Sr. Director, Strategic Programs Office Leader – Field Service Operations

Business Environment

Applied Materials AGS (Applied Global Services) Business Unit is responsible for driving our business of equipment installation and warranty extended management, as well as business of maintenance support, refurbishment, upgrades, etc. Our AGS team collaborates with a lot of critical customers to predict & solve manufacturing challenges, and make equipment & factories more productive. This makes our AGS team become trusted business partners for our customers which results in revenues increase year over year globally.

Field Service Organization (FSO) SPO (Strategic Programs Office) will work across all regions with a specific focus on driving BKM transfer, achieving the productivity goals and enabling programs for DOW; including hiring, training and organizational development.

What You’ll Do

The Strategic Program Office Leader will lead FSO Strategic Program Office (SPO) focused on strategic projects and program management. This leader is accountable for supporting the FSO in establishing and driving a strong cadence and alignment to enable the organization to successfully deliver its strategy. The role will enable effective communication across the FSO teams as well as other internal local and HQ stakeholders to help drive organizational priorities and deliver the DOW. At a time of strong growth and transformation of the business at Applied Materials, this is a critical role and the individual within it a key member of the regional FSO leadership team. The person will be a key enabler of the scaling and success of FSO and Applied.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Program Management:

  • Lead cross-functional programs that support FSO transformation, operational efficiency, and customer experience.

  • Define program scope, goals, success metrics, and timelines in alignment with executive leadership.

  • Manage program risks, dependencies, and stakeholder expectations.

• Operational Excellence:

  • Identify and implement process improvements across field service delivery, logistics, and customer support.

  • Drive standardization and best practices across regions and teams.

• Executive Reporting & Governance:

  • Develop dashboards, KPIs, and executive-level reports to track program performance.

  • Facilitate regular reviews with senior leadership and ensure alignment with strategic goals.

• Change Management & Communication:

  • Lead change initiatives, including communication plans, training, and stakeholder engagement.

  • Act as a liaison between field teams and corporate functions to ensure smooth adoption of new processes and tools.

• Team Leadership:

  • Build and lead a high-performing SPO team, including program managers and analysts.

  • Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Required Capabilities:

• Ability to act as a key influencer: nurture relationships, build rapport and establish trust across multiple stakeholders and executive levels

• Organized, structured approach to execution

• Strong tactical discipline; coordinate and respond quickly to requests

• Good communication (written and verbal), organization, and influence skills

• Quick learner: the ability to quickly make sense of and organize ambiguous situations

• Curiosity, a hunger to understand the various aspects of the business

• EQ: the ability to tune in to others’ reactions, needs, and goals

• Strong drive to achieve and accomplish

• Selfless and supportive approach to the role

Minimum Qualifications

• Extensive (>10years) experience in semiconductor/equipment industry

• Knowledge of semiconductor customers and peer equipment companies is preferred

• Experience with running or leading a product unit, initiative, or operations for at least 2 years or more

• Experience navigating matrixed organizations and getting people to perform

Qualifications

Education:

Skills

Certifications:

Languages:

Years of Experience:

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Additional Information

Shift:

Travel:

Relocation Eligible:

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.