Program Manager (Aerospace & Defense Hardware Programs)

Intrepidus Talent Solutions is running a search for an aerospace and defense contractor that develops and produces mission-critical hardware. Our client needs an experienced Program Manager to run complex development and production programs. You’ll own execution across scope, schedule, cost, quality, technical performance, customer commitments, qualification and the move into production.

You’ll lead cross-functional teams from Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, Quality, Supply Chain, Configuration Management, Finance and Contracts, and you’ll be a primary point of contact for customers and key suppliers. This is a hands-on role in a growing organization. You’ll work directly with engineering, manufacturing, customers and suppliers, and your execution will shape how the business grows.

Planning and Baselines

• Lead assigned programs from contract award through development, qualification, delivery, production transition and closeout
  
• Turn Statements of Work, specifications, contract requirements and customer deliverables into executable program plans
  
• Build and maintain product-oriented Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) consistent with MIL-STD-881 principles
  
• Build, baseline and maintain the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), including schedule logic, critical path, major dependencies, customer milestones, and procurement, test, qualification and production activities
  
• Maintain traceability of customer requirements, verification activities and contract deliverables through program completion and customer acceptance
  

Cost, Performance and Risk

• Apply Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to track cost and schedule performance and catch adverse trends early
  
• Own program budgets, labor and material forecasts, Estimates at Completion (EACs) and recovery plans for cost or schedule variances
  
• Hold disciplined control of scope, schedule, cost and technical baselines, and evaluate customer-requested changes before committing to them
  
• Run program risk and opportunity management with accountable mitigation actions
  

Teams and Suppliers

• Coordinate resource and capacity planning with functional leaders so engineering, manufacturing, procurement and test support match the program schedule
  
• Monitor critical suppliers, subcontractors, long-lead items and external dependencies that could affect program performance
  
• Give clear direction to cross-functional teams and escalate issues that need functional or executive action
  

Customers, Compliance and Growth

• Serve as a primary customer interface on program status, schedule, risks, deliverables, contract commitments and programmatic issues
  
• Plan and support major program and technical reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR and PRR as applicable
  
• Ensure contract and program execution complies with FAR/DFARS, ITAR/EAR export controls, customer requirements and internal quality systems
  
• Support proposal development, cost estimating, Basis of Estimate preparation and contract negotiations for new and follow-on work
  
• Support strategic planning, resource allocation and long-term customer relationships for assigned programs and business areas
  

Employment is contingent on successfully completing a background investigation, including criminal history and identity verification. All inquiries are handled confidentially. Our client is an equal opportunity employer and recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes without regard to race, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status, status as a protected veteran or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local law.

Requirements

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Program Management, Business, Operations, Physics or a related technical field
  
• 5+ years of relevant aerospace and defense, government contracting, engineering or technical program management experience
  
• Experience managing complex technical or hardware development programs through multiple phases of the product lifecycle
  
• Working knowledge of EVM/EVMS
  
• Experience building and maintaining WBS and IMS
  
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-881 or an equivalent product-oriented WBS method
  
• Experience with critical-path scheduling, variance analysis, recovery planning, program budgets, forecasts and EACs
  
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality and test teams
  
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and concurrent program activities
  
• Strong understanding of government contracting and customer-facing program execution
  
• Strong written, verbal, organizational and presentation skills
  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project or comparable scheduling software
  
• U.S. citizenship required
  

Nice to Have

• 8+ years of aerospace and defense program management, engineering, manufacturing or technical leadership experience
  
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar A&D development or production programs
  
• Experience working with the Department of Defense, defense primes or aerospace OEMs
  
• Working knowledge of EIA-748 EVMS principles and DoD acquisition processes
  
• Experience with Firm-Fixed-Price and cost-type contracts
  
• Familiarity with military and aerospace qualification standards and formal customer design reviews
  
• Familiarity with FAR/DFARS, ITAR/EAR, AS9100, configuration management, CDRLs/SDRLs and government contracting requirements
  
• Experience with Deltek Costpoint, ERP/MRP, PLM/PDM or similar enterprise systems
  
• Advanced degree or PMP certification