A-SPICE - created and maintained process assets, evidence, and internal gap analysis.
• Familiarity with ISO 21434/UNR-155 and can integrate CS activities into A-SPICE workflow.
• Passionate about creating a process based on running iterative sprints without sacrificing A-SPICE / safety evidence; can explain how short feedback loops and disciplined documentation push our development forward rather than clash.
• You love working with people and collaboratively solving a challenging problem. 
• You are structured and proactive.  You have a proven track record of anticipating gaps and turning ambiguity into a crisp plan.
• You have a growth mindset - you iterate on process, seek feedback, and level up peers in the journey.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively in English. 

Nice to have

• Cybersecurity compliance (ISO 21434, UNR-155) rollout experience
• Exposure to functional safety (ISO26262) or software quality models (CMMI, ASPICE Automotive Safety Level B+)
• Familiarity with tools such as TestRail, JAMA Connect, Codebeamer, and so on.
• Experience working with Japanese OEMs or global multicultural teams
• Experience balancing Waterfall and Agile development processes
• Conversational Japanese (JLPT N3+)

EEOC Statement: Drivemode is proud of a very diverse team with employees coming from 5 continents/11 countries as of today. Diversity in our workplace has played an important part in our success; we recognize each employee’s unique background, knowledge, experiences, ideas, and viewpoints which are all critical in developing a product that has the greatest impacts on drivers all over the world.Drivemode provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity,  disability, or any other characteristics that make you unique.