Strategic Global Lead – Release Management

Inside the Role

The Strategic Global Lead for Release Management serves as the global process owner and functional leader responsible for defining, governing, and advancing the software release lifecycle across the TT/S organization. This role oversees the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of release processes supporting Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) capabilities, over the air (OTA) functionality, and software only features deployed across all Daimler Truck business units worldwide.
Acting as the central authority for the Global Software Release Management Framework, the Strategic Global Lead ensures cross functional alignment, organizational transparency, and operational excellence. This role drives global coordination, establishes standards, promotes SDV aligned methodologies, and ensures that release management activities meet quality, safety, compliance, and business objectives.

Posting Information

We provide a scheduled posting end date to assist our candidates with their application planning. While this date reflects our latest plans, it is subject to change, and postings may be extended or removed earlier than expected.

We Take Care of Our Team

Position offers a starting salary range of $114,000 – $150,000 USD

Pay offered dependent on knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits include annual bonus program; 401k company contribution with company match up to 6% as well as non-elective company contribution of 3 - 7% depending on age; starting at 4 weeks paid vacation; 13+ calendar holidays; 8 weeks paid parental leave; employee assistance program; comprehensive healthcare plans and wellness programs; onsite fitness (at some locations); tuition assistance and volunteer paid time off; short-term and long-term disability plans.

What You Drive At DTNA

• Define, maintain, and continuously improve the global Software Release Management Process for SDV and software‑only functionality.

• Establish global standards, procedures, and documentation for release planning, validation, packaging, and approval workflows.

• Lead and facilitate global governance activities, including cross‑functional release board meetings and impact assessments.

• Ensure policy adherence, organizational alignment, and escalation management across regions and business units.

 

Release Planning & Execution

• Develop and manage a unified global software release roadmap spanning testing sprints, SDV feature deliveries, OTA releases, and major program milestones.

• Consolidate inputs from Local and Regional Release Managers to maintain cross‑region alignment and readiness.

• Ensure end‑to‑end traceability through well‑defined infrastructure including Release Tickets, Release Packages, and supporting tooling.

• Oversee release readiness assessments, risk identification, dependency management, and approval gates from a process and toolset perspective.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication

• Act as the primary interface between Engineering, Testing, Product Management, Quality, Operations, Cybersecurity, and other stakeholders for process and tool related questions.

• Drive transparent, timely communication of release schedules, readiness status, risks, and critical decisions.

• Support regional teams with guidance, alignment, and escalation pathways.

Continuous Improvement & SDV Transformation

• Promote and lead process optimization initiatives, automation enhancements, and SDV‑oriented workflows.

• Support the transition toward CI/CD principles, iterative software delivery, and modern SDV operational models.

• Drive tools, metrics, and best practices that improve release velocity, quality, compliance, and global collaboration.

• Identify performance bottlenecks and lead cross‑functional initiatives to address systemic issues.

Legacy‑to‑Future Strategy (SE / DTOS / SDV Migration)

• Develop and lead the strategic roadmap for evolving current, legacy release management processes into next‑generation SDV‑aligned methodologies.

• Define the migration approach for integrating traditional ECU‑based release workflows with emerging Systems Engineering (SE) processes, DTOS, and SDV frameworks.

• Ensure compatibility and coexistence of legacy and future‑state processes during the transition period, including hybrid release models.

• Partner with architecture, program leadership, and platform teams to align release management with the evolving technical foundations of SE/DTOS/SDV.

• Identify gaps, dependencies, and change‑management needs across tools, organizations, and processes to enable a smooth evolution toward the SDV paradigm.

• Communicate the long‑term roadmap, milestones, and expectations to leadership and global teams.

Support BROP (Base Rollout Plan) rollout

• Support the development and maintenance of global tools and methodologies for tracking SEDP and CxF processes—including Cybersecurity, Functional Safety, Network Management, and Diagnostics—by helping define workflows, data structures, and documentation.

