Technical Product Manager @ Starbucks

Product (1)

At Starbucks, our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. The Co Technology team plays a critical role in delivering on this mission by enabling seamless, scalable, and resilient ordering experiences across our store footprint.

This position contributes to Starbucks’ success by leading the technical roadmap and implementation strategy for Coffeehouse/Retail Ordering across North American Company Operated and Licensed stores. The Principal Technical Product Manager (TPM) will own a portfolio of services and applications that are foundational to the customer and green apron partner experience, including:

Order capture, including pricing and tax
Payment integration and processing
Gift card and loyalty integration
Rules management (e.g., discounts and promotions)
Transaction posting and cash management

This role partners closely with a Digital Product Management who are focused on business priorities and problem definition. Together, they will identify business challenges and deliver the most effective technical solutions to meet those needs. In addition, the Principal TPM will lead Technical Product Managers across Coffeehouse / Retail Ordering and will be responsible for defining and maintaining the initiatives-level roadmap, ensuring alignment across engineering teams and business stakeholders.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

Product Definition & Value

Own the technical roadmap and implementation approach for Coffeehouse / Retail Ordering services, ensuring alignment with business strategy, enterprise architecture, and store operations.
Lead and mentor Technical Product Managers supporting ordering capabilities, driving consistency in product practices and delivery.
Define and maintain the initiatives-level roadmap across Coffeehouse / Retail Ordering, ensuring visibility, alignment, and prioritization across engineering and business teams.
Partner with Product Management to translate business problems into technical solutions, defining functional and non-functional requirements.
Ensure ordering services support transformation initiatives such as Next Gen Point of Sale, migration of Operating Systems to Linux and containerization, edge computing, and cloud-to-store sync.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication

Collaborate with engineering teams across Coffeehouse/Retail Technology and Digital Technology to drive cohesive delivery of ordering capabilities.
Partner with business stakeholders in Coffeehouse / Retail Operations, Finance, and Customer Technology to ensure ordering services meet operational and financial goals.
Influence and negotiate across Starbucks Technology and external partners to resolve dependencies and drive alignment.
Present solution options and tradeoffs clearly and persuasively to support decision-making.

Analysis & KPIs

Use data analysis to inform prioritization, validate hypotheses, and drive continuous improvement.
Define Objectives and Key Results, and KPIs to inform prioritization and roadmaps.

Product Planning & Delivery

Lead initiative-level backlog refinement, feature sizing, and delivery planning across cross-functional engineering teams.
Practice iterative, agile development and drive improvements to product lifecycle processes.
Ensure readiness for scale, including peak periods and international expansion.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
10+ years of experience in product management or technical leadership roles in high-scale transactional systems.
5+ years working directly with engineering teams to deliver customer-facing features.
Hands-on experience developing roadmaps, writing user stories, refining backlogs, and managing delivery in a fast-paced environment.
Strong analytical skills and experience with product metrics and performance optimization.
Experience with API-first platforms, distributed systems, and cloud-native architectures.

Preferred Qualifications

MBA or advanced technical degree.
Experience in retail, QSR, or e-commerce domains.
Prior leadership of complex enterprise-wide product initiatives.
Deep subject matter expertise in ordering, payments, or POS systems.
Demonstrated ability to influence and gain support from key stakeholders.

As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked), eight paid holidays, and two personal days per year. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program (S.I.P.), Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock), incentivized emergency savings, and financial well-being tools.Additionally, Starbucks offers 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, and access to other educational opportunities.You will also have access to backup care and DACA reimbursement.Starbucks will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and in accordance with its plans and policies. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative. For additional information regarding partner perks and more detailed information about benefits, go to starbucksbenefits.com.

*If you are working in CA, CO, IL, LA, ME, MA, NE, ND or RI, you will accrue vacation up to a maximum of 120 hours (190 in CA) for roles below director and 200 hours (316 in CA) for roles at director or above.For roles in other states, you will be granted vacation time starting at 120 hours annually for roles below director and 200 hours annually for roles director and above.

The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

If you live in the greater Seattle area, we offer a flexible workplace that allows for hybrid work. Partners can work remotely up to 1 day per week.

Join us and inspire with every cup. Apply today!

Starbucks Coffee Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.

Starbucks Coffee Company is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or 1(888) 611-2258.

Technical Product Manager

Technology

Starbucks

Summary of Key Responsibilities

Product Definition & Value

Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication

Analysis & KPIs

Product Planning & Delivery

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

What critics are saying

What makes Starbucks unique

Benefits

Company News