About Me
Problem solver. Technical leader. Builder of platforms that scale.
I'm Rob Frew, a Senior Technical Program Manager with 15+ years transforming complex technical challenges into measurable business impact. Currently based in San Luis Obispo, California, I specialize in the intersection of technical depth and cross-functional leadership—building platforms that don't just work, but scale.
My career has been defined by a passion for solving problems others consider insurmountable. Whether it's managing Amazon's Basin platform processing 9PB daily, pioneering usage-based cost allocation across AWS services, or scaling systems through 965% year-over-year growth while maintaining 99.9% availability, I thrive in environments where there's no established playbook.
What drives me is the opportunity to unblock technical challenges that have real business impact. I've delivered over $50 million in cumulative cost savings and revenue growth throughout my career, but I'm most proud of the teams I've empowered and the frameworks I've established that continue delivering value long after projects complete.
I believe the best technical program managers combine three rare skills: deep technical judgment to understand system complexity, business acumen to prioritize what matters, and interpersonal effectiveness to influence without authority. This combination has allowed me to coordinate initiatives spanning 40+ microservices across multiple organizations—none reporting to me—and consistently earn "Exceeds High Bar" performance ratings.
My Approach
Cross-Functional Influence
I build consensus by understanding stakeholder needs first, creating clear value propositions, and focusing on enabling others' success rather than directing them. When I led Basin's integration into AWS Metering—spanning Security, Finance, AWS Billing, and 40+ microservices—I succeeded by demonstrating how the program would solve each stakeholder's specific pain points.
Data-Driven Decisions
Every major decision I make is backed by quantitative analysis. I use metrics not just to track progress, but to drive alignment and build credibility. Whether it's creating financial models showing $12.7M in improved cost attribution or forecasting 965% YoY growth to inform infrastructure planning, data transforms opinions into action.
Systems Thinking
I see the big picture while managing details. I identify dependencies others miss, optimize for the whole system rather than individual components, and design solutions that scale. This approach enabled me to manage Basin's expansion from 92PB to 989PB monthly while maintaining reliability and reducing costs.
Problem-Solving Methodology
When facing complex challenges, I analyze from multiple angles, identify core underlying issues, and work backwards to develop solutions. Rather than focusing on obstacles, I consistently seek ways to overcome them—a positive, solution-oriented mindset that's proven particularly effective in navigating multi-stakeholder problems.
Career Journey
What Others Say
"I appreciate that you are self-motivated — you see problems and you act. I found myself saying on more than one occasion: 'Rob can you look at X problem', only to find you've already got the ball rolling. What stands out for me is that you exhibit curiosity and dive deep into projects and technologies and grow in understanding."
"Throughout the project, I witnessed first-hand Rob's technical experience and deep understanding of cloud technology and the development of large-scale data platforms operating at petabyte scale. Combined with his excellent communication skills, he effectively kept both technical and non-technical stakeholders aligned, informed, and moving in the same direction throughout a complex, cross-team initiative. Under his leadership, new infrastructure deployment effort was reduced from 3–4 weeks to 2–3 days—an ~86% reduction in infrastructure deployment time."
"Rob's tenacity and persistence make him a highly effective team member. His product and industry knowledge allow him to communicate requirements from clients to engineers effectively, which is an invaluable skill. Our small team of engineers depended on Rob to relay issues to stakeholders and make us aware of client needs. In this way, he was indispensable to us, and many projects likely would not have got off the ground without his input."
"Rob is a smart and extremely hard working Product Manager that I have had the pleasure to work with for the past 5 years. Over that time, our company has grown and grown and his technical expertise and commitment to excellence has contributed to the success of our company. I would recommend him to any company that wants a Product Manager that can take a project from an idea to fruition."
"Rob is a talented Product Manager with a strong commitment to defining clear requirements that are customer centered. He is great at engaging cross functional teams to ensure smooth development and implementation. Through it all, he has a positive attitude and brings a friendly sense of humor to the team as well."
"Rob is very detail oriented with any project he worked on. He was always able to keep all areas of the company in mind when making recommendations and decisions. Rob was never afraid of pitching in to help others to advance the overall team."
"Rob is an extremely dedicated person who gives everything he has no matter what the task at hand. He will not accept anything less than the best from himself, and pushes others to strive for the same personal success. This, coupled with his proficiency to problem solve and plan ahead, is what makes him an outstanding manager, an invaluable team player and a genuinely admirable leader."
"Rob was an excellent partner in the management of store operations and employee development. Rob has a drive not commonly found and a resourcefulness that is difficult to faze. Rob's skills and abilities would make him an asset to any team."
"The word dedication certainly applies to Rob. I had the opportunity to watch Rob at his best and the results were above and beyond others in the same position. He has progressed through his career by learning each and every position he has held quickly and efficiently."
"Rob Frew is one of the smartest people I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He is a fast thinker who is able to find the solution to almost any predicament he finds. He works far beyond status quo. Any company would benefit from his vast book of knowledge."
"I have known Rob for many years. Rob is a hard working goal oriented person who seems to bring out the best in people. Rob has a strong work ethic and is an extremely quick learner. Rob knows so much about so many different things, he is truly a jack of all trades."
Leadership Principles Demonstrated
Beyond Work
Location
San Luis Obispo, California
Work Preferences
- Open to: On-site, Hybrid, or Remote
- Willing to relocate: Yes, for the right opportunity
Availability
Available Immediately
What I'm Seeking
Senior Technical Program Manager or Principal Product Manager roles in AI/ML platforms, autonomous vehicles, cloud infrastructure, or any organization building innovative technology at scale.
Let's Talk