SR. BETA PROGRAM MANAGER

The Sr. Beta Program Manager is a hands-on leadership role at the center of Fortune Brands Innovations’ connected product validation strategy. This is not a project coordination role — it is a quality-focused, field-oriented program lead who owns the end-to-end consumer validation lifecycle across alpha, beta, and delta phases for smart home products spanning hardware, firmware, mobile applications, and cloud software. This role demands a candidate who combines the analytical rigor of a QA engineer, the cross-functional fluency of a product manager, and the field instincts of a hands-on technologist. You will be a trusted partner to QA, Engineering, Software Product Management, Hardware (Category) Product Management, UX, and Customer Support — and a vocal, data-backed advocate for real-world product quality. This role requires someone who rolls up their sleeves: reproducing reported issues, triaging bug quality before JIRA import, differentiating true defects from feature requests, and holding the line on release readiness — backed by data, not diplomacy.

Responsibilities

Design and execute end-to-end consumer validation programs across alpha, beta, and delta stages for connected hardware, firmware, mobile apps, and cloud services; Develop structured test plans, targeted test scenarios, and use-case libraries with Product Management, QA, and Engineering; Manage simultaneous test programs with discipline covering tester recruitment, device logistics, NDA and trade compliance, communications cadence, and issue tracking; Recruit and manage diverse, global tester pools segmented by persona, device type, geography, and platform; Monitor tester engagement and identify participation risks early; Coordinate required software builds, firmware versions, and hardware units for program readiness; Partner with shipping and logistics teams for on-time device delivery; Reproduce reported bugs from Centercode prior to JIRA import; Work daily with QA to validate issue severity and classification ahead of bug scrubs; Distinguish between verified software bugs, hardware/firmware defects, environment issues, duplicate reports, and feature requests; Participate in cross-functional bug scrub sessions with QA, Engineering, and Product; Own the Centercode-to-JIRA workflow and enforce submission quality standards; Track issues from initial report through resolution; Use Claude AI and other AI-powered tools to accelerate documentation, analysis, survey development, and reporting; Synthesize survey data, telemetry, usage patterns, and qualitative tester feedback into actionable insights; Identify recurring failure patterns, UX friction points, and systemic product risks; Apply critical judgment to AI-generated findings; Build customized dashboards and trend analyses; Correlate beta feedback with Customer Support ticket trends, historical NPI data, and post-launch metrics; Serve as an embedded partner to QA, Engineering, Software PM, Hardware PM, UX, and Customer Support; Translate real-world user feedback into prioritized product improvements; Advocate for product quality concerns backed by data; Engage one-on-one with testers; Coordinate with global stakeholders across multiple time zones; Maintain strict adherence to Prototype Security protocols and Trade Compliance requirements; Maintain two reporting tracks: detailed cross-functional reports and executive summaries; Develop weekly, milestone, and end-of-program reports with clear metrics; Create presentations for senior leadership grounded in field data; Use Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent tools to build repeatable reporting views; Continuously improve testing frameworks, Centercode configurations, feedback templates, and tester onboarding processes; Build Confluence documentation capturing institutional knowledge; Refine tester feedback quality through survey design best practices; Monitor competitive landscape and industry trends.

Requirements

BA/BS degree in a technical, product, or business field or equivalent practical experience; 7+ years of hands-on experience in beta/alpha/delta program management, user validation, or closely related roles in consumer hardware, IoT, or multi-platform software products; Demonstrated experience personally triaging, reproducing, and classifying bugs, with proven ability to partner with QA in bug scrubs, validate reproducibility, and enforce submission quality standards; Strong technical fluency across the connected product stack: mobile applications (iOS/Android), cloud/backend services, embedded firmware, and consumer hardware; Hands-on experience with Centercode (or equivalent beta management platforms) and JIRA, including configuring feedback templates, managing Centercode-to-JIRA import workflows, and building reporting well beyond default platform outputs; Experience building two-audience reporting: detailed cross-functional reports for Engineering/QA/Product and executive summaries with business impact framing; Experience with business intelligence tools (Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent) for dashboard creation and trend analysis; Proficiency with Confluence, Excel (Pivot Tables, advanced formulas), and SQL; Ability to manage multiple simultaneous programs without sacrificing quality; Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to write precise bug reports, executive summaries, and stakeholder documentation.

Nice to have

Experience with AI productivity tools, particularly Claude AI, for accelerating documentation, analysis, and reporting; Background in quality assurance (QA) engineering, software testing, or hardware validation, including comfort reading device logs, crash reports, and firmware build notes; Experience with delta testing and post-launch product validation cycles; Familiarity with agile/scrum methodologies and SDLC processes; Experience at a leading consumer electronics, smart home, or IoT-focused organization with hardware, firmware, mobile, and cloud software products; Experience with Voice of Customer (VoC) frameworks and translating customer insights into action; Familiarity with mobile app testing (iOS/Android), OTA firmware update flows, and cloud service dependencies in connected product ecosystems; Understanding of prototype security protocols, hardware NDA management, and trade compliance requirements; Experience managing stakeholders from individual contributors to C-suite; Knowledge of user research methodologies; PMP or equivalent program management certification.

Benefits

Comprehensive competitive benefits; robust health plans; market-leading 401(k) program with company contribution; product discounts; flexible time off benefits; adoption benefits; employee resource groups (ERGs); annual bonus plan or role-based sales incentive plan