Getting with the Program: From the MBA Program to LinkedIn Program Manager

When Rajesh Nair (MBA 2019) enrolled in the Technology Management MBA (TMMBA) program at the Foster School of Business, he was already an accomplished professional. He had held pivotal roles at technology companies and distinguished himself as a skilled software engineer, technical program manager, and cybersecurity expert. But he recognized that to drive transformational change in tech, as he does today as a Technical Program Manager at LinkedIn, he needed something more. So, Nair enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Washington in Seattle to cultivate a business mindset that complemented his technical expertise.

A ‘transformative’ technology-focused MBA program

“For me, attending a technology-focused MBA program, like the one at the Foster School of Business, was not just beneficial; it was transformative,” Nair says. “I wasn’t looking to escape tech; rather, I sought to expand my influence within it, and this program enabled me to speak ‘business’ while still thinking like an engineer.”

The Technology Management MBA program is geared specifically to technology professionals, which was ideal for Nair, who studied alongside fellow experts in the field.

“As someone who was already deeply immersed in engineering, infrastructure, and cybersecurity leadership, a traditional MBA might not have addressed the unique challenges faced by technologists leading at scale,” he says. “What I needed was a program that comprehended both the language of technology and the strategy of business, and that’s precisely what the University of Washington provided.”

The role of a technical program manager

As a Technical Program Manager at LinkedIn, Nair is leading a major initiative to upgrade the company’s technology, making it faster, safer, and positioned for future growth.

“My team facilitates communication between LinkedIn’s apps by providing them with digital identification,” he explains. “Think of employees using badges to access buildings; it’s the same concept applied to machines or workloads. We are replacing slow, manual authentication and authorization processes with smart access systems that automatically grant the appropriate access to people and applications, saving thousands of hours of manual work annually.”

Nair oversees complex programs at the intersection of infrastructure, security, and strategy. While he may not write production code daily, he is deeply embedded in the technical fabric – directing strategy, managing scalability, reliability, and compliance across LinkedIn’s security infrastructure operations.

That integration of technical depth and strategic thinking reflects his training in the Technology Management MBA program. The curriculum includes a blend of the hard skills in demand in today’s market and the leadership and communication training necessary for executive roles.

“I knew I wanted to do more than just deliver projects. I wanted to influence vision, strategy, and culture. The MBA provided me with the language of leadership,” says Nair, who is also a Culture Champion at LinkedIn.

The Technology Management MBA program complemented his technical acumen and ability to align roadmaps with long-term business goals and drive consensus across departments. He learned that building trustworthy systems was not enough; he also needed to build trust among stakeholders.

“In the program, I learned how to manage up, manage risks, and manage outcomes, not just deliverables. And perhaps more importantly, I learned how to build trust,” Nair says.

Working at Amazon, studying at the Foster School of Business

Nair enrolled in the TMMBA program while employed at another West Coast technology giant – Amazon. There, he also served as a Technical Program Manager, developing and deploying software products on a global scale.

“At Amazon, I was expected to operate like a startup founder within a massive enterprise,” he shares. “The rigor honed my skills, making me sharper, faster, and more disciplined. For me, Amazon was a place where scale met intensity. I managed programs that affected millions of users and dollars, necessitating constant prioritization, cross-team negotiation, and the ability to navigate ambiguity.”

Despite the demands of his role, Nair made a bold decision. He committed to balancing a full-time job while pursuing an MBA. It required long hours and the support of his family, but the program’s evening and weekend format made it achievable.

A Business Plan Competition provides real-world experience

A highlight of Nair’s time at Foster was competing in the University of Washington Business Plan Competition. He was part of the team behind Green Fern, a company that developed a sensor system to make standard refrigerators smart. His team reached the semifinals. The experience exemplified the team-based, collaborative culture that defines Foster.