• Assist in establishing traceability and standardized reporting within the toolset, ensuring impacted components, CxF requirement status, milestones, and implementation timelines are consistently visible through governed dashboards and metrics.

• Help harmonize CxF rollout requirements across regions by contributing to process documentation, alignment activities, and integration of these requirements into release management workflows and the broader SDV/SE/DTOS tool ecosystem.

• Collaborate with Engineering, Cybersecurity, Functional Safety, Program Management, and Product teams to support the incorporation of CxF requirements into global processes and supporting toolchains.

Behavioral Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Able to define and communicate a multi‑year evolution path that bridges legacy operational environments with SDV‑ready processes.

• Cross‑Functional Leadership: Skilled at influencing broad stakeholder groups and driving alignment without formal authority.

• Change Management: Navigates resistance, communicates clearly, and leads global teams through structural and procedural transitions.

• Systems Thinking: Able to understand end‑to‑end impacts across tools, workflows, and organizational boundaries.

• Analytical Problem Solving: Identifies bottlenecks, risks, and improvement opportunities across complex software ecosystems.

• Communication Excellence: Clear, transparent, and timely communication with global teams and senior leadership.

• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Focused on modernization, simplification, and quality‑focused optimization.

• Flexibility & Resilience: Able to handle ambiguity and adapt to changing priorities in a rapidly evolving SDV landscape.

Knowledge You Should Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

• 5-7 years of relevant experience required

• Deep understanding of software release management principles, frameworks, and lifecycle methodologies.

• Expertise in large‑scale release planning, multi‑component release coordination, and distributed global execution.

• Understanding of SDV architectures, embedded software, OTA update processes, and enterprise release practices.

• Familiarity with modern tooling such as Jira, release orchestration platforms, build systems, and CI/CD pipelines.

• Understanding of cybersecurity, functional safety, regulatory compliance, and quality management as they relate to software releases for commercial vehicles

• Strong systems thinking and the ability to navigate complex technical and organizational landscapes.

Exceptional Candidates Might Have

• Experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, or safety‑critical software environments.

• Exposure to large‑scale transformation initiatives, especially around SDV, DevOps, Agile at Scale, or CI/CD implementation.

• Knowledge of cybersecurity validation, homologation requirements, or data governance for connected vehicles.

• Prior leadership experience in a global or matrixed organization.

Where We Work

This position is open to applicants who can work in (or relocate to) the following location(s)-

Portland, OR US. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Schedule Type:

Hybrid (4 days per week in-office / 1 day remote). This schedule builds our #OneTeamBestTeam culture, provides an unparalleled customer experience, and creates innovative solutions through in-person collaboration.

At Daimler Truck North America, we recognize our world is changing faster than ever before. By listening to the needs of today, we’re building to solve with cutting-edge solutions in sustainability and future driving technology across electric, hydrogen and autonomous. These solutions, backed by years of innovative success and achievement, continue DTNA’s legacy as the undisputed industry leader. Our evolving brand portfolio is second to none, including Freightliner Trucks, Western Star, Demand Detroit, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis, and Financial Services. Together, we work as one team towards our envisioned future – building a cleaner, safer and more efficient tomorrow for all.

That is what we are working toward - for all who keep the world moving.

Additional Information

• This position is not open for Visa sponsorship or to existing Visa holders
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work permanently in the country the position is located in at the time of application
• Final candidate must successfully complete a criminal background check
• Final candidate may be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screen
• Contractors, professional services, or other contingent workers should confirm with their local agency if they are eligible to apply for FTE positions
• EEO - Disabled/Veterans

Daimler Truck North America is committed to workforce inclusion and providing an environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, age, marital status, family relationship, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (including transgender and transitioning status), genetic information, or veteran status.

For an accommodation or special assistance with applying for a posted position, please contact our Human Resources department at 503-745-8982 or toll free 800-206-3369. For TTY/TDD enabled call 503-745-2137 or toll free 866-355-6935